Topic 1 Illustrator’s Interface

Topic Objectives
The Welcome Screen
Creating a new Illustrator document
Illustrator’s work area
The Tools panel
Working with panels
Customizing your workspace
The Control panel

The context menu
Zooming in and out
Preview and Outline Views
Illustrator’s preferences
Undo, Redo and Revert commands
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 2 Artwork Essentials

Topic Objectives
Vector images
Bitmap images
Creating new documents
Opening a file
Templates
Using Adobe Bridge
The Illustrator artboard

Working with rulers
Changing the measurement units
Working with the Grid
Working with guides
Snapping objects to anchor points and guides
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 3 Drawing Vector Art

Topic Objectives
About vector paths
Drawing lines with the Line Segment tool
Drawing rectangles
Drawing ellipses
Drawing polygons
Drawing stars
Drawing straight lines with the Pen tool
Tips for drawing curves with the Pen tool
Drawing curves with the Pen tool
Changing the curve direction

Adjusting the shape of a curve
Adding or deleting anchor points
Converting between smooth and corner points
Finding and deleting stray anchor points
Smoothing paths
Erasing artwork
Simplifying paths
Aligning the position of anchor points
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 4 Selecting and arranging objects

Topic Objectives
Selecting objects
Selecting with the Selection tool
Selecting objects and groups within groups with the Selection tool
Selecting one object within a group
Using the Group Selection tool
Selecting with the Magic Wand tool
Customising the Magic Wand tool
Selecting the next object in the stacking order
Selecting all objects by characteristics
Saving a selection
Loading and deleting a selection
Moving and duplicating objects
Moving or duplicating objects by pasting
Moving an object by dragging

Duplicating objects by dragging
Moving an object by using the arrow keys
Moving using the Move command
Moving objects using x and y coordinates
Moving multiple objects with the Transform Each command
The Align panel
Distributing objects by specific amounts
Locking selected objects
Hiding selected objects
The stacking order
Grouping objects
Isolating groups and sublayers
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 5 Transforming objects

Topic Objectives
Transforming objects
Using the Transform panel to transform
Using the bounding box to transform
Scaling objects
Rotating objects
Reflecting objects

Shearing objects
Distorting objects with the Free Transform tool
Warp Effects
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 6 Colour

Topic Objectives
The Colour Picker
Selecting colours with the Colour Picker
The Colour panel
Selecting colours in the Colour panel
About swatches
The Swatches panel
Creating process colour swatches
Creating spot colour swatches

Adjusting swatches
Using Pantone colours
Changing the tint of a colour
Managing Swatches
Fills and strokes
Making out-of-gamut colours printable
Changing a colour to a web-safe colour
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 7 Clipping Masks, Transparency and Gradients

Topic Objectives
Clipping masks
Creating a clipping mask for objects
Creating a clipping mask for a group or layer
Editing a clipping mask
Adding or removing objects from a clipping mask

Releasing objects from a clipping mask
Transparency
Using the Transparency panel
Illustrator’s blending modes
Gradients
The Gradient tool
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 8 Type

Topic Objectives
Adding type in Illustrator
Creating point type
Creating area type
Creating text along a path
Resizing a text area object
Moving or flipping text on a path
Path type effects
Vertical alignment of type on a path
Character spacing around sharp turns
Importing text into Illustrator
The Character panel
Leading

Adjusting the baseline
Kerning and tracking
The Paragraph panel
Aligning text
Justifying text
Indenting text
Adjusting paragraph spacing
The Glyphs panel
Converting text into graphic objects
Updating legacy text
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 9 Layers

Topic Objectives
Using layers
The Layers panel
Changing the display of the Layers panel
Creating a new layer
Layer options
Moving objects to a different layer
Changing the stacking order of Layers
Merging and flattening layers

Locating an item in the Layers panel
Locking and unlocking objects
Hiding and showing objects
Pasting objects between layers
Duplicating objects using the Layers panel
Using Template Layers to redraw artwork
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 10 Importing Files

Topic Objectives
Placing files
Linking or embedding artwork
Using the Links panel
Embedding/Unembedding artwork
Viewing information about linked files
Updating modified links

Editing the original of a linked file
Relinking missing links
Setting placement options for linked artwork
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 11 Saving and Exporting from Illustrator

Topic Objectives
Saving and exporting artwork
Saving in Illustrator format (AI)
Illustrator format (AI) options
Saving in EPS format
EPS format options
About Adobe PDF format
Saving in Adobe PDF format
Creating a layered Adobe PDF file
Creating a multiple-page Adobe PDF file
Adobe PDF presets
Customizing PDF presets
PDF presets locations
Exporting PDF presets

Importing PDF presets
General options for Adobe PDF files
Compression options for Adobe PDF files
Marks and bleed options for Adobe PDF files
Colour management and PDF/X options for Adobe PDF files
Font and flattening options for PDF files
Security options for PDF files
Exporting artwork to other formats
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Topic 12 Printing from Illustrator

Topic Objectives
Printing an Illustrator file
Print dialogue box options

Print presets
Topic Summary
Topic Review

Appendix

Appendix A - Colour Management in
Adobe Creative Suite 3
Appendix B - Adobe Bridge
Appendix C - Keyboard Shortcuts
Appendix D - Index