HND - U37

1. HND - U37 Assignment - Workshop 27/01/14

2. Illustration as a discipline • Research Task: Find an example of what you consider to be an ‘illustration’...and any methods that may be used to create an illustration? • http://type.method.ac • Attempt the above, to test your judgement on typefaces AND to become familiar with adjusting using the anchor tool.

3. TEXT IN ILLUSTRATOR – THE BENEFITS VS PHOTOSHOP ?

4. Illustrator and Type-handling • There are several tools for creating type, all found on the Illustrator toolbar, and each with a different function. The tools are grouped as one button on the toolbar; to access them, hold down the left mouse button on the current type tool. To practice with this and the other tools, create a blank Illustrator document. • Before using the tools, open the “character” and “paragraph” palettes by going to the Window > Type menu. These palettes will allow you to format the text you create. • http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/tools-tips/illustrators-type-tool-a-comprehensive-introduction/ • http://graphicdesign.about.com/od/illustratortutorials/ss/ai_type_all.htm Select the “type tool” in the toolbar, which has an icon of a capital “T.” You can also use the keyboard shortcut “t” to select the tool. Type anything you like, which will create a new type layer in your document.

5. Various type tools... Type Tool Area Type Tool Type on a Path Tool Vertical Area Type Tool Vertical Type on a Path Tool Vertical Type Tool You can adjust the typeface, size, leading, kerning, tracking and alignment of the text using the appropriate palettes . You can also change type colour by selecting a colour in the swatches or colour palettes

6. Illustration Basics: Useful Links • Illustration: Key editing tools • http://www.laughing-lion-design.com/2012/08/illustrator-pen-tool-part-3-editing-paths/ • http://www.illustratoratoms.com/basic/getting-to-know-illustrator-cs5-toolbox-3/ • http://help.adobe.com/en_US/illustrator/cs/using/WS3f28b00cc50711d9-2cf89fa2133b344d448-8000.html#WS55B8A5DC-5496-494d-ADA8-FFE0FA5DAEA1

7. Pencil Tool • You can double-click the Pencil Tool icon to adjust the following settings: • Fidelity – Controls how often anchor points are added to the drawing path and how far you have to move your cursor before a new point is added • Smoothness – Controls how smooth the path is. The higher the number here the more points are added to the path as you draw, resulting in a more accurate line. • Fill New Pencil Strokes – Simply adds a fill color to the line after you draw it. This results in more of a shape than a line. • Keep Selected – Controls whether or not the line should be selected or unselected after your done drawing it. • Edit Selected Paths - Determines whether you will be merging with an existing path if your new line gets within a specified distance of it. • Within X Pixels – Determines how close your new line must be to an existing path to merge • http://wegraphics.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/illust-tip-3.jpg

8. Pen Tool • It takes a little bit of practice to understand how to properly use the Pen Tool. But once you’ve mastered placing and editing anchor points you can draw or trace anything you desire. Anchor points are the key to drawing within Illustrator. • The basic concept of the Pen Tool is clicking to add points versus drawing a line. As you add points Illustrator adds the line between the points automatically. You can then edit the lines by clicking and dragging the anchor points and their handles.

9. Path Eraser Tool • The path eraser tool, and with a single smooth motion click and drag it along the segment of the path you want to erase. • Eraser Tool Select this tool and click and drag it across the portion of a shape that you would like to remove. 2. 1.

10. Task – Improving Illustrations • To create an anchor point, click anywhere on the canvas, and a small blue dot will appear. Now, you can click anywhere else on the canvas to create another anchor point, and the two points will connect. Play around with this for a little while, and familiarize yourself with all the different ways the anchor points can connect. • TRY CREATING THE FOLLOWING ORANGE SHAPES: • http://sites.duke.edu/oit-mps/2012/04/29/introduction-to-the-pen-tool-in-illustrator/

11. Practice Task – Step 2 • Now that you are more comfortable with the pen tool, let’s get started on our circle. We can create a circle by manipulating and editing our anchor points to create curvature. This time, when you create an anchor point, don’t just click. Instead, hold down and drag the mouse button. This will create a curve, and the degree to which you drag the mouse button determines the level of curvature. • PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING:

12. Bezier Handles • You can manipulate the anchor points with the direct selection tool (the white arrow in the toolbar to the left).  The blue lines emitting from each anchor point are called Bézier handles.  You can use these handles to further adjust the curvature and angle of your lines. It’ll take some practice, but this is essentially how you make smooth shapes in Illustrator. Here’s a useful infographic: • ANCHOR POINT BASICS • To delete an anchor point, just hover over it with the pen tool. A subtraction sign will appear underneath. Click on the point, and it will go away, and your shape will automatically adjust itself. • To add a point, you can go into the pen tool set and select the “add anchor point” tool. Click anywhere on the canvas or on a path and an anchor point will appear.

13. Illustration Extension Task • Try combining smooth edges and sharp points, to re-create these images:

14. Brushes • 1. Calligraphic brushes - Create strokes that resemble those drawn with the angled point of a calligraphic pen. • 2. Scatter brushes – Disperses copies of an object along a path. • 3. Art brushes – Stretch a shape evenly along the length of a path. • 4. Bristle brushes – Create brush strokes with the appearance of a natural brush with bristles. • 5. Pattern brushes – Paint a pattern that repeats along a path. Pattern brushes can include up to five tiles, for the sides, inner corner, outer corner, beginning, and end of the pattern.

15. Icon - Creation and Improvement

16. Icon - Creation and ImprovementAnalysis • Before improving your icons research: • Different examples of web icons. • How different `sets` of icons stay CONSISTENT: • Usually, using SHAPE, COLOUR SCHEMES, STYLE AND USE OF EFFECTS E.G. GLOW/ DROP SHADOWS • Also, look at their usage on websites, analyse how they AID/ HELP THE USER and NAVIGATION. • How do they help organise information AND co-ordinate with the sites appearance? CONSIDER: navigate COMPLIMENT INFORM Co-ordinate

17. ICONS – Basic tutorials • BEGINNERS • http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/40-hand-picked-photoshop-icon-designs-photoshop-tutorials/ • ESPECIALLY: Adobe Photoshop Cs3 Icon (1ST TUTORIAL) • INTERMEDIATE • http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/50-excellent-icon-design-tutorials/ • ESPECIALLY: Create a Vector RSS Icon with Illustrator (18th TUTORIAL) • ADVANCED • http://speckyboy.com/2012/03/07/50-detailed-icon-design-tutorials-for-photoshop/ • ESPECIALLY: Carbon Fibre Style Metallic Icon Design (10TH TUTORIAL)

18. Typography Task • http://freelancefolder.com/typography-essentials-a-getting-started-guide/ USETHE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO ASSIST YOU IN UNDERSTANDING TYPOGRAPHY, LETTER STRUCTURE ETC. ALSO USE THE LINKS AND EXAMPLES TO HELP YOU ENHANCE YOUR TYPEFACE AND LOGO: The following clip will provide some visual tips on text/ font manipulation, USING PHOTOSHOP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQMxy_gT_A

19. Photo Adjusting Image • Please see presentation uploaded onto Moodle: LO4 - Understand the use of digital images, entitled: Photo/ Image Editing • Ensure that you apply adjustments to: • Hue, Saturation and Brightness • Levels • Contrast • Curves

20. Animated Gif – Alternative Illustrative methods • http://vimeo.com/60169112#at=0 • http://www.millan.net/olaf/howtomakeolaf.html

21. Plenary Tasks • Self assessment – record what you’ve learnt, any difficulties you have had in attaining your personal assignment targets. • Write or list three top tips for… • What do you consider is the MOST useful task from your assignment work set? WHY?