Course Content

Essential Illustrator Concepts
What are Vector Graphics?
Create a Custom Workspace
Fill and Stroke Attributes
Document Settings

The Illustrator Interface - Enhanced in CS3
Exploring panels and workspaces
Using the Control Panel
Navigation
Smart Guides
Preview Options
Grids and Guides
The Bounding Box
Panels
Libraries- New in CS3

Drawingand Selection Essentials
Draw Paths with the Pen Tool
Shape Tools
The Seletion Tools - Enhanced in CS3
Methods of Selection
Shapes
Duplicate Objects
The Pen Tool
The Pencil tool

Path Editing - Enhanced in CS3
Editing Anchor Points - Enhanced in CS3
Compound Shapes
Pathfinder Options
Eraser tool - New in CS3
Manipulating and Editing Paths
Outlining Strokes
Path Options

Appearances
The Appearance Panel
Object Attributes
Multiple attributes
Applying Live Effects
Graphic Styles
Appearance Panel settings

Working with Groups and Layers
Defining groups
Editing groups
Working with layers
Layers and object hierarchy

Advanced Drawing and Path Editing
Creating Live Paint groups
Detecting gaps in Live Paint groups
Path editing with Live Paint
Using Offset Path
Dividing an object into a grid
Cleaning up errant paths

Working with Color - Enhanced in CS3
Defining swatches - Enhanced in CS3
Creating swatch groups and libraries
Working with gradients
Working with patterns
Using the Color Guide
Live Colour - New in CS3
Finding colors with kuler - New in CS3
Modifying color in artwork

Object Transformation and Positioning
Moving and copying objects
Rotating and scaling objects
Reflecting and skewing objects
Using the Free Transform tool
Using the Transform panel
Repeating transformations
Using the Transform Each function
Aligning objects
Distributing objects
Brushes
Creating a calligraphic brush
Creating a scatter brush
Creating an art brush
Creating a pattern brush

Working with Masks
Using layer clipping masks
Creating opacity masks

Using Symbols
Defining and editing symbols
Editing symbols

Applying Filters and Live Effects
Minding your resolution settings
Applying the 3D Extrude & Bevel effect
Applying the 3D Revolve effects
Mapping artwork to 3D objects
Transforming Effects
Using the Stylize effects
Using the Scribble effect
Using the Warp effect

Advanced Text Editing
Creating and using paragraph styles
Creating and using character styles
Taking advantage of OpenType fonts
Using the Glyphs panel
Wrapping text around objects
Checking spelling
Using the Change Case function
Setting tabs and leaders
Dealing with legacy text

Designing for the Web
Using Pixel Preview
Specifying web slicing
Optimizing web graphics
Integration with Adobe Flash - Enhanced in CS3
Creating simple animations
Creating Blends
Creating a basic blend
Using a blend to create an airbrush effect
Using a blend to create an animation
Using a blend to evenly distribute objects

Working with Images
Placing images
Using the Links panel
The Edit Original workflow
Live Trace
Rasterizing artwork

Specialised Tasks
Creating graphs
Using Gradient Mesh
Using Envelope Warps
The Liquify Distortion tools

Saving and Printing
Saving your Illustrator document
Printing your Illustrator document
Using the Crop Area tool - New in CS3
Setting up page tiling

Working with Other Programs
Exporting files for use in QuarkXPress
Exporting files for use in InDesign
Exporting files for use in Word/Excel/PowerPoint
Exporting files for use in Photoshop
Exporting files for use in Flash
Exporting files for use in After Effects