STOCK PHOTOS: I recommend using Unsplash for your Sketch, Drawing, and Color References. If you are new, I recommend creating a "Traceable Path" by using a Clean Line Drawing or Traced Stock Photo. LEARNING TARGET: Download Stock Photos to use for your artwork and designs.
COLOR SWATCHES: I highly recommend using Adobe Color for your Themes to add to your Library or download ASE Files. In most tutorials, we will be applying Flat Colors using Live Paint. LEARNING TARGET: Download or Save Color Themes to use with your own artwork and designs.
FONT FAMILIES: I recommend using Adobe Fonts for Commercial Use. If you are New, look for Font Families to use for your Primary Business or Marketing (Headers + Sub Headers). LEARNING TARGET: Download or Save Fonts to use with your own artwork and designs.
STOCK PHOTOS: As I create my artwork, pay attention to the free resources used throughout the workflow. Download Free Stock Photos (Unsplash / Pixabay / Pexels) to use as Drawing, Design, or Color References. BEGINNER: For your own artwork, I recommend starting from a Drawing, Sketch, or Traced Stock Photo. ADVANCED: Gather and organize resources within the same project folder (Stock Photos / Sketches / Thumbnails / Color Swatches).
DRAWING TEMPLATE: I have created a Drawing Template of 2160px by 1080px in Adobe Photoshop. This will allow me to Export my Drawing or Sketch from Layers at 1080px by 1080px. I have created a Frame of 1080px by 1080px. File - Place in your Photo Reference. You can add Adjustment Layers to assist your drawings and sketches. DIGITAL: Create a New Document 2160px by 1080px. PAPER: For those of you using Paper Methods, download any Free Scanning App on your phone to digitize your paper sketches and drawings.
DRAWING OR TRACED PHOTO: If you are a beginner to Adobe Illustrator I would try to avoid starting from a Blank Artboard, Full-Color Photo, or Super Sketchy Drawing. BEGINNER: For your own artwork, create a "Traceable Path" to align with the Building Tools in Adobe Illustrator. ADVANCED: Prepare your drawings for Specific Tools (ex. Ellipse, Pen, or Pencil) or Steps in your Workflow (ex. Building, Brushes, or Values). DRAWING GUIDE / GETTING STARTED GUIDE
ARTBOARDS: I will recommend a (1080px by 1080px, 300PPI, RGB) as your Initial or Base Artboard Size. The Initial Artboard Size can be changed at any point without ruining your own artwork. Use the Properties Panel to Scale Artwork and Artboards. LEARNING TARGET (1): Create a "Building Template" that includes Artboard Size, Resource Images, and Template Layers. LEARNING TARGET (2): Pick a "Building" Artboard Size you can use for your own Artwork and Social Media Postings. Example: Instagram uses 1080px as its base size to modify for Landscape, Square, or Portrait.
GENERAL PREFERENCES: All of our initial preferences are designed to gain more control over what you are clicking on. The more you can zoom in and see your anchors and handles the better. You can adjust the size of your Anchors and Handles under Selection and Anchor Display. Under your General Settings, make sure that Disable Auto Add/Delete is Selected.
SELECTION TOOLS: The Direct Selection Tool can grab and adjust the Anchors, Handles, and Paths. It is worth having your Smart Guides Path Labels Turned On so you know what the tool is selecting before dragging. The Selection Tool will move and select objects. I like using the Bounding Box for my Transform Tools, Turn On under View. I recommend this for Quick Scaling.
TEMPLATE LAYER: File-Place in your Resource Image (Traced Stock Photo, Drawing, or Sketch). Scale to Fit Artboard Size. In your Layers Panel, select the Menu in the Upper-Right Hand Corner. Drop down to Template. This will create a 50% Opacity and Lockout the Layer. Create a New Layer above to start working in Adobe Illustrator. LEARNING TARGET (1): Create a Template Layer. Add a new Layer above for "Building."
PRIMARY BUILDING: As I am creating my artwork, notice I am aligning the Tools to the Shapes and Lines within my Sketch or Drawing. Many of you will be using Shape, Pencil, and Pen Tools as your Primary Building Tools. LEARNING TARGET (1): Understand the Building Tools and Options in Adobe Illustrator. LEARNING TARGET (2): Align the Building Tools (Ellipse, Pen, and Curvature Tools) to the Design Elements (Shapes, Lines, and Curves) in your artwork. BEGINNER GUIDES / ILLUSTRATOR TUTORIALS / RESOURCE GUIDES
LIVE PAINT BUCKET: I will use Live Paint to create my Basic Fills or Flat Color. For your own artwork, select what you want to color. Object - Live Paint - Make. Click to dump color just like in Adobe Photoshop with the Live Paint Bucket Tool. Remember to Expand and Ungroup after completing the Coloring Step. LEARNING TARGET (1): Apply Flat Color using Live Paint Bucket.
COLOR SWATCHES: Download Free Color Swatches (Adobe Color) to use with your own artwork and designs. I recommend starting by typing in the Subject Matter using the Explore Tab. You can also use the Extract Theme feature on Adobe Color or Canva to create a Color Theme based on your own Photo Reference. Add the Color Themes to your Library (CC) or download them as ASE files.
EXTRACT THEME: When looking for Stock Photos for your artwork, look for Images you can use as Color References. You can upload your Photo to create a New Theme by using the Extract Theme Tab. Save to your Library or download it as an ASE File. Add the Color Themes to your Library (CC) or download them as ASE files.
SAVING + OPENING: If you have a CC Account, simply click Add to Library from Adobe Color. If you don't have a CC Account, download Color Swatches from Adobe Color as an ASE File. Open Swatch Libraries from the “Other Library” Option. If you added to your Library (CC). Open from the Library Panel. LEARNING TARGET (1): Save or Download Free Color Swatches for your own artwork and designs. LEARNING TARGET (2): Open through the Swatches Panel or Library.
FONT FAMILIES: Download Font Families (Adobe Fonts / Google Fonts / Font Squirrel / Dafont) to use with your own artwork and designs. Sort through the Adobe Fonts that will align with your artwork or design. I recommend using the Tags to sort Fonts based on the Theme or Style of your design or artwork. LEARNING TARGET (1): Add Font Families that will align with your artwork or design.
SAVING FONTS: Add Fonts to Adobe Illustrator Photoshop and Illustrator by clicking the Toggle Switch or Add Family Button. LEARNING TARGET (1): Add Font Families that will align with your artwork and designs.
SAVING FONTS: When you find a Font or Family you like, you can simply click the Add Family to your Account. The Fonts will be available across your Adobe Programs. Download or Save Fonts for your own artwork and designs.
ILLUSTRATOR TUTORIALS: I have organized tutorials by core areas of your Workflow: Building, Editing, and Coloring. Pay attention to the Sequence of Events and Tool Options related to building a "Routine" or "Workflow." LEARNING TARGET (1): Understand the different Building Tools in Adobe Illustrator. LEARNING TARGET (2): Understand Live and Expanded Editing Tools in Adobe Illustrator. LEARNING TARGET (3): Understand Live Paint and Advanced Coloring Techniques in Adobe Illustrator. BUILDING TUTORIALS / EDITING + VARIATION TUTORIALS / ADVANCED COLORING TUTORIALS
BEGINNER GUIDES
BEGINNER: Understand the Building, Variation, and Basic Coloring Methods. VIEW BEGINNER GUIDE
BEGINNER: Understand the Building, Variation, and Advanced Coloring Methods. VIEW BEGINNER GUIDE
BEGINNER: Understand Building, Variation, Editing, and Basic Coloring Methods. VIEW BEGINNER GUIDE
BEGINNER: Understand the Building, Variation, and Advanced Coloring Methods. VIEW BEGINNER GUIDE