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FIRST STEPS: The first step is to bookmark this page for quick access back to the Student Dashboard. I would recommend bookmarking the Student Dashboard and My Enrollments Pages for Quick Access. Remember to Login on your next visit. TEACHABLE GUIDE
STUDENT DASHBOARD: The Student Dashboard will be a good starting place for those of you looking to learn Adobe Illustrator. This content has been established based on comments and questions I have received through YouTube Videos and Playlists. STUDENT DASHBOARD
STOCK PHOTOS: I recommend using (Unsplash / Pixabay / Pexels) for your Sketch, Drawing, and Color References. Bookmark websites for Photo References to use with your artwork and designs.
COLOR SWATCHES: I highly recommend using (Adobe Color) for your Color Themes. Bookmark websites for Color Themes to use with your own artwork and designs.
FONT FAMILIES: I recommend using (Adobe Fonts / Google Fonts / Font Squirrel / Dafont) for Fonts. Bookmark websites for Fonts to use with your own artwork and designs.
DRAWING GUIDE: If you are a Beginner to Adobe Illustrator, I will recommend creating clean Contour Line Drawing. This can be accomplished by tracing a stock photo or simplifying your own Sketches.
DRAWING GUIDE: The next phase will be to prepare your drawings for the Initial Building Phase in Adobe Illustrator. Many of you will be using Ellipse, Pen, and Pencil Tools as your Primary Building Tools.
DRAWING GUIDE: As you become more aware of the Tools and Options in Adobe Illustrator, you can save time in your workflow by using quick sketches. Use either Paper or Digital Methods.
BUILDING ARTBOARD: I recommend establishing an Artboard that you can use for all of your artwork. The initial Artboard Size can be changed at any point without ruining your own artwork. Create a "Building Template" that includes Artboards, Resource Images, and Template Layers.
RESOURCE IMAGE: The easiest method that I will recommend for New or Advanced Users is to create a Basic Line Drawing. Building Tools will use a "Path" so you can literally trace with the Pen, Pencil, Blob Brush, or Paintbrush. For your own artwork, use a traced stock photo, drawing, or sketch.
TEMPLATE LAYER: Have your Drawing, Sketch, or Traced Photo Selected. In your Layers Panel, select the Menu in the Upper-Right Hand Corner. Drop down to Template. This will create 50% Opacity and Lock the Layer. Create a Template Layer so you can see the Resource Image and new Paths.
PEN TOOL WORKFLOW: If you are frustrated with the Pen Tool, a simple tip is to break down the process into 2 Steps. The first step is to just apply Anchor Points to the start-curve-end of a line or path. The second step is to adjust the Curves with the Anchor Point Tool or Smooth Curve Button in the Control Panel.
ELLIPSE TOOL WORKFLOW: A good place to start if you are new to Adobe Illustrator is our Beginner Guide (Shapes). We will be going through Building with Shapes, Align Panel, Pathfinder, and Basic Color Fills. There are Beginner Guides for the Pen Tool and Tablet if you are new to the website or Adobe Illustrator.
PENCIL TOOL WORKFLOW: Many of you are looking to use your Tablet with Adobe Illustrator. I am going to recommend breaking down your current tablet workflow into multiple steps. I do see a lot of mistakes when people try to combine too many steps all at once with their new tablets.
CARTOON BRUSHES: Cartoon Brushes are my go-to for Professional Logos, Cartoons, Mascots, and Branding. Use Cartoon Illustrator Brushes with the Pen, Pencil or Paint Brush Tools to Apply different Line Variation to your Vector Artwork. Download Cartoon, Cartoon 2, and Original Cartoon Brush Libraries.
COMIC STRIP BRUSHES: Hand Painted + Comic Strip Brushes to get a lived-in feel back into your Vector Art. Comic Strips and Hand Painted are painted based on some of my favorite artists and cartoonists. These brushes are designed to look ready for the Sunday Paper. Download Comic Strip, Hand-Painted, Paintbrush, and Fine Liner Brush Libraries.
MASCOT BRUSHES: Jittery Hand, Caffeinated Cartoonist + Rough Ink Brushes to Mimic Paper Bleed and Caffeine. Designed to be a little less stiff with your vector art. Use these Brush Libraries to get a distressed or ink bleed style back in your own Vector Artwork. Download Caffeinated Cartoonist, Rough Ink, and Jittery Hand Brush Libraries.
BUILDING: I will use Shapes, Pencil, and Pen Tools in Adobe Illustrator as my Primary Building Tools. Notice I have simplified my drawings and sketches to make this step feel like tracing. Understand the Building Tools in Adobe Illustrator.
EDITING: I will apply Brush Libraries for my Line Variation. Notice I am using Expanded Editing Tools to clean up my Paths before moving on to the Coloring Step. Understand and Apply Live and Expanded Editing Tools in Adobe Illustrator.
COLORING: I will use Live Paint to create my Basic Fills or Flat Color Layer. Notice the steps to select and create a Live Paint Group. Understand Basic to Advanced Coloring Techniques in Adobe Illustrator.
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES: Brushes are specifically designed for Illustrators and Cartoonists to speed up their workflow. Brushes Libraries allow for Pressure Sensitivity if you are using a Tablet for Inking your Line Variation. Apply with Pen, Pencil, Shapes, or Paintbrush Tools. Download Cartoon, Comic Strip, and Vintage Mascot Brush Libraries.
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR HALFTONES: Halftones and Patterns Fills are designed for easy application even if you are new to Adobe Illustrator. Halftone Fills behave the same as a Color Swatch so you can apply them quickly using the Blob Brush, Live Paint, or Basic Fills. Download Halftone Fills and Pattern Fills.
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR TEXTURES: BMP Textures are extremely easy to use even if you are a beginner to Adobe Illustrator. Simply File-Place the Textures over your finished artwork to use with the Transparency Panel. Use with Opacity Masks for T-Shirt Distressing. Download Cracks, Grunge Distressing, Paper, and Paint Splatter BMP Textures.
BRUSHES GUIDE: Refer to our Brushes Resource Guide for saving brush libraries, applying brushes, and using the Shape Builder tool in Adobe Illustrator.
HALFTONES GUIDE: Refer to our Halftones Resource Guide for assistance with importing halftones, applying halftones, resizing pattern fills, and coloring halftones in Adobe Illustrator.
TEXTURES GUIDE: Refer to our Textures Resource Guide for assistance in placing textures, coloring BMP textures, using clipping masks, and applying textures with opacity masks in Adobe Illustrator.