Learning Vector Illustration with Adobe Illustrator

Jodi Staniunas Hopper is an Associate Professor of Art and the Graphic Design Program Director at Mercyhurst University, USA. She teaches courses in Publication Design, Vector Illustration, Branding, and Design History.

Introduction:
I get it! My first vector experiences
How the book works
Project Pages explanation: The long running project

1. Interface and the Basics
Workspace options
Navigation
Tool names, functions, quick keys chart
Getting Started: Document Set-up and Layers
Formats for saving your work

2. Making Marks
Simple Mark Making
Commanding Vectors
Width Tool and its brethren
Nesting Strokes (Appearance menu)
Independent Projects to Engage in: Multiple Strokes
Project Pages

Chapter 3: Taking Shape
· Ellipses, Rectangles, Polygons…oh my!
· Compound Shapes (Pathfinder)
· Rotate, Reflect, Scale, and Skew tools
Independent Projects to Engage in: Symbol Development
Advanced Option: Logo Design
Project Pages

4. Colour: Beyond the Default Swatches
Colour Modes
Colour Books
Making a Swatch, Colour Groups, and Colour Theme
Basic Gradient Tool
Independent Projects to Engage in: Logo Colorizing
Project Pages

5. Sketches Alive! Bringing your traditional skills into Illustrator
Placing your scanned or captured sketches
Introducing the Live Trace Control Bar
Live Paint Bucket tool
Independent Projects to Engage in: 105 Animal Sketches
Advanced Project: Theatre/Play Poster and repurpose
Project Pages

6. Type in Illustrator
Introducing the Type tools
Introducing the Glyph, Character and Paragraph panels
Why Style Sheets?
Envelopes: Warp, Mesh, Top Object
Creating Outlines
Independent Projects to engage in: Glyph Development
Project Pages

7. Pattern vs Symbols
Introduce Pattern Making Panel
Introducing the Symbol Tools
Masking
Multiple Fills in the Appearance menu
Independent Projects to engage in: Pattern Making with your Glyph
Project Pages

8. Gradient Mesh
Introducing Mesh
Applying a mesh to a gradient
Independent Projects to engage in: It’s in the Cards
Project Pages

9. 3-D rendering
Extrude
Bevel
Rotate
Revolve and Map Art
Independent Projects to engage in: It’s in the Cards
Project Pages

10. Perspective Grid
Navigating the Perspective grid
Applying & releasing items to the grid
Independent Projects to engage in: It’s in the Cards
Project Pages

11. Graph Tool
Creating a simple Bar graph in illustrator
Importing data from excel
Customizing your graph’s style
Caution: Statistics can lie; Don’t be a liar
Independent Projects to engage in: Infographic
Project Pages

12. Land of the forgotten tools:
Blend Tool: Fun with highlights
Eraser, Scissors, Knife…oh my!
The Slice Tool is not for cutting and dividing.

Glossary
Index