Learning Vector Illustration with Adobe Illustrator: ...through videos, projects, and more

296 Pages·2021·104.043 MB·English

by  Jodi Staniunas Hopper

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LEARNING VECTOR
ILLUSTRATION WITH
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
. . . THROUGH VIDEOS,
PROJECTS, AND MORE
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LEARNING VECTOR
ILLUSTRATION WITH
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
. . . THROUGH VIDEOS,
PROJECTS, AND MORE
JODI STANIUNAS HOPPER
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BLOOMSBURY VISUAL ARTS
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK
1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA
29 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland
BLOOMSBURY, BLOOMSBURY VISUAL ARTS and the Diana
logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published in Great Britain 2021
Copyright © Bloomsbury 2021
Jodi Staniunas Hopper has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.
For legal purposes the Acknowledgments on p. 270–71 constitute an extension of this copyright page.
Cover design: Duncan Blachford, Tempo Haus
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information
storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party
websites referred to or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the
time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have
changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can accept no responsibility for any such changes.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Hopper, Jodi Staniunas, author.
Title: Learning vector illustration with Adobe Illustrator : ...through
videos, projects, and more / Jodi Staniunas Hopper.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020036451 (print) | LCCN 2020036452 (ebook) | ISBN 9781350047891
(paperback) | ISBN 9781350047884 (epub) | ISBN 9781350047907 (pdf)
Subjects: LCSH: Adobe Illustrator (Computer file) | Computer graphics.
Classification: LCC T385 .H6943 2021 (print) | LCC T385 (ebook) | DDC 006.6/86—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020036451
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020036452
ISBN: PB: 978-1-350047-89-1
ePDF: 978-1-350047-90-7
eBook: 978-1-350047-88-4
Typeset by Lachina Creative, Inc.
To find out more about our authors and books visit
www.bloomsbury.com and sign up for our newsletters.
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Contents
x Introduction
xiv List of artists
a
Lisov astra
Yevheniia Deni Dess
© ©
1 Chapter one 27 Chapter two
Interface and Making marks
the basics
2 Overview 28 Overview
5 Interface 29 Simple mark making
7 Tool bar 34 Commanding vectors
12 Getting started 37 Nesting strokes
14 Saving work 38 Brushes
16 Printing your document 44 Still more line tools
24 Featured Artist: Yevheniia Lisova 46 Exercise: Stick figure party
48 Exercise: Wild, wild life
50 Featured Artist: Deni Dessastra
v
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vi Contents
ell a
d h
n c
a n
c a
s u
E S
Victor Lucas
© ©
53 Chapter three 81 Chapter four
Taking shape Color: Beyond the
default swatches
54 Ellipses, Rectangles, Polygons...oh my! 82 Color Modes
57 Compound shapes 85 Other items in the Swatch Library
60 Tools that alter shapes 86 Making a swatch, a group, and a
61 Special effects theme
66 Objects as symbols 89 Gradient and Gradient Mesh
70 Freehand forms 92 Exercise: Label assignment 1
74 Exercise: Emoji symbols 98 Featured Artist: Lucas Suancha
76 Exercise: Logo design
78 Featured Artist: Victor Escandell
Label Assignment
With this fast and fun way to learn Illustrator, you
follow the label assignment through the chapters
to quickly acquire Vector Illustration skills.
Chapter 4: 92
Chapter 5: 128
Chapter 6: 162
Chapter 7: 185
Chapter 8: 213
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Contents vii
s
er
g
d
o
R
a o
Alici Eltip
© ©
101 Chapter five 131 Chapter six
Sketches alive! Type in Illustrator
Bringing your
traditional skills into
Illustrator
102 Overview 132 Managing type
103 Image Trace 142 Envelopes
107 Live Paint 148 Body text and style sheets
108 Adobe Capture and Illustrator 157 Exercise: Glyphs
109 Shapes 158 Exercise: Lyric portrait: legibility vs.
111 Patterns readability
113 Colors 162 Exercise: Label assignment 3
115 Brushes 164 Featured Artist: Eltipo
118 Advanced level plug-ins
119 Exercise: Graphics 88
125 Exercise: Card and gift
128 Exercise: Label assignment 2
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viii Contents
suke Satake erly Carden
n b
u m
Sh Ki
© ©
167 Chapter seven 189 Chapter eight
Pattern vs. symbol Gradient Mesh
168 Overview 190 Overview
169 Patterns 191 Simple gradient illustration
177 Symbols and masking 196 Freeform Gradient
180 Summary 197 Underpainting
181 Exercise: Grayscale portraiture 207 Creating an original image with a
184 Exercise: Scarf design Gradient Mesh
185 Exercise: Label assignment 4 211 Exercise: It’s in the cards
186 Featured Artist: Shunsuke Satake 213 Exercise: Label assignment 5
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Contents ix
e
wiel Eadi
us Ver merise
or e
D D
© ©
215 Chapter nine 237 Chapter ten
3-Dimensions and Graph tools
perspective
216 Overview 238 Creating graphs by Madelyn
217 Extrude and bevel Testa-Basmajian
220 Mapping art 239 Introducing graph types
222 Revolving a bottle 243 What makes sense for the story?
227 Perspective Grid 248 Making a comparison
231 Exercise: My home 250 Making a point
232 Featured Artist: Dorus Verwiel 252 Manipulating graphs by Cheryl
235 Featured Artist: Omar Aqil Bradshaw
253 The Graph Data window
254 The Graph Type dialog box
255 Graph Options
260 Category Axis
261 Customizing your design with
Illustrator’s tools
262 The Group Select tool
263 Applying design styles to graphs
265 Exercise: Infographic
270 Acknowledgments
272 Index
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x
Introduction
Greetings! And welcome to an learner used to technology at your
adventure in vector graphic creation. fingertips, I venture to say, you
On the pages herein you will find probably have (or want) two screens
direct instruction on achieving vector as well as your phone with you
fluency. while learning. Great! We’re going
This book has been built to to use all of that. You’ll have access
instruct the newbie. You needn’t to downloadable or streaming video
have any experience with vector demonstrations. You’ll be able to
graphics—or the pen tool—to employ your smartphone to instantly
move ahead quickly with this book. access the instructional videos in
Chapters are organized to build the pages of the book. Simply point
upon one another and sectioned for your phone’s camera at the QR codes
quick jumps ahead. Screen captures to unlock the knowledge within the
will guide you visually through the images. And lastly, follow along the
process. And Label Assignments will breadcrumb trail of screenshots to
challenge you to apply the chapter’s render beautiful results.
content to creating portfolio pieces. If you are like me, you may
In my 24-year teaching of vector doodle ideas all the time. Well, now
graphics at the university level, I have those drawings are not lost. Use
perfected the methods held within Adobe’s smartphone application
these pages. Through the step-by- Capture to bring your sketches,
step Label Assignments, I have marks, and color palettes promptly
been able to instruct new designers into Illustrator’s Library. Also, as
quickly and efficiently, instilling the a keen observer, you probably see
basic vector drawing skills in rapid design that inspires within your
succession. environment. Capture the type that
Since you are working on you see and let Adobe lead you to
achieving fluency in vector graphics, type choices just like that which you
I’ll make an assumption that you captured. The world of design is faster
are primarily a visual learner, with and more accessible than ever.
hands-on experience a close second. I sincerely hope you enjoy your
Consequently, this book has been dance (#vectordancing) through
built around screenshots and videos the world of vectors: may it lead to a
for your better instruction. As a lifetime love of learning and design.
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