The Best Place for Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
Posts tagged theory
Adobe Illustrator’s Role in a Web Design Workflow
May 28th
Adobe Illustrator isn’t the design tool of choice for most people who make the web. Interface design, bitmap creation, pixel perfect image manipulation; all tasks which have typically been better handled by other applications. The web is undergoing big changes, however, and the role Illustrator can play in a web design workflow is changing too. Let’s find out how! Photoshop and Web Design Recently I wrote about Photoshop’s Role in a Web Design Workflow , an article prompted by changes to the industry and what we know as “best practices”. I recommend you go and read it (obviously), but let me quickly summarise. A decade or so ago, during the transition from print to web design, Photoshop was a very helpful tool which allowed designers to continue the workflow they were familiar with. Classic graphic designer’s workflow This workflow comprised a few simple stages; designing, presenting a proof to the client (perhaps a PDF for example), then after a few rounds of feedback outputting as a final product. It worked for print and it would work fine for the web. However, this approach led designers to push for a pixel perfect version of the final product, before even thinking about building. These PSD comps ( comprehensive layouts ) gave designers the opportunity to fine tune every last detail, before committing to the ghastly process of recreating a facsimile for the browser. Amplius – PSD Template on Themeforest It turns out this was an imperfect process, but it’s only since the rise of Responsive Web Design that we’ve really started to appreciate that fact. Responsive web design allows websites to flex and alter to their surroundings; the same website can appear vastly different on…
Read the original here:
Adobe Illustrator’s Role in a Web Design Workflow
Quick Tip: Creating a Bazinga! Text Treatment in Adobe Illustrator
Apr 1st
With this tutorial I’ll show you how to create a Bazinga text effect made famous by Sheldon from the sitcom The Big Bang Theory in Adobe Illustrator. We’ll be using some techniques to add multiple effects to a single shape, also duplicating and copying objects quickly, as well as creating a pattern and even rotating that pattern without disrupting the shape it’s applied too. Tip: Please be aware that you may have to install fonts before you open Illustrator in order for it to show up in your list of fonts. 1. Create a New Document Let’s start off by preparing our document. Open Illustrator and hit Command + N to create a New document. You can make your document any size but for this tutorial I’ll be using a default desktop wallpaper size so enter 1024 in the width box and 768 in the height box then click on the Advanced button . Select RGB , Screen (72ppi) and make sure…
Go here to see the original:
Quick Tip: Creating a Bazinga! Text Treatment in Adobe Illustrator
Talking Typography and More with Claire Coullon of Op45
Nov 9th
Today we have the pleasure of meeting graphic designer and typographer Claire Coullon. Originally from France but now living in Prague, Czech Republic, she talks about her love of typography, co-running her own design studio with her partner and whether work gets in the way of her personal relationship. She also gives us some valuable insight into her handwritten typography and the importance of sharing with the design community. Surround yourself in type, obsess over letters wherever you see them; the more letters you look at, the more you can see the possibilities within them and how their appearances differ through age, classification and culture. Q Hello Claire! Could you please …
See the article here:
Talking Typography and More with Claire Coullon of Op45
Help with Selling Vector Stock in EPS10 Format
Oct 24th
All of the major stock image sites, including GraphicRiver , require that vector files be submitted in the EPS10 or earlier format. This ensures compatibility with the various software applications used by the people who download your work. But what is EPS10? And how do you make your vector files EPS compatible? What should you pay attention to in Adobe Illustrator? Here’s how to ensure your files meet the technical requirements of EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), and are fully editable by the buyers who download them. History Adobe introduced transparency to Adobe Illustrator in 2000, with version 9. It was a huge deal, because for the first time, Illustrator users had full vector transparency. In addition, Illustrator 9 shipped with other desirable features such as drop shadows, glow effects and opacity masks. In order to make transparency work, however, Adobe had to change the language it used to create Illustrator documents. Before version 9, Illustrator was based on PostScript (EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript). In version 9, Adobe began using the PDF language. Initially, transparency and the new file format caused a lot of problems for designers and printers. While everybody was happily using transparency in their…
Quick Tip: How to Create a Two Color Mandala with a Pattern Brush
Oct 22nd
In this tutorial you will learn a simple technique on how to create a Mandala design. We will create a geometric Pattern Brush, which will then be used to create the Mandala itself. We will start by creating our seamlessly repeatable patterns for the brush. The patterns will consist of a variety of linear and circular shapes. Step 1 First some theory! It is important that before you start creating the brush, you set the size for your final mandala. Any new brush that you create will have 1pt as its default width. If for example our pattern is 200px high, applying it to a 200px high and wide circle will create an element that is entirely “closed”, meaning it has no empty space in the middle. When creating a Pattern Brush like this, you have to keep in mind that when applied to a circle, the top part of the…
See the original post here:
Quick Tip: How to Create a Two Color Mandala with a Pattern Brush
20 Insightful Theory Articles for All Graphic Designers
Oct 16th
Vectortuts+ offers a variety of tutorials for different skill levels and aspects of vector design, but also a wide selection of theory based articles. Each offering expert insight and valuable advice on subjects including promoting yourself, typography, character design and much much more. Today we share with you twenty of our favorite theory articles. Selfless Self-Promotion: How to Promote Yourself Without Talking About Yourself Promoting yourself doesn’t have to mean talking about yourself. There are so many other ways to get your name out there and market your brand. This is something that is too often overlooked by creative professionals. The best part is that the alternative methods that we’re referring to not only serve to draw more attention to your work, but also allow you to interact with the larger illustration community and feel the rewards of …
See the rest here:
20 Insightful Theory Articles for All Graphic Designers
Stop Making Bad Logos
Oct 3rd
There’s article after article on websites that talk bout how to make a great logo. But If you’re a logo machine, and you’ve been doing it a long time, chances are that you’ve developed some pretty awful habits. How do I know this? Because I suffered from some of the same habits I’m about to talk about. A true master of logo creation will refine their work on every project, forcing themselves to get better with each design. It all bears down to a few key things to make sure you’re not doing when you’re going to create a logo. And while you can take a stab at selling generic logos on places like GraphicRiver, you’ll do your best work when you deeply understand your clients and their company. Now lets dive into the ways you can stop making bad logos. Throw Out Extreme Detail and Intricacy While some of the best designers and illustrators often find themselves wanting to flex their illustrative muscles, and express the insane levels of detail they’re capable of producing, this often makes for terrible logos. Don’t forget to realize that your logo is going to show up in a lot of places at a lot of sizes. No one can see your pen and ink stippling from a thousand feet away. Don’t worry though, even some of the most simple logos that exist today once went through difficult dry spell. If you found yourself creating complex logos in the past or even are…
Go here to read the rest:
Stop Making Bad Logos
Weekly Vector Inspiration #174
Jun 8th
This post is part of a weekly series showcasing inspirational vector art. Although the series showcases vector art, some work might just be vector inspired, not created completely with vector art. If you have any art suggestions, feel free to comment! For more vector art inspiration, check out the Vectips Flickr Group . TASTEE TREATS by Little Friends of Printmaking Print for WBR 50th anniversary. DEEEEVOOO! by Little Friends of Printmaking Gerhard Human Gerhard Human Gerhard Human KFD Skate Deck by Greg Darroll Lola Malone by Greg Darroll City Slickers Exhibition – Cape Town by Greg Darroll Attack Tattoo by Greg Darroll Señora Lavery by Steve Simpson Journey for a Better World by VanilaBCN Journey for a Better World by VanilaBCN 100 Years of Paramount Pictures by DKNGstudios Robocycle Playing Cards by Theory 11 Robocycle Playing Cards by Theory 11 SELFPORTRAIT / TONE OLVERA by Tone Olvera Ballistic Brewing by Stranger and Stranger Ballistic Brewing by Stranger and Stranger Ballistic Brewing by Stranger and Stranger Make Stuff, Do Thingsby David Creighton-Pester A LOT CAN HAPPEN INSIDE THE BEARD by Brosmind chobopop chobopop chobopop How to become a Jedi by Franck Graetz Monsters on Wheelzzz by Bert van wijk Monsters on Wheelzzz by Bert van wijk Monsters on Wheelzzz by Bert van wijk
Quick Tip: Creating Vector Halftones in Corel Draw
Jun 7th
Halftone dots look fantastic in comic illustrations and graphic design. In today’s Quick Tip you will learn some techniques on how to use vector halftones in your work, and some great tips for both Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw. Let’s Begin! Introduction As you can see from the title, the software used in this Quick Tip will be Corel Draw. However, the principle described here remains valid for all vector programs. I will separate the Corel technique from the universal theory behind it. If you are a Corel user you can read the entire Quick Tip or just the technical part. If you use other software – you can read only that part of each step – which explains the principle behind it. After that it will be up to you to find the equivalent technique in your software. So, illustrators from everywhere, gather around! Here we go! What is a Halftone? In the world of printing and design the word ‘halftone’ has more than one meaning. It was first used in 1850 by William Fox Talbot who is considered to be the inventor of halftone printing. (If you want to learn more about it – read this article on Wikipedia .) What we will be talking about here though is not the printing technique but that cool design effect bearing the same name. You know – the one which depicts objects, gradients etc. through the use of dots. There are many creative ways in which you can use halftones, but the most popular is in drawing retro style images…
See the article here:
Quick Tip: Creating Vector Halftones in Corel Draw
Quick Tip: Brainstorming Head Design, a Focus on the Eye Line
Mar 21st
Varying the horizontal axis line (the eyeline) and adjusting the spacing of the eyes are two excellent methods used to brainstorm new character designs. In this tutorial, we look at a few simple, but effective, techniques you can employ to give your characters personality while making them both fresh and visually interesting. Varying the Eye Line The eye line is the imaginary horizontal axis line that demarcates the placement of the eyes on a character’s head. One simple technique to add visual interest to a character is by varying the position of this imaginary line. The higher the eye line, the smaller the “brain bucket”. Conversely, the lower we place the eye line, the more intelligent the character appears to be. Once you have the eyeline
Read more:
Quick Tip: Brainstorming Head Design, a Focus on the Eye Line