Class Info

  • Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
  • Meeting Info: In Person in P116

Topic

Creating and Aligning Shapes

Today, we will begin our exploration of the shape tools Illustrator has to offer.

Various Shapes can be aligned to finish an Illustration

Objectives

What you can expect to learn

  • Artwork Basics
    • Paths and Appearance
    • Selection and Direct Selection Tools
    • Drawing Basic Shapes
    • Drawing with Line Tool
    • Stacking Order and Isolation Mode
    • Grouping and Ungrouping items
  • Working with Fills and Strokes
    • Solid, Gradient, and pattern fills
    • Strokes – Endpoints, dashed lines, and variable-width strokes
  • Drawing Basic Shapes
    • Squares, circles, polygons, and stars
    • Line Tools
    • Selection Tools – Selection and Direct Selection
    • Hiding/Locking Objects
  • Color
    • The Swatch Panel
    • Global Swatches
    • Spot Colors and Tints
    • Color Groups
  • Transforming Shapes
  • Rotate and Skew
  • Aligning Objects
    • To each other
    • To a Key Object
    • Distributing Objects
    • To Artboard and Selection

Critique

Each week we will review homework assignments from the previous class. Students will participate in reviewing material and offering suggestions for improvement for their cohort. This week we review the duplication of shapes in alignment and creating a custom workspace.

Lab

  • Lab assignments are done during class time. Use the Bus file and align elements to complete the illustration.
  • Use the pencil demonstration to create your pencil design.

Discussion:

Each week you will need to respond to two questions posted. This is a requirement for participation part of your grade.

Homework Due Next Class: 

All work should be submitted by 5:00 pm the Monday before the next class.

Each file should be saved according to the following naming convention. i.e., 03_LastNameHW.ai (Creating Grid with shapes).

  • Create an 11 x 17 board and split the grid according to class instructions.
  • Choose a maximum of 5 colors and place them in squares next to the artboard.
  • Create a poster with shapes according to sample shared.

Vocabulary

swatches (global and regular), Ellipse, Square, Rectangular, Polygon, stars, stroke positions

Resources

Here are some notes you should read to educate yourself in the topic area described above.

03ShapesNotesDownload

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDyDUorQP0

Align-Panel-1Download