Getting started in Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator Training Course

Adobe Illustrator is one of the recognized leaders among vector graphics programs (its latest versions also have tools for working with raster images, just as Photoshop can now work with vector objects) and is intended for creating and editing illustrations for printing, multimedia applications and the Internet.

Vector graphics are based on the simplest geometric shapes called primitives - rectangles, circles, ellipses, etc.; on figures built from primitives, and on various curves. Hence the freedom of transformation: a vector image can be rotated and scaled with virtually no loss of quality. Programs for working with vector graphics are indispensable in those areas of graphics where important has the preservation of clear and distinct outlines, for example when creating graphic titles, logos, drawings, technical illustrations, diagrams, diagrams, etc.

The advantage of vector illustrations is that they take up less space than similar raster images, since it is not the image itself that is saved, but only some basic data, with the help of which the program creates the image anew each time. In addition, vector graphics work well with outlines of objects and groups of objects, allowing you to quickly make drastic changes.

The Illustrator program interface is very similar to the interfaces of other Adobe products, primarily Photoshop, which simplifies the process of mastering it. There are similar tools here: Magic Wand (Magic wand) And Lasso(Lasso), Paintbrush(Regular brush) and Warp(Distort Brush), etc., and similar command menus, and many of the familiar palettes, and also present context menu. The program implements many of the features that can be found in other graphics packages - customizable grids, layers, alignment and gradient fill tools. But much of all of the above is done somewhat differently; there are still many other possibilities focused specifically on the creation and processing of vector images.

Basic principles of working in Illustrator

Creating a new document

Work on a picture begins with the creation of a new document, which occurs in the usual way by command File=>New(File=>New). At the same time, in the window New Document (new document; rice. 1) you need to immediately determine what the document is intended for - for publication on the Internet or for printing. In the first case, RGB mode is selected, and in the second, CMYK. Then a document will appear on the screen, surrounded by a black frame (Fig. 2). Inside this frame there is usually (that is, when the printer is installed) there is an additional dotted frame that defines the working area of ​​the document, within which the drawing should be created. Anything outside the dotted frame will not be printed. Zooming in and out of an image, as in Photoshop, is done by pressing the key combination: Ctrl+« + » to zoom in, Ctrl+« – » to decrease.

Rice. 1. Create a new document for the Web

Rice. 2. New document

Toolbar

Illustrator's toolbar is very similar to that of Photoshop, and you select tools in the usual way. Under visible on this moment the tool may hide several more, which are easy to reach by holding down the key Alt when choosing a tool (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. A series of tools for drawing graphic primitives

Basic palettes

Illustrator has a whole series of specialized palettes that can be opened or closed and are called up from the list of palettes that opens when you activate the command Window(Window). Among the main color palette Color, color catalog palette Swatches and line palette Stroke.

In the palette Color(Fig. 4) first of all, you should pay attention to the two squares in the upper left corner of the palette: solid ( Fill) and hollow ( Stroke). Similar squares appear at the bottom of the tool palette: the first is responsible for the fill color, and the second for the object’s stroke color (Fig. 5). The square in front is considered active, and it is for it that the color will be determined if it is selected. Switching between squares is done with a regular mouse click. The fill or stroke color of an object can be selected from the palette Color, and on the toolbar. This is done by double-clicking on one of the squares and leads to the opening of a window Color Picker(Color Selection), where you can select the desired color (Fig. 6).

Rice. 4. Color palette

Rice. 5. Example of an object with a border of a different color

Rice. 6. Selecting a color in the Color Picker window

In addition, in the lower left corner of the palette Color there is a crossed out square None, when clicked, the currently active color is deleted. For example, if the fill color is active, this will cause all objects created thereafter to have only borders.

Palette Swatches(Fig. 7) is a catalog of standard colors, gradients and patterns that can be edited, expanded and customized. Here you can not only select, but also store colors, gradients and patterns that you previously selected for specific images. This is very convenient, since, having selected a color for a specific object, the user immediately forgets about it and moves on to another color. In the future, to restore it, as a rule, you have to open the corresponding image and take a color sample with the tool Eyedropper(Pipette). But you can do it easier by keeping the desired colors in the palette Swatches(which, in fact, is what it is intended for) - just drag the active square with a color from the palette Color to the palette Swatches(Fig. 8).

Rice. 7. Swatches palette

Rice. 8. Saving colors in the Swatches palette

Palette Swatches can be replenished in other ways, since when installing the program, a whole library is automatically created color palettes, any of which can be added to the palette Swatches. To open a specific library, use the commands Window=>Swatch Libraries=>...(Window=>Library Collections=>...) or Window=>Swatch Libraries=>Other Library(Window=>Library Collections=>Other Libraries) and similarly drag desired color to the palette Swatches. The first command will open one of the default palettes, and the second will open the color library of one of the *.ai files you created earlier. To remove an unwanted color from the palette, just drag it to the trash can icon in the lower right corner of the palette.

Palette Stroke(Fig. 9) determines the appearance of the object's outline. Here you can change the width of the stroke in the box Weight(Width) Please note that fractional values widths are entered separated by commas. Enabling an option Dashed Line(Dotted line) makes three pairs of fields active Dash(Stroke length) and Gap(Distance between strokes), the values ​​​​of which determine the nature of the dotted line (Fig. 10).

Three values ​​of the Cap parameter of the Stroke palette define the boundaries of the line:

Selecting the first value causes the boundaries to coincide with the reference points;

Selecting the second value ensures the formation of rounded borders;

When you select the third value, the lines go beyond the boundaries reference points(Fig. 11).

Parameter values Join determine the appearance of the internal points of a broken line: the first option ensures the formation of sharp points, the second - rounded, the third - straight. Therefore, rounded vertices will only be obtained when choosing average parameter values Cap And Join.

Rice. 9. Stroke Palette

Rice. 10. An example of an object with a dash-dotted line and the Stroke palette corresponding to this stroke

Rice. 11. Example of lines with different settings of the Cap and Join parameters

Selecting objects

Tools are used primarily to select objects. Selection(Emphasis), Direct Selection(Partial selection) and Group Selection(Group selection). Selection is responsible for selecting the entire object by enclosing it in a rectangular frame (in the so-called dimensional container) and is convenient for quickly selecting one or more adjacent or overlapping objects by forming a frame around them. When selecting one object, just click on the border of the object or inside the object if it has a fill. If we are talking about selecting several objects, then you need to form a rectangular frame around them (Fig. 12). In any case, the isolation of an object will be indicated by its enclosure in a large container (Fig. 13).

Rice. 12. The process of selecting a group of objects with the Selection tool

Rice. 13. Result of selecting a group of objects with the Selection tool

Tool Direct Selection is responsible for selecting one object without forming a rectangular frame (Fig. 14) and is most often used to select individual control points or segments of curves (but we will talk about this in one of next lessons). Tool Group Selection is intended for selecting a group of objects (it can consist not only of graphic primitives, but also of individual reference points and curve segments), but also without placing them in a large container (Fig. 15).

Rice. 14. Result of selecting a star with the Direct Selection tool

Rice. 15. Result of selecting a group of objects with the Group Selection tool

To some extent, instruments Direct Selection And Group Selection duplicate each other, since you can select several objects using the tool Direct Selection, if you hold down the key Shift during the extraction process. The selection process itself is carried out by simply clicking the mouse inside the object or along its border. Using the above tools, you can move the selected images with the mouse or using the appropriate arrow keys.

In addition to the selection tools mentioned above, there are also Magic Wand(Magic wand) and Lasso(Lasso). Yes, and in relation to the above-mentioned tools, there are a number of other nuances, but it is impossible to grasp the immensity, and we will dwell on the issues of selection in more detail another time.

Grouping objects

If it is necessary to carry out the same transformations in relation to several objects, then it is more convenient to combine them into a group (however, this is not necessary - you can simply select all objects each time while pressing the key Shift). The convenience of grouping is that after selecting several objects in a group, a single click with the tool Selection for any of these objects will lead to the selection of the entire group at once.

To create a group, select sequentially using the key Shift several objects with a tool Direct Selection and use the command Object=>Group(Object=>Group). You can split objects using the reverse command Object=>Ungroup(Object=>Not Group). However, even if objects are grouped, it is possible to work with one of them without breaking the group. To do this, select the object with the tool Group Selection and perform the necessary transformations with it: moving, repainting, rotating, applying effects, etc.

Creating and converting graphic objects

So that our lesson is not purely theoretical, let's move on to creating graphic primitives in order to take advantage of the information received and take the first steps.

Formation of graphic primitives

Drawing simple shapes such as rectangles ( Rectangle), rounded rectangles ( Rounded Rectangle), ellipses ( Ellipse), polygons ( Polygon), stars ( Star) and glare ( Flare), is carried out in the program in the usual way - using the appropriate tools from the palette. Keystroke Shift in the process of drawing, it leads to the formation of a square instead of a rectangle, and a circle instead of an ellipse. In addition, the parameters of a geometric figure can be adjusted from the menu, for which you need to click on the sheet and change the parameters (this is done before the object is formed). And if in the case of, for example, a rectangle, you can only change its width ( Width) and height ( Height), then for polygons you can change the radius ( Radius) and number of angles ( Sides), and for stars the number of vertices ( Points), outer and inner radii.

The fill color of a geometric figure, as well as the stroke color, can be determined both before and after its image - if the figure is selected.

Let's create, for example, an image of a star. To do this, double-click on the square in the palette Fill and set the desired fill color for the shape. Then activate the square Stroke and define the border color. Select a tool from the palette Star(by default it is hidden under the tool Rectangle, and can be found by holding down the key Alt) and form a star of the desired size (Fig. 16).

Rice. 16. Star appearance

Activate the palette Stroke, increase the border width (for example, to 30 pixels) and set the parameters to medium values Cap And Join the tops of the star will take on a rounded shape (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. Star after adjusting the border in the Stroke palette

After that, open the palette Swatches and fill the star with a suitable gradient or pattern, for example as in fig. 18.

Rice. 18. The appearance of the star after painting with a gradient from the Swatches palette

It is quite possible that the range of products available in the palette Swatches gradients will not suit you, you can slightly adjust it. In this case, the command Window=>Gradient(Window=>Gradient) open the palette Gradient and drag the gradient markers (they are placed in the form of squares under the gradient color changing bar) as needed (Fig. 19). The presented option for setting up the gradient turned out to be so easy and simple only because initially in the palette Swatches the gradient was well chosen. Fully setting up the gradient takes a longer time.

Rice. 19. Result of adjusting the gradient

Now try to create a star with a large number of vertices in a new document and paint it with a manually selected gradient. Set option None for both the fill color and the border color. Select a tool Star and click on the sheet a menu for setting star parameters will appear, in which you need to define the desired settings, for example as in Fig. 20. You will get a star that has not yet been painted over (Fig. 21).

Rice. 20. Setting star parameters

Rice. 21. Initial view of the star

Team Window=>Gradient(Window=>Gradient) open the Gradient palette. By default, a linear black-and-white gradient is configured here, which can be easily replaced with a radial one (Fig. 22). After that, click on the white square in the lower left corner of the palette Gradient(Fig. 23), then double-click on the Fill square in the tool palette and set the desired color. Then click on the black square in the lower right corner of the palette Gradient and set the second color in the same way. The result will be approximately the same as in Fig. 24.

Rice. 22. Replacing a linear gradient with a radial one

Rice. 23. Click on the bottom border of the color in the Gradient palette

Rice. 24. The appearance of the star after setting up the gradient and the Gradient palette corresponding to the fill

It should be borne in mind that there are very convenient ways control the process of drawing graphic primitives. For example, when creating a polygon, star or highlight, you can use the arrow keys, which will allow you to increase or decrease the number of vertices of the polygon and star and the number of turns of the spiral right as you draw. Pressed key Shift When drawing, it will allow you to align the created object horizontally and vertically. Pressing a key Space when drawing, you can immediately move the object to the desired location, and the key Ctrl allows you to change the degree of sharpness of the star's rays.

The simplest actions on objects

Please note that any action is performed only on one or several selected objects, and entire groups of objects can be simultaneously moved, resized, recolored at the same time, and various filters can be applied to them. For example, repainting will be carried out instantly for all selected objects when the fill color is changed Fill(Fig. 25).

Rice. 25. Simultaneously repainting two selected objects

Transforming an Object with the Direct Selection Tool

Draw a rectangle and make a second copy of it next to it (for example) in the usual way via the clipboard (commands Edit=>Copy Editing=>Copy and Edit=>Paste Editing=>Insert), then deselect the resulting copy with the command Select=>Deselect(Selection=>Nothing selected) or simply by clicking on an empty area of ​​the work area. Select a tool Direct Selection, bring it to one of the corners of the rectangle and pull it, turning it into a trapezoid (Fig. 26).

Rice. 26. Transforming a rectangle with the Direct Selection tool

Scaling and Rotations

Unlike Photoshop, the scaling and rotation tools are placed directly on the toolbar in Illustrator, so working with them is easy and simple. For example, let's make a copy of the star shown in Fig. 27, teams Edit=>Copy(Edit=>Copy) and Edit=>Paste(Edit=>Insert), reduce it in size and move it to the center of the large star. To reduce the size (given that the copied star is selected), select the tool on the toolbar Scale(Scale), double-clicking on the tool will open the scaling window. Let's turn it on in the window Scale check the Preview checkbox to immediately see all the changes in the figure, and adjust the scale value appropriately (Fig. 28). Then select a smaller copy of the star with the tool Direct Selection and drag it to the center of the big star. It is quite difficult to ideally position objects relative to each other (although in practice such operations have to be performed very often), so you need to select both stars. Let's open the palette Windows=>Align(Window => Alignment; Fig. 29) and center them relative to each other by successively clicking on the buttons Horizontal Align Center(Horizontal alignment to center) and Vertical Align Center(Vertical alignment relative to center). The result is shown in Fig. thirty.

Rice. 27. Original image

Rice. 28. Changing the scale of the selected object

Rice. 29. Align palette

Rice. 30. Result of star centering

Then, without deselecting the objects, double-click on the tool Rotate(Rotate), which will open the rotation settings window. Enable checkbox Preview(Preview) and begin to rotate the stars little by little, gradually bringing them to the desired position (Fig. 31). You can rotate objects in other ways by selecting the tool Rotate with one click (no settings window will open in this case, but the center of rotation will be indicated in the figure) and starting to rotate the object with the mouse (Fig. 32).

Rice. 31. Rotate objects by defining settings in the Rotate window

Rice. 32. Rotating objects with the mouse

Scaling can be done in other ways: either by simply single-clicking by selecting the tool Scale and moving one of the vertices of the object, or placing the object in an overall rectangle, selecting it with the tool Selection and moving the markers of the outline rectangle. In this case, moving the side markers provides scaling only horizontally or vertically, and moving the corner markers provides both horizontal and vertical scaling (Fig. 33). To scale while maintaining proportions, hold down the key Shift; key Alt allows you to scale from the center of the object.

Rice. 33. Scaling a group of objects based on an outline rectangle

Free Transformation

There is another option for scaling and rotating, implemented with just one button on the tool palette - Free Transform(Free transformation). When you select this tool, the selected objects are automatically enclosed in a dimensional container that can be scaled and rotated. In this case, you should be guided by the appearance of the marker: if it is a curved arrow, then when you move the mouse, objects will rotate, and if the marker looks like a straight arrow, then the size of the shape will change.

Using filters to form more complex objects

The initial number of graphic primitives, alas, is small, and it is impossible to get by only with them when creating the desired image. However, Illustrator provides a lot of options for changing the original shapes, and the resulting images will be far from the usual rectangles, polygons and stars. Yes, filter Pucker & Bloat(Wrinkle and Blow) creates convex or concave curves based on the original image, which is very suitable for drawing flowers, heraldic signs, etc. Filter Twist(Curve) twists the object in the center more than at the edges, creating spectacular vortices from ordinary polygons, etc.

Let's use the star created in the previous example (Fig. 34). Let's select it with the tool Direct Selection, and then apply one of the many deformation options to it with the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Pucker & Bloat(Effect=>Distort and Transform=>Shrink and Bloat). Depending on the deformation settings, you can get a variety of shapes - from the sun (Fig. 35) to the daisy (Fig. 36). Please note that the checkbox Preview(Preview) must be turned on, otherwise you will not be able to watch the image transform as the parameter changes.

Rice. 34. Original image

Rice. 35. Sunshine (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

Rice. 36. Chamomile (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

No less original effects can be obtained if you take other graphic primitives as a basis. In particular, from an octagon you can get spectacular color options (Fig. 37, 38), and from a circle - interesting symbol, which can be used, for example, when creating a logo (Fig. 39).

Rice. 37. First flower option (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

Rice. 38. Second flower option (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

Rice. 39. Possible logo fragment (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

No less interesting effects are obtained when other filters from the group are applied to geometric primitives Distort & Transform(Distortion and Transformation). The original image looks like Fig. 40, and the result of using the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Twist(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Curve) can resemble a spectacular curl (Fig. 41).

Rice. 40. Original image

Rice. 41. Twist (Twist filter settings are indicated)

Recolor the original star with a bluish gradient, more suitable for snowflakes, and try using the filter ZigZag called by the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>ZigZag(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Zigzag). In this case, an incredible variety of different snowflakes can be obtained (Fig. 42).

Rice. 42. Snowflakes (ZigZag filter settings are indicated)

Now, in a new document, draw a series of circles, as shown in Fig. 43, select them with the tool Direct Selection and turn into intricate ink blots with the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Roughen(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Spikes; Fig. 44, 45).

Rice. 43. Original image

Rice. 44. Setting up the Roughen filter

Rice. 45. Ink blots

Creating complex objects by cutting out component parts of graphic primitives

Let's look at one of the simplest examples of cutting objects to form a rather spectacular pattern. Create a polygon and a star lying on it, filled with a gradient, something like in Fig. 46. ​​Place them symmetrically by clicking on the buttons Horizontal Align Center(Horizontal alignment to center) and Vertical Align Center(Vertical alignment to center) in the palette Align(Alignment) by opening the last command Windows=>Align(Window=>Alignment). Select both objects with the tool Direct Selection when the key is pressed Shift. Open the palette Pathfinder(Pathfinder) team Window=>Pathfinder(Window=>Pathfinder) and click on the button Divide(Cut; Fig. 47) As a result, cuts will be made at the intersections of overlapping shapes. Refuse selection by command Select=>Deselect(Selection=>Nothing selected) and select only those parts of the image that are shown in Fig. 48.

Rice. 46. ​​Original image

Rice. 47. Cutting the original image

Rice. 48. Selecting cut out parts of the image for the first scaling

Double click on the tool Scale and adjust the scaling parameters (Fig. 49) - the result may resemble the image in Fig. 50. After this, select the fragments (Fig. 51) and carry out the same scaling option (Fig. 52).

Rice. 49. Setting scaling options

Rice. 50. Appearance of the image after the first scaling

Rice. 51. Selecting cut out parts of the image for the second scaling

Rice. 52. Appearance of the image after the second scaling

As a finishing touch, select all parts of the image and apply a filter twist, using the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Twist(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Bend) with a rotation angle of 150. The resulting image will resemble Fig. 53.

Rice. 53. Final image

Adobe Illustrator is one of the recognized leaders among vector graphics programs (its latest versions also have tools for working with raster images, just as Photoshop can now work with vector objects) and is intended for creating and editing illustrations for printing, multimedia applications and the Internet.

Vector graphics are based on the simplest geometric shapes called primitives - rectangles, circles, ellipses, etc.; on figures built from primitives, and on various curves. Hence the freedom of transformation: a vector image can be rotated and scaled with virtually no loss of quality. Vector graphics programs are indispensable in those areas of graphics where maintaining clear and distinct outlines is important, for example when creating graphic titles, logos, drawings, technical illustrations, diagrams, diagrams, etc.

The advantage of vector illustrations is that they take up less space than similar raster images, since it is not the image itself that is saved, but only some basic data, with the help of which the program creates the image anew each time. In addition, vector graphics work well with outlines of objects and groups of objects, allowing you to quickly make drastic changes.

The Illustrator program interface is very similar to the interfaces of other Adobe products, primarily Photoshop, which simplifies the process of mastering it. There are similar tools here: Magic Wand(Magic wand) and Lasso(Lasso), Paintbrush(Regular brush) and Warp(Distort Brush), etc., and similar command menus, and many of the familiar palettes, and there is also a context menu. The program implements many of the features that can be found in other graphics packages - customizable grids, layers, alignment and gradient fill tools. But much of all of the above is done somewhat differently; there are still many other possibilities focused specifically on the creation and processing of vector images.

Basic principles of working in Illustrator

Creating a new document

Work on a picture begins with the creation of a new document, which occurs in the usual way by command File=>New(File=>New). At the same time, in the window New Document(New document; Fig. 1) you need to immediately determine what the document is intended for - for publication on the Internet or for print. In the first case, RGB mode is selected, and in the second, CMYK. Then a document will appear on the screen, surrounded by a black frame (Fig. 2). Inside this frame there is usually (that is, when the printer is installed) there is an additional dotted frame that defines the working area of ​​the document, within which the drawing should be created. Anything outside the dotted frame will not be printed. Zooming in and out of an image, as in Photoshop, is done by pressing the key combination: Ctrl+« + » to zoom in, Ctrl+« – » to decrease.

Rice. 1. Create a new document for the Web

Rice. 2. New document

Toolbar

Illustrator's toolbar is very similar to that of Photoshop, and you select tools in the usual way. Under the currently visible tool there may be several more hidden, which can be easily reached by holding down the key Alt when choosing a tool (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. A series of tools for drawing graphic primitives

Basic palettes

Illustrator has a whole series of specialized palettes that can be opened or closed and are called up from the list of palettes that opens when you activate the command Window(Window). Among the main color palette Color, color catalog palette Swatches and line palette Stroke.

In the palette Color(Fig. 4) first of all, you should pay attention to the two squares in the upper left corner of the palette: solid ( Fill) and hollow ( Stroke). Similar squares appear at the bottom of the tool palette: the first is responsible for the fill color, and the second for the object’s stroke color (Fig. 5). The square in front is considered active, and it is for it that the color will be determined if it is selected. Switching between squares is done with a regular mouse click. The fill or stroke color of an object can be selected from the palette Color, and on the toolbar. This is done by double-clicking on one of the squares and leads to the opening of a window Color Picker(Color Selection), where you can select the desired color (Fig. 6).

Rice. 4. Color palette

Rice. 5. Example of an object with a border of a different color

Rice. 6. Selecting a color in the Color Picker window

In addition, in the lower left corner of the palette Color there is a crossed out square None, when clicked, the currently active color is deleted. For example, if the fill color is active, this will cause all objects created thereafter to have only borders.

Palette Swatches(Fig. 7) is a catalog of standard colors, gradients and patterns that can be edited, expanded and customized. Here you can not only select, but also store colors, gradients and patterns that you previously selected for specific images. This is very convenient, since, having selected a color for a specific object, the user immediately forgets about it and moves on to another color. In the future, to restore it, as a rule, you have to open the corresponding image and take a color sample with the tool Eyedropper(Pipette). But you can do it easier by keeping the desired colors in the palette Swatches(which, in fact, is what it is intended for) - just drag the active square with a color from the palette Color to the palette Swatches(Fig. 8).

Rice. 7. Swatches palette

Rice. 8. Saving colors in the Swatches palette

Palette Swatches can be replenished in other ways, since when installing the program, a whole library of color palettes is automatically created, any of which can be added to the palette Swatches. To open a specific library, use the commands Window=>Swatch Libraries=>...(Window=>Library Collections=>...) or Window=>Swatch Libraries=>Other Library(Window=>Library Collections=>Other Libraries) and similarly drag the desired color to the palette Swatches. The first command will open one of the default palettes, and the second will open the color library of one of the *.ai files you created earlier. To remove an unwanted color from the palette, just drag it to the trash can icon in the lower right corner of the palette.

Palette Stroke(Fig. 9) determines the appearance of the object's outline. Here you can change the width of the stroke in the box Weight(Width) please note that fractional width values ​​are entered separated by commas. Enabling an option Dashed Line(Dotted line) makes three pairs of fields active Dash(Stroke length) and Gap(Distance between strokes), the values ​​​​of which determine the nature of the dotted line (Fig. 10).

Three values ​​of the Cap parameter of the Stroke palette define the boundaries of the line:

Selecting the first value causes the boundaries to coincide with the reference points;

Selecting the second value ensures the formation of rounded borders;

When selecting the third value, the line boundaries go beyond the boundaries of the reference points (Fig. 11).

Parameter values Join determine the appearance of the internal points of a broken line: the first option ensures the formation of sharp points, the second - rounded, the third - straight. Therefore, rounded vertices will only be obtained when choosing average parameter values Cap And Join.

Rice. 9. Stroke Palette

Rice. 10. An example of an object with a dash-dotted line and the Stroke palette corresponding to this stroke

Rice. 11. Example of lines with different settings of the Cap and Join parameters

Selecting objects

Tools are used primarily to select objects. Selection(Emphasis), Direct Selection(Partial selection) and Group Selection(Group selection). Selection is responsible for selecting the entire object by enclosing it in a rectangular frame (in the so-called dimensional container) and is convenient for quickly selecting one or more adjacent or overlapping objects by forming a frame around them. When selecting one object, just click on the border of the object or inside the object if it has a fill. If we are talking about selecting several objects, then you need to form a rectangular frame around them (Fig. 12). In any case, the isolation of an object will be indicated by its enclosure in a large container (Fig. 13).

Rice. 12. The process of selecting a group of objects with the Selection tool

Rice. 13. Result of selecting a group of objects with the Selection tool

Tool Direct Selection is responsible for selecting one object without forming a rectangular frame (Fig. 14) and is most often used to select individual anchor points or segments of curves (but we will talk about this in one of the following lessons). Tool Group Selection is intended for selecting a group of objects (it can consist not only of graphic primitives, but also of individual reference points and curve segments), but also without placing them in a large container (Fig. 15).

Rice. 14. Result of selecting a star with the Direct Selection tool

Rice. 15. Result of selecting a group of objects with the Group Selection tool

To some extent, instruments Direct Selection And Group Selection duplicate each other, since you can select several objects using the tool Direct Selection, if you hold down the key Shift during the extraction process. The selection process itself is carried out by simply clicking the mouse inside the object or along its border. Using the above tools, you can move the selected images with the mouse or using the appropriate arrow keys.

In addition to the selection tools mentioned above, there are also Magic Wand(Magic wand) and Lasso(Lasso). Yes, and in relation to the above-mentioned tools, there are a number of other nuances, but it is impossible to grasp the immensity, and we will dwell on the issues of selection in more detail another time.

Grouping objects

If it is necessary to carry out the same transformations in relation to several objects, then it is more convenient to combine them into a group (however, this is not necessary - you can simply select all objects each time while pressing the key Shift). The convenience of grouping is that after selecting several objects in a group, a single click with the tool Selection for any of these objects will lead to the selection of the entire group at once.

To create a group, select sequentially using the key Shift several objects with a tool Direct Selection and use the command Object=>Group(Object=>Group). You can split objects using the reverse command Object=>Ungroup(Object=>Not Group). However, even if objects are grouped, it is possible to work with one of them without breaking the group. To do this, select the object with the tool Group Selection and perform the necessary transformations with it: moving, repainting, rotating, applying effects, etc.

Creating and converting graphic objects

So that our lesson is not purely theoretical, let's move on to creating graphic primitives in order to take advantage of the information received and take the first steps.

Formation of graphic primitives

Drawing simple shapes such as rectangles ( Rectangle), rounded rectangles ( Rounded Rectangle), ellipses ( Ellipse), polygons ( Polygon), stars ( Star) and glare ( Flare), is carried out in the program in the usual way - using the appropriate tools from the palette. Keystroke Shift in the process of drawing, it leads to the formation of a square instead of a rectangle, and a circle instead of an ellipse. In addition, the parameters of a geometric figure can be adjusted from the menu, for which you need to click on the sheet and change the parameters (this is done before the object is formed). And if in the case of, for example, a rectangle, you can only change its width ( Width) and height ( Height), then for polygons you can change the radius ( Radius) and number of angles ( Sides), and for stars the number of vertices ( Points), outer and inner radii.

The fill color of a geometric figure, as well as the stroke color, can be determined both before and after its image - if the figure is selected.

Let's create, for example, an image of a star. To do this, double-click on the square in the palette Fill and set the desired fill color for the shape. Then activate the square Stroke and define the border color. Select a tool from the palette Star(by default it is hidden under the tool Rectangle, and can be found by holding down the key Alt) and form a star of the desired size (Fig. 16).

Rice. 16. Star appearance

Activate the palette Stroke, increase the border width (for example, to 30 pixels) and set the parameters to medium values Cap And Join the tops of the star will take on a rounded shape (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. Star after adjusting the border in the Stroke palette

After that, open the palette Swatches and fill the star with a suitable gradient or pattern, for example as in fig. 18.

Rice. 18. The appearance of the star after painting with a gradient from the Swatches palette

It is quite possible that the range of products available in the palette Swatches gradients will not suit you, you can slightly adjust it. In this case, the command Window=>Gradient(Window=>Gradient) open the palette Gradient and drag the gradient markers (they are placed in the form of squares under the gradient color changing bar) as needed (Fig. 19). The presented option for setting up the gradient turned out to be so easy and simple only because initially in the palette Swatches the gradient was well chosen. Fully setting up the gradient takes a longer time.

Rice. 19. Result of adjusting the gradient

Now try to create a star with a large number of vertices in a new document and paint it with a manually selected gradient. Set option None for both the fill color and the border color. Select a tool Star and click on the sheet a menu for setting star parameters will appear, in which you need to define the desired settings, for example as in Fig. 20. You will get a star that has not yet been painted over (Fig. 21).

Rice. 20. Setting star parameters

Rice. 21. Initial view of the star

Team Window=>Gradient(Window=>Gradient) open the Gradient palette. By default, a linear black-and-white gradient is configured here, which can be easily replaced with a radial one (Fig. 22). After that, click on the white square in the lower left corner of the palette Gradient(Fig. 23), then double-click on the Fill square in the tool palette and set the desired color. Then click on the black square in the lower right corner of the palette Gradient and set the second color in the same way. The result will be approximately the same as in Fig. 24.

Rice. 22. Replacing a linear gradient with a radial one

Rice. 23. Click on the bottom border of the color in the Gradient palette

Rice. 24. The appearance of the star after setting up the gradient and the Gradient palette corresponding to the fill

It should be kept in mind that there are very convenient ways to control the process of drawing graphic primitives. For example, when creating a polygon, star or highlight, you can use the arrow keys, which will allow you to increase or decrease the number of vertices of the polygon and star and the number of turns of the spiral right as you draw. Pressed key Shift When drawing, it will allow you to align the created object horizontally and vertically. Pressing a key Space when drawing, you can immediately move the object to the desired location, and the key Ctrl allows you to change the degree of sharpness of the star's rays.

The simplest actions on objects

Please note that any action is performed only on one or several selected objects, and entire groups of objects can be simultaneously moved, resized, recolored at the same time, and various filters can be applied to them. For example, repainting will be carried out instantly for all selected objects when the fill color is changed Fill(Fig. 25).

Rice. 25. Simultaneously repainting two selected objects

Transforming an Object with the Direct Selection Tool

Draw a rectangle and make a second copy of it next to it (for example) in the usual way via the clipboard (commands Edit=>Copy Editing=>Copy and Edit=>Paste Editing=>Insert), then deselect the resulting copy with the command Select=>Deselect(Selection=>Nothing selected) or simply by clicking on an empty area of ​​the work area. Select a tool Direct Selection, bring it to one of the corners of the rectangle and pull it, turning it into a trapezoid (Fig. 26).

Rice. 26. Transforming a rectangle with the Direct Selection tool

Scaling and Rotations

Unlike Photoshop, the scaling and rotation tools are placed directly on the toolbar in Illustrator, so working with them is easy and simple. For example, let's make a copy of the star shown in Fig. 27, teams Edit=>Copy(Edit=>Copy) and Edit=>Paste(Edit=>Insert), reduce it in size and move it to the center of the large star. To reduce the size (given that the copied star is selected), select the tool on the toolbar Scale(Scale), double-clicking on the tool will open the scaling window. Let's turn it on in the window Scale check the Preview checkbox to immediately see all the changes in the figure, and adjust the scale value appropriately (Fig. 28). Then select a smaller copy of the star with the tool Direct Selection and drag it to the center of the big star. It is quite difficult to ideally position objects relative to each other (although in practice such operations have to be performed very often), so you need to select both stars. Let's open the palette Windows=>Align(Window => Alignment; Fig. 29) and center them relative to each other by successively clicking on the buttons Horizontal Align Center(Horizontal alignment to center) and Vertical Align Center(Vertical alignment relative to center). The result is shown in Fig. thirty.

Rice. 27. Original image

Rice. 28. Changing the scale of the selected object

Rice. 29. Align palette

Rice. 30. Result of star centering

Then, without deselecting the objects, double-click on the tool Rotate(Rotate), which will open the rotation settings window. Enable checkbox Preview(Preview) and begin to rotate the stars little by little, gradually bringing them to the desired position (Fig. 31). You can rotate objects in other ways by selecting the tool Rotate with one click (no settings window will open in this case, but the center of rotation will be indicated in the figure) and starting to rotate the object with the mouse (Fig. 32).

Rice. 31. Rotate objects by defining settings in the Rotate window

Rice. 32. Rotating objects with the mouse

Scaling can be done in other ways: either by simply single-clicking by selecting the tool Scale and moving one of the vertices of the object, or placing the object in an overall rectangle, selecting it with the tool Selection and moving the markers of the outline rectangle. In this case, moving the side markers provides scaling only horizontally or vertically, and moving the corner markers provides both horizontal and vertical scaling (Fig. 33). To scale while maintaining proportions, hold down the key Shift; key Alt allows you to scale from the center of the object.

Rice. 33. Scaling a group of objects based on an outline rectangle

Free Transformation

There is another option for scaling and rotating, implemented with just one button on the tool palette - Free Transform(Free transformation). When you select this tool, the selected objects are automatically enclosed in a dimensional container that can be scaled and rotated. In this case, you should be guided by the appearance of the marker: if it is a curved arrow, then when you move the mouse, objects will rotate, and if the marker looks like a straight arrow, then the size of the shape will change.

Using filters to form more complex objects

The initial number of graphic primitives, alas, is small, and it is impossible to get by only with them when creating the desired image. However, Illustrator provides a lot of options for changing the original shapes, and the resulting images will be far from the usual rectangles, polygons and stars. Yes, filter Pucker & Bloat(Wrinkle and Blow) creates convex or concave curves based on the original image, which is very suitable for drawing flowers, heraldic signs, etc. Filter Twist(Curve) twists the object in the center more than at the edges, creating spectacular vortices from ordinary polygons, etc.

Let's use the star created in the previous example (Fig. 34). Let's select it with the tool Direct Selection, and then apply one of the many deformation options to it with the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Pucker & Bloat(Effect=>Distort and Transform=>Shrink and Bloat). Depending on the deformation settings, you can get a variety of shapes - from the sun (Fig. 35) to the daisy (Fig. 36). Please note that the checkbox Preview(Preview) must be turned on, otherwise you will not be able to watch the image transform as the parameter changes.

Rice. 34. Original image

Rice. 35. Sunshine (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

Rice. 36. Chamomile (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

No less original effects can be obtained if you take other graphic primitives as a basis. In particular, from an octagon you can get spectacular color options (Fig. 37, 38), and from a circle you can get an interesting symbol that can be used, for example, when creating a logo (Fig. 39).

Rice. 37. First flower option (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

Rice. 38. Second flower option (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

Rice. 39. Possible logo fragment (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

No less interesting effects are obtained when other filters from the group are applied to geometric primitives Distort & Transform(Distortion and Transformation). The original image looks like Fig. 40, and the result of using the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Twist(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Curve) can resemble a spectacular curl (Fig. 41).

Rice. 40. Original image

Rice. 41. Twist (Twist filter settings are indicated)

Recolor the original star with a bluish gradient, more suitable for snowflakes, and try using the filter ZigZag called by the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>ZigZag(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Zigzag). In this case, an incredible variety of different snowflakes can be obtained (Fig. 42).

Rice. 42. Snowflakes (ZigZag filter settings are indicated)

Now, in a new document, draw a series of circles, as shown in Fig. 43, select them with the tool Direct Selection and turn into intricate ink blots with the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Roughen(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Spikes; Fig. 44, 45).

Rice. 43. Original image

Rice. 44. Setting up the Roughen filter

Rice. 45. Ink blots

Creating complex objects by cutting out component parts of graphic primitives

Let's look at one of the simplest examples of cutting objects to form a rather spectacular pattern. Create a polygon and a star lying on it, filled with a gradient, something like in Fig. 46. ​​Place them symmetrically by clicking on the buttons Horizontal Align Center(Horizontal alignment to center) and Vertical Align Center(Vertical alignment to center) in the palette Align(Alignment) by opening the last command Windows=>Align(Window=>Alignment). Select both objects with the tool Direct Selection when the key is pressed Shift. Open the palette Pathfinder(Pathfinder) team Window=>Pathfinder(Window=>Pathfinder) and click on the button Divide(Cut; Fig. 47) As a result, cuts will be made at the intersections of overlapping shapes. Refuse selection by command Select=>Deselect(Selection=>Nothing selected) and select only those parts of the image that are shown in Fig. 48.

Rice. 46. ​​Original image

Rice. 47. Cutting the original image

Rice. 48. Selecting cut out parts of the image for the first scaling

Double click on the tool Scale and adjust the scaling parameters (Fig. 49) - the result may resemble the image in Fig. 50. After this, select the fragments (Fig. 51) and carry out the same scaling option (Fig. 52).

Rice. 49. Setting scaling options

Rice. 50. Appearance of the image after the first scaling

Rice. 51. Selecting cut out parts of the image for the second scaling

Rice. 52. Appearance of the image after the second scaling

As a finishing touch, select all parts of the image and apply a filter twist, using the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Twist(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Bend) with a rotation angle of 150. The resulting image will resemble Fig. 53.

Rice. 53. Final image

Adobe Illustrator is a program used by artists and graphic designers to create vector images.

Why do you need Adobe Illustrator?

It is used to create illustrations, diagrams, graphs, logos, diagrams, caricatures of real photos and much more.

In the future, the created images will serve as the basis for company logos, will be used for advertising purposes or even for personal work, both in print and electronic form.

At first glance, the program may seem difficult to understand and work with, but it’s worth putting at least a minimum of effort into learning the basics, and you will see for yourself how interesting and easy it is to work with.

It's safe to say that this program is one of the most popular editors for creating vectors.

Is vector art art?

Creating vector images allows you to create clean and beautiful works of art that can be scaled up and down indefinitely without losing its quality.

Have you ever had such cases when, having finished creating an image in Adobe Photoshop, realized that it should be three times larger than what you made? You go into the image options to increase the image size and... oops... the image is now pixelated and looks terrible. And you need to start all over again. And all this is because such an image was too small to be able to increase its size without losing quality.

You could avoid this problem by using a vector graphics editor such as Adobe Illustrator.

Why? The answer to this question is simple.

Unlike the images we are used to in GIF, JPEG, TIFF, etc. formats, i.e. images - known as raster images, vector images are not made up of pixels. Instead, they are composed of lines and/or curves that are described by mathematical objects called vectors, allowing them to be expanded and mathematically scaled to infinity.

This makes a vector editor a more ideal program for companies than Photoshop, as they can create images or logos that can be scaled down for icons or blown up to huge sizes for placement on billboards.

What can you do with Illustrator?

Many people are afraid of this program thinking that they do not have artistic skill and certain skills.

If you can't draw on paper, what makes you think that you can't draw on a computer?

First of all, this is a sign of your lack of confidence in yourself, as well as in your abilities.

Adobe Illustrator requires virtually no prior knowledge of drawing or painting. You can use it to create freehand drawings, and you can import a photo and use it as a base - a guide for further drawing, ultimately turning it into a piece of art that looks like you drew it by hand.

Do you want to draw a circle around a specific image or logo? No problem! It's not as difficult as you think.

Illustrator is not limited to use only by artists and graphic designers. Many webmasters use it in the process of creating website layouts, and the created vector can be used in large quantities various platforms.

Since Illustrator is an Adobe product, it easily works with its other programs.

So, after creating the original image, you can drag it into Photoshop for further editing and applying various filters, or into InDesign for flawless printing of digital booklets and magazines.

Want to turn your drawing into a game or animation? Import into Flash and watch it come to life!

You can even add your logo and illustrations to the video or bring them to life through After Effects.

The choice of possibilities is great! You just have to want to learn.

Universality of the program

Still not interested in creating and using vector? Okay, then I’ll give you more examples of the priority of this program over others.

For example, if you decide you no longer want your illustration to be a vector image, you can easily convert it to a JPEG raster image.

Unfortunately, illustrations created as raster images cannot be converted to vector format after the fact.

If you're not sure whether you'll actually need to resize the image later, it might make sense to create it as a vector, especially if the image will be used widely throughout the company or office.

Another feature is that vector files are much lighter in weight than their raster copies.

In addition, such images are created from various lines, curves, shapes and points, so you have almost unlimited possibilities for editing them.

Let's say you draw a heart in Adobe Photoshop and decide that the bottom of the heart is too narrow, but you can't fix it. What a pity! You'll have to start all over again.

Now, let's say you want to create the same heart, but in Adobe Illustrator. Since it's made up of several different points, you can go back to the base settings and make the bottom wider.

You can do this and much more without worrying about ruining the quality of the drawing.

These features of Adobe Illustrator make it easy to turn the entire drawing process into a creative one. And also you will not be limited in the process of making changes after saving.

Another bonus of the program is transparent background. Unless you create a background for your image, it will always be transparent. This is useful in a variety of situations, such as when you just want to put a logo on top of something or just add it as a small illustration to big picture Images.

Which is something that can't be done with bitmap images, since you would have to first separate the image from the background before attempting to change that background to another one. And this may take quite some time.

I am sure that you will be happy with the program and the fact that you settled on creating vector graphics when you begin to create more complex designs.

This is for you?

I would like to note that the licensed Adobe version Illustrator is a fairly expensive program, just like all programs created by Adobe. This is because it is truly designed for professionals.

If you still have doubts or are not entirely sure if this program is really for you, Adobe offers a free 30-day trial. This time is quite enough for you to plunge into beautiful world creating vector graphics.

If you decide that you want to start learning how to work with Adobe Illustrator, subscribe to the newsletter to be among the first to know when new lessons on working with Illustrator appear.

Since the birth of the most powerful Adobe Illustrator editor, the efficiency of artists and designers around the world has increased to unprecedented heights. This amazing program has become a real flagship in the sea of ​​digital painting. Thanks to the advanced features of this amazing tool, art reached a new level of development. But even the most advanced tool will not create a masterpiece without the skillful hand of a master with sufficient knowledge of its use. The following materials will help you in obtaining the necessary knowledge.

Adobe Illustrator tutorials for beginners

A detailed course of study with an emphasis on the theoretical part. The author explains in detail the purpose of the main elements of the program, without delving into the jungle of advanced functionality. The course consists of 21 video lessons in Russian, with a total duration of 3 hours 58 minutes. During this time, you will gain a solid amount of knowledge, and most importantly, learn to confidently use Illustrator.

To familiarize yourself with the training format, we are posting the first 5 lessons. You can download the entire course using the links below.

Adobe Illustrator - Online course for stockers

A more dynamic course aimed at practical consolidation of knowledge. Also, it starts with basic functions, but covers more advanced functionality. The training takes place in a cast format, in which the author clearly demonstrates the use of various functions and simultaneously answers important questions from students.

Over the course of the 21st lesson, with a total duration of 21 hours and 50 minutes, you will learn how to use all the editor's tools, as well as master advanced drawing techniques. A very valuable course for a serious dive into Adobe Illustrator CC.

As usual, we are posting 5 lessons to evaluate the quality of the video and the presentation of information. Links to download the full training are below.

School for those who do not have skills in working with Adobe Illustrator, but would like to study his from scratch. And only what you need for waste, maximum fast and if possible Just. I would call it a “School for Pensioners”, since the teacher there will be my mother, now a pensioner herself, and in the past a teacher high school. But, of course, anyone who needs initial, structured and, most importantly, free knowledge of Adobe Illustrator. And now a word from the author:

Instead of an introduction

This school is aimed at retirees and grandparents. The author of the lessons herself retired and experienced how difficult it is to get used to a new state. There is strength, there is a desire to work, but there is no hobby. Things to do?

Someone will ask why I ended up retiring if I didn’t think about leaving. My school closed, and I didn’t want to go to another one. I once sewed well, but after working at school for more than 30 years, I lost all my skills.

Learn Adobe Illustrator was suggested to me by her daughter, who successfully began to engage in illustration and photography and left with her nervous work. And her earnings from the sewage industry simply surprised me; they cannot be compared with the salary of a school teacher. Moreover, she always has free time. And I remembered with horror the teacher’s eternal workload, twitchiness, and lack of freedom. It opened up to me that you can live differently and get good money.

My brother-in-law installed Adobe Illustrator CS5 for me (at first there were CS3, CS4, they can still be useful if you don’t have latest version), and I started studying the program. I can’t admire myself: the development was slow. It seems to me that our generation, for the most part, did not receive something; we somehow grasp new things differently. There are, of course, advanced people, they quickly learn and remember, but I’m not one of them.

My daughter taught me the basics of Illustrator in a “large block”, everything seemed clear, I left (we live in different places), did not immediately take up the program, and it turned out that I did not understand anything. I re-read the entries several times, stared blankly at the screen, gave up out of fatigue, but something brought me back to the program. Gradually, something began to become clearer in my mind, and it seemed interesting to invent plots and various compositions and figures. I’m still amazed at how smart the program is!

Where is there any room for boredom, time flies by instantly. This is a real hobby! Don’t just set the goal of making a lot of money from stocks right away. Everything will come, but gradually. It is too gambling- see what they bought from you and how much you earned.

About classes

Where do we start? First of all, find it yourself or contact young people to help them find and install Adobe Illustrator CS5 or another earlier version. Without this, nothing will work in our training.

As in any school, we will move from simple material to more complex material. Let's learn something first draw from graphic primitives, and then what accepted at stock. Strong students can move forward on their own, but there are always those who need help.

There will be lessons small in volume, because I know from my own experience that you get tired of learning new things. Take your time to move forward, once you understand the material, create several sketches and be sure to save them. What you have learned will form the basis for your future drawings. This is again from my experience. I removed so much of everything, but there was a rational grain there. Don't rush to delete anything, save it!

Don’t blame yourself for being careless, and I didn’t succeed at everything right away, make your stay in the program joyful and creative. Smile Every small right step, you will succeed. If you draw well, then you are in your own world, you just need to master the tools and palettes. If you are not an artist, but you want to draw, then you have again hit the nail on the head. The program is so good that it will fix all your difficulties that you experienced when drawing on paper with paints or a pencil.

What is this all for?

And this question may arise for beginners. Do you communicate with your grandchildren? Did they emphasize to you that you are not good with a computer? Yes, you communicate in in social networks, what if it doesn’t attract you? You are used to working, but simply looking at the monitor screen is a waste of time. So here you will make good use of your time, and your grandchildren, dear grandparents, will look at you with delight and tell their friends that you are a “stoker” and a “freelancer.” For the sake of such words, you should try to study at this school.

Don't you have grandchildren? But you have friends, they will also appreciate your desire to learn. When you are passionate about something, you are active and interesting, the fire of knowledge shines in your eyes, you are different from others, you have something to tell, you attract people to you, people want to communicate with you, you are kind and sincere, they respect you. I experienced all this myself, many people do not know anything about the Illustrator program, for them you will open a new world.

Lesson plan.

Lessons will be published on the site as they are created.