STOCK PHOTOS: I recommend using Unsplash for your Sketch, Drawing, and Color References. For your own artwork and designs, start from a Drawing, Sketch, or Traced Stock Photo. LEARNING TARGET: Download or Save 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: Bookmark these Websites for Free Stock Photos. For this example, I will be creating my Popsicle Character. For your artwork, Type your Subject Matter into the search bar to find a Photo, Drawing, or Color Reference. LEARNING TARGET: Download Free Stock Photos for your Designs, Drawings, and Sketches. UNSPLASH / PEXELS / PIXABAY
PHOTO REFERENCES: For your artwork, look for photos to use as drawing, design, or color references. I will recommend using Free Stock Photos Sites to download Resource Images. I recommend gathering and organizing images based on the same subject matter for your character or logo designs. LEARNING TARGET: For your own artwork, start from a Drawing, Sketch, or Traced Stock Photo.
DRAWING TEMPLATE: I have created a Drawing Template 2160px by 1080px. This will allow me to Export my Drawing or Sketch from Layers at 1080px by 1080px. Use Adobe Photoshop or any Drawing Program. For those of you Drawing on Paper, use a Scanner or download a Free Scanning App on your Phone to Digitize Sketches. LEARNING TARGET (1): Create a New Document 2160px by 1080px.
DRAWING OR TRACED PHOTO: The easiest starting point for Adobe Illustrator is a Clean Line Drawing or Traced Stock Photo. LEARNING TARGET (1): For your artwork, create a "Traceable Path" to align with the Building Tools in Adobe Illustrator. LEARNING TARGET (2): As you become more advanced, prepare your drawings for Specific Tools or Steps in your Workflow (ex. Pen Tool, Blend Tool, Repeat-Mirror, or Values).
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." LEARNING TARGET (2): Break down your Drawing, Sketch, or Traced Stock Photo into Design Elements (Shapes + Lines).
PRIMARY BUILDING: Many of you will be deciding between Shapes, Pencil, and Pen Tools as your Primary Building Tool. Look at your Resource Image, Drawing, or Sketch for obvious Shapes or Lines to align with the Building Tools. LEARNING TARGET (1): Understand the Building Tool and Options in Adobe Illustrator.
COLOR SWATCHES: Bookmark these Websites for Free Color Swatches. Adobe Color has a beautiful website that is full of Free Color Swatches and Themes. 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 Photo Reference. LEARNING TARGET: Add the Color Theme to your Library (CC) or download them as ASE files for your artwork and designs. ADOBE COLOR / COLORKIT / CANVA
SAVING + OPENING: If you saved 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. Most Color Themes will use Hues as the Base Color. In the Beginner Tutorials, will be using Live Paint to create our Basic Fills or Flat Color Layer. LEARNING TARGET (1): Save or Download Color Swatches for your own artwork and designs. LEARNING TARGET (2): Open through the Swatches Panel or Library.
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.
ADDING THEME TO SWATCHES: In your Libraries Panel, select the Color Theme you wish to use with your own artwork. Right Click and Select Add Theme to Swatches. The Colors will now be able to be used with Live Paint, Fills, Strokes, and Gradients. LEARNING TARGET: Add Color Themes to your Swatches to use with Live Paint, Fills, Strokes, and Gradients.
FONTS: Bookmark these Websites for Free Fonts. If you have CC, Fonts can be easily downloaded or installed from Adobe Fonts. I recommend installing some of the new Variable Fonts. Here are some Font Sites that I have used in the past. Check the Free Fonts Sites for Personal Use or Commercial Use Restrictions. LEARNING TARGET: Download or Save Fonts for your own artwork and designs. ADOBE FONTS / DAFONT FREE FONTS / FONT SQUIRREL FREE FONTS / GOOGLE FREE FONTS