COURSE WORKBOOK:

Adobe Illustrator CC:

Essentials Training Course

Phil Ebiner
Daniel Walter Scott

copyright 2020 Video School Online

 CONTENTS
LIST OF SHORTCUTS USED IN THE COURSE
GETTING STARTED
SHAPE & LINE TOOLS
SHAPE BUILDER TOOL
CURVATURE TOOL
PEN TOOL
PENCIL TOOL
BRUSHES
WIDTH TOOL
TYPE TOOLS
COLORS
MASKING
LIBRARIES
EFFECTS & PATTERNS
ADOBE CAPTURE APP
FREE TEMPLATES

Adobe Illustrator CC: Essentials Training Course

 LIST OF SHORTCUTS USED IN THE COURSE

cmd (Ctrl PC) + C Copy

cmd (Ctrl PC) + V Paste
Press & hold alt + click & drag Quick duplicate object (with selection tool active)

Shift + cmd (Ctrl PC) + P Place object

cmd (Ctrl PC) + Z Undo

Shift + cmd (Ctrl PC) + Z Redo

cmd (Ctrl PC) + “+” Zoom in

cmd (Ctrl PC) + “-” Zoom out
Press & hold spacebar Maneuver around document

Press & hold shift + click & drag Scale object (with scale tool active)
Press & hold shift + click & drag Snap rotate (with rotate tool active)
Press & hold shift + click Draw straight & 45 degree lines (with pen tool active)

Press & hold shift + click Select multiple objects (with selection tool active)
Press & hold shift + click Deselect objects (with selection tool active)
cmd (Ctrl PC) + A Select all

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 GETTING STARTED
Exercise File Used: Getting Started.ai

Workspace:
Application Bar
Panels
Tools Panel
Document Window

Status Bar

Workspace Switcher
change of workspace arrangements

Document Units
specifying document units
• in Panel for existing document
• for a New Document

Tabs
• multiple documents could be open
• each file has its own tab
• you can easily change the order

Properties Panel
• by default or by Window > Properties
• settings and controls in the context of your current task or work-
flow

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Artboard Tool
• multiple Artboards in one document
• artboards represent the regions that can contain printable or ex-
portable artwork
• may have different sizes

Selection Tool
• black arrow - falls back tool
• select, move, rotate, and resize entire objects

Direct Selection Tool

• white arrow
• select anchor points or paths within an object so that it can be
reshaped

Grouping Mode
• combining objects into a group so that the objects are treated as
a single unit
• you can move or transform a number of objects without
• affecting their individual attributes or positions relative to each
other

• select more objects:

• either Object > Group
• or Group button in Properties Panel

Isolation Mode
• isolates groups (or sublayers) so that you can easily select and
• edit specific objects or parts of objects without having to ungroup
the objects
• double-click a shape

Zoom Tool
to magnify and reduce the view of artwork
“+” means zoom in - by default
“-” means zoom out - when holding Option key (Alt key)

Hand Tool
• to pan to different areas of a
• document
• shortcut to temporarily select Hand Tool:
• Hold down the spacebar on the
• and drag the Artboard (active any tool except Text Tool)

Back to menu
 SHAPE & LINE TOOLS
Exercise File Used: Sleeping Fox.ai

Creating template for drawing:

• either: File > Place > Check: Template
• or: Layers > Lock Layer

Visibility of a layer:
• by clicking on a visibility panel (eye icon)

Shape Tool
• by using a Shape Tool, you can draw a shape (Fill + Stroke)
• creating shape: click + hold + drag
• resizing with Selection Tool

Recoloring:
• click Fill or Stroke color icon in Properties Panel
• by Swatches or Color Mixer

Rounded corners of shapes:

• White Arrow: select from 1 to all corners
• click+hold+drag corner sign
• use Shift to select more points or objects

Adjusting Shape Tool:

• to adjust radiuses and number of sides: left click

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 Scale & Rotating Shapes
• when you see the rotate arrows, drag to rotate the shape
• if pressing Shift - constraining the rotation to 45 degrees

Smart Guides
View > Smart Guides
• tooltips that appear next to the pointer (magenta color)
• can be useful in certain
• situations, such as when more precision is necessary

Line Tool & Arc Tool

• click+hold+drag
• lines and arcs are considered only Strokes (no Fill)

Arrange Commands
• created objects are in “stacking order”
• it determines how they display when they overlap
• it is possible to change the stacking order of objects in an artwork
by using either Arrange commands
• either: in Panel
• or: right click with a mouse into the Document Window

Align-ing
• either in Properties Panel or right mouse click
• select object > choose aligning (or distribution)

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 SHAPE BUILDER TOOL
Exercise Files Used:
Shape Builder.ai
Shape Builder2.ai
Awake Fox.jpg

Shape Builder Tool

• an interactive tool for creating complex shapes by merging and
erasing simpler shapes

Merging
• select > Shape Builder Tool > click++hold+drag

Deleting
• select > Shape Builder Tool > with Option key (Alt key) holding
down > click++hold+drag

Coloring
• choose the shapes > Shape Builder Tool > choose
the color “Fill” > click on the part you want to color
• coloring separates the shapes

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 CURVATURE TOOL
Exercise File Used:
Redraw Image.ai

Curvature Tool
• draw and edit paths quickly and visually to create paths with
smooth refined curves and straight lines, without editing direction
lines
• works by creating anchor points where you click - curvature is
done automatically
• you are looking for the apex or where the curve changes the
most.

Adjusting by Direct Selection Tool (white arrow):

• moving anchor points (length and angel)

2 clicks

2 clicks
Double-click for corner

1 click
1 click

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 PEN TOOL
Exercise File Used:
Pen Tool.ai

Pen Tool
• create both freeform and more precise artwork
• Caps Lock turns the Pen tool icon from “pen” into “cross”
• clicking ones = corners
• click + drag = curve

• Esc - detach

Adjusting by Direct Selection Tool (white arrow):

moving anchor points (length and angel)

Anchor Point Tool

• for adjusting
• by one click, curve becomes a corner
• by click+hold+drag, corner becomes a curve

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 PENCIL TOOL
Exercise File Used:
Drawing1.jpeg

Pencil Tool
• draw freeform paths that contain curves and straight lines

Pencil Tool Options

• double click on Pencil Tool Icon in Tools Panel
• turn off “Keep Selected”
• FIdelity - Smoother
•
• click+hold+drag

Stroke Options
• click “Stroke” in Panel
• Window > Strokes

• > Different Caps (Butt, Round, Projecting)

• > Different Profiles (Uniform, Widths..)
• > Different Corners...
• > ArrowHeads
• Dashed Line
• Dotted Line

• > Scale Factor for Start and End of the path

Different Caps (Butt, Round, Projecting)

Different Profiles (Uniform, Widths..)

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 ArrowHeads ArrowHeads

Dashed Line
• set the dash (pt)
• set the gaps (pt)

dash = 2 pt dash = 10 pt
gap = 10 pt gap = 2 pt

Dotted Line
• set the dash = 0 (0pt)
• set the gaps = any size (pt)
• set the gap = rounded

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 BRUSHES
Exercise File Used:
Drawing1.jpeg

Brushes
• allows to stylize the appearance of paths
• possible to apply brush strokes to existing paths
• Window > Brush Libraries > choose and apply
• keep the stroke of a path small (0,005 - 0,25pt)

Individual brushes
• ready to use: click+hold+drag+drop

Coloring brushed shape

• create a shape (uniform)
• duplicate it (brushed)
• make sure that lines are touching or crossing*
• use Shape Builder Tool
• color (Fill) parts of the shape
• move the duplicated shape to overlap colored shape

• *double-clicking on Shape Builder Tool > change gap length of

gap detection by the tool

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 WIDTH TOOL
Exercise File Used:
Width Tool.ai

Width Tool
• alter regular stroke widths
• select the tool > click+hold+drag
• dragging = editing the width of the stroke
• stretching the stroke to the left and to the right equally
• > release

Multiple points of width

• position the pointer anywhere over the path > click+hold+drag
• new width point created
• multiple points possible to adjust the path width

Adjusting only one side of the width

• click+hold+drag while holding Option key (Alt key)

Sliding the point of width

• position the pointer over the original width point >
click+hold+drag
• shift the width point to a new width point

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 TYPE TOOLS
Exercise File Used:
New Postcard
Text in Illustrator
• as point type
• area type
• type on a path
Point type
• horizontal or vertical line of text that begins where you click and
expands as you enter characters (click)
• each line of text is independent
• line expands or shrinks as you edit it but doesn’t wrap to the next
line
• headlines, or a few words

Area Type
• uses the boundaries of an object (like a rectangle) to control the
flow of characters, either horizontally or vertically (click+hold+drag)
• When the text reaches a boundary, it automatically wraps to fit
inside the defined area
more paragraphs

To convert Point Type to Area Type: double-click on a right handle

(dot)

• Scaling point type this way will stretch the text if you drag any
bounding point

• Scaling area type - you can drag any of the eight bounding points
on the text area to resize it

Formatting type
• font family and font style
• font size
• font color
• additional character formatting
• paragraph formatting

Note: 10points (pt) is usual size of a text in magazines, etc.

Typekit fonts
• aside from applying local fonts to text from your machine, Crea-
tive Cloud subscribers can apply Typekit fonts
• typekit is a subscription service offering access to a library of fonts

Serif vs. Sans-serif fonts

• a serif is a decorative stroke that finishes off the end of a letters
stem = has “serifs”
• sans-serifs do not (sans = without)

Placeholder text
• “Lorem Impsum”
• commonly used to demonstrate the visual form of a document or
a typeface without relying on meaningful content
• Type > Fill with placeholder text

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 Type on a Path Tool
create a path > choose Type on a Path Tool > click on a path > write
a text

Moving the text

• click+hold+drag the line on the left end (also center and right end)
• these are called “brackets”

Options
• Type > Type On A Path > Type On A Path Options
• Effect
• Align to Path
• Scaling
• Flip

Creating Text Outlines

• converting text into vector shapes that you can edit and manipu-
late as you would any other graphic object
• text is no longer editable
• outlining text that is less than 10 points in size is not recommend-
ed
• select text > Type > Create Outlines

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 COLORS
Exercise File Used:
Colors.ai
Eyedropper-ai
Post Card.ai

Color Modes:

RGB
• red, green, blue
• display colors
• screen has light coming out of it, so can create more colors
• bigger gamut

CMYK
• cyan, magent, yellow, black
• for print
• smaller gamut

Eyedroper Tool
• to simply copy appearance attributes (not only color)
• select an object > Eyedropper Tool > click on the attribute you
want to copy

Saving colors (swatches)

• select a color with Eyedropper Tool > click New Swatch in Swatch
Panel

Color Themes
• displays color themes from a Adobe Color website
• Window > Color Themes > Explore Tab

Gradient
• color blends of two or more colors that you can apply to the fill or
stroke of artwork
• select the object > Swatches in Panel

Gradient Options
• Window > Gradient
• Type, Angle, Colors, etc.

Reposition and Resizing

• Gradient Tool
• hold Shift, click+hold+drag

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 MASKING
Exercise File Used:
Desk.jpeg
Drawing2.jpeg
Color Bomb.jpeg
Compound Path.ai

Clipping Mask
• a clipping mask is an object or group of objects that masks (with
its shape) artwork below it in the same layer or sublayer so that only
artwork within the shape is visible
• a masking object (path which will be used as a clipping mask) must
be above the objects it masks
• “Create Clipping Mask” or “Release Clipping Mask”
Clipping Mask: Shape
• create a masking object > place it above the objects it will mask >
click right mouse button > create mask

• Selection tool - move with the final object (mask)

• Direct selection tool - move with the masked object
• or in Isolation Mode

Clipping Mask: Multiple Shapes

• create a masking objects > select them all > create a Compound
Path from them
• select Compound Path and a object to be masked > create a Clip-
ping Mask

• adjusting a clipping mask is possible in an Isolation Mode (dou-

ble-click on a group of objects)

Clipping Mask: Text

• create a text > place it above the object to be masked > select
both of them > create clipping mask
• it is possible to change a clipped text after

• adjusting a clipping mask is possible in an Isolation Mode (dou-

ble-click on a group of objects)

Compound Path
• use a vector object to cut a hole in another vector object
• holes appear where paths overlap
• select object > create compound path

Shadow of Compound Path

• first > create a group
• then Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow

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 LIBRARIES
Exercise File Used:
CC Libraries.ai
Bike.jpeg

Creative Cloud
• Creative Cloud libraries are an easy way to create and share
stored content such as images, colors, text styles, etc.
• in order to use Creative Cloud libraries, you will need to be signed
in with your Adobe Illustrator CC and have an internet connection

Adding assets to CC libraries

• Choose Window > Libraries, or click the Libraries panel tab to
open the Libraries panel
• you can add to default library “My Library” ,or you can create more
libraries
• use drag&drop
• works with colors, color themes, text, paragraph styles, graphics,
etc.

Use
• once synced, those assets will be available to other applications
and apps that support libraries (aslong as you are signed in with the
same Creative Cloud account)
• when you drag a graphic from your Creative Cloud library to a
project, it is automatically placed as a linked asset
• if you make a change to a library asset, the linked instances will
update in your projects
• holding down Option key (Atl key) will brake down the link

Share libraries
• to share your libraries with your colleagues or clients, use Librar-
ies Panel > Collaborate
CC Market

CC members can access assets from Market for free choosing from
an selection of vector graphics, icons, patterns, UI kits, etc.

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 EFFECTS & PATTERNS
Exercise File Used:
Liquify.ai
Liquify 2.ai
Warp Transform.ai
Bike.jpeg
Daniel Walter Scott 1.jpeg

• Warp Tool
• Twirl Tool
• Pucker Tool
• Bloat Tool
• Scallop Tool
• Crystallize Tool
• Wrinkle Tool

• under Width Tool in a Tools Panel

• every tool has a advanced Options: brush dimensions and other
tool options

• Effects > Warp > (Options)

• to resize and rotate, first: Object > Expand Appearance

• to edit again: Panel > Appearance > Effects

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 • Create object > select object > Object > Transform > Transform
Each
• > adjust options (scale, move, rotate...) > click COPY

• to repeat: Object > Transform > Transform Again

• shortcut: cmd (Ctrl+D)

Creating Patterns
• patterns you create are saved as a swatch in the Swatches panel
for the document you’re working in
• Select the object > Object > Pattern Options > Make Pattern

• Illustrator enters Pattern Editing mode, which is similar to the Iso-

lation mode
• allows you to create and edit patterns interactively
• the box around the original group of objects is the pattern tile
(the area that repeats)
• choose the options in the Pattern Option panel

Applying the Pattern

• apply the pattern as a usual Fill in a Swatches panel

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 Image Tracing
• can be useful for turning a drawing into vector art,
tracing raster logos, tracing a pattern or texture, etc.
• click the Image Trace button in the Properties panel
• or Object > Image Trace > Make
• or Window> Image Trace
• choose any of the option = this converts the image
into an image tracing object = you can’tedit the vector
content yet, but you can change the tracing settings
(Image Trace Panel button)
• to edit the vector, image has to be “expanded”

• Select > Same command

• you can also select artwork based on similar fill
color, stroke color, stroke, etc.

ADOBE CAPTURE APP

Adobe Capture
• use your mobile device as a vector converter to
turn photos into color themes, patterns, type, materi-
als, brushes, and shapes. Then bring those assets into
your favorite desktop and mobile apps to use in your
projects.

SHAPE TEXT COLOR

PATTERN BRUSH

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 FREE TEMPLATES

• search and open Adobe Stock templates right inside Illustrator

• a variety of high-quality templates created by professional design-
ers.
• start a new project with File > New > Search a template > See Pre-
view > Download

• Adobe Stock online - for more templates (free and paid)

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 EXPORTING

• check the color mode: File > Document Color Mode

• check the raster settings: Effects > Document Raster Effects Set-
tings...

Export PDF for print

• File > Save as > PDF > Adobe PDF Preset: High Quality > Uncheck
“Preserve Ilustrator Editing Capabilities” > Save
•
Export PDF for web
• File > Save as > PDF > Adobe PDF Preset: Smalles File Size > Un-
check “Preserve Ilustrator Editing Capabilities”

Export as package
• File > Package > Choose options > Save
• will save all links, fonts and others in one package to use

Export jpeg for web

• File > Export As > jpeg (no transparency, a lot of colors) > Choose
the Artboard nr. > Save
• Options: balance between size and quality (Quality 8, Resolution:
medium - for modern screens)

Export separate icons (png or svg)

• Window > Assets Export > Drag&Drop the icons (grouped objects)
> Select Icons > Choose png or svg, or both > Export Assets

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copyright 2020 Video School Online

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