Adobe Illustrator Tutorial

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Jayan K.narayanan

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP | JULY 2004

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Starting out with Adobe Illustrator CS I

Before we started, Jayan decided that the composition would have to be one with all the basic shapes involved. Since he’s (kind of) spiritually inclined, he also wanted to create something that figuratively illustrated the oneness of art and the universe merging geometric figures with the organic flower. I know this sounds too deep for most of us, but what the heck… its still a great way to learn the basics of Illustrator!

love Photoshop and it was only natural that I got curious about its vector cousin: Illustrator. Now, try as I might, I couldn’t really figure out the software.

Of course, I did manage a few illustrations, but they weren’t, by any stretch of imagination, something akin to those great works of art that were possible with this software.

Every few botched up attempts saw me going back to Photoshop, leaving Illustrator to lie there on my hard disk—a reminder of my failed attempts at vector glory. Despite all of this however, I had made a secret vow that I would return to the software. And return, I did!

One day, while Jayan, our resident artist, was sitting down and tinkering with this software I saw my opportunity; I asked him to give me a small tutorial. Being the magnanimous chap he is, he did. And being the magnanimous chap I am, I’m going to share that tutorial with you.

No, you don’t require an easel, palette full of paints and brushes—just some patience and the will to learn. Sit with us as we go through this little tutorial. It’s a great way to get started. I should know. I now spend hours using Illustrator.

Photoshop? What Photoshop? | Jayan Narayanan and Savio D’Souza

Direct Selection tool

Selection tool Magic Wand tool

Lasso tool

Pen tools

Type tool Rectangle tool

Line Segment tool Paintbrush tool

Pencil tool

Rotate tool

Scale tool Free Transform tool

Warp tool

Graph tool

Symbol Sprayer tool Mesh tool

Gradient tool Blend tool

Eyedropper tool

Scissors tool

Slice tool Zoom tool

Hand tool Fill color

Strock color

Toggle between Standard screen mode, Full screen mode and Full screen mode with menu bar

JULY 2004 | INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

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Starting out with Adobe Illustrator CS

STEP 1. To start our illustration, go to ‘File | New’. In the ‘New Document’ dialog box that appears, enter in the Width as 20.5 cm and the Height as 28 cm (This, by the way, is our magazine’s bleed size). Then, select ‘CMYK Color’ from under ‘Color Mode’ (we chose CMYK because we needed to print the finished tutorial image in this magazine).

STEP 2. Now, go to the floating tools palette and select the Rectangle tool. Then, click in your new document. The ‘Rectangle’ dialog box appears. Enter the same values as before (20.5 and 28 cm). Move the selection that appears to correspond with your document outline. Now to fill that selection with color, select the color like we have from the ‘Swatches’ palette.

STEP 3. Revisit the toolbar and select the Mesh tool (see highlight). Click in the center of your document. You will notice that your document is now split into four portions by a grid. Now go to the color palette and move the sliders till you get something like our screenshot. The slider uses the mesh’s center point as the focus to apply a sort of gradient effect.

STEP 4. Using the same Mesh tool, now also click in the center of any two diagonally placed quarters. You will see that gradients are applied using those as center points. Use the Direct Selection tool (see highlight) to drag the grid to look like our screenshot.

You will notice that your gradient gets adjusted accordingly.

select each point, one after the other and move the color sliders along, to get your background to look something like ours.

It doesn’t matter however if your product does not look exactly the same. If it’s aesthetically pleasing, you’ve got it right.

STEP 6. We now have to place an image (provided on our CD) onto the file. To do this, go to ‘File | Place’, browse to the ai_workshop folder on our Tools CD and select background_1.tif. The image gets placed onto the document. Rotate that image by clicking on ‘Object | Transform | Rotate’ and then change the value besides Angle to 90.

STEP 7. The placed image will now have to be visually merged with the existing document. To do this, press [SHIFT] + [F10].

This will throw up the ‘Transparency’ dialog box (see inset). In this dialog box, select ‘Overlay’ from the ‘Blending Mode’ drop down and change its opacity to 80. You should see something like our screenshot.

STEP 8. Now, bring in the Flower! Go to ‘File | Place’, browse to the ai_workshop folder and select flower.tif. The image gets placed onto the document. Keeping the flower selected, choose ‘Multiple’ from the ‘Blending Mode’ drop down. Leave the transparency as it is and place the flower as shown.

STEP 9. Let’s embellish our background now.

Select the Ellipse tool (see highlight) and click in the top left corner of your page. In the resulting ‘Ellipse’ dialog box enter the values as 1.2 cm for both, Height and Width. Fill that ellipse with the color of values: C = 0, M = 40, Y = 95 and K = 0. You should see something like the screen above.

STEP 5. God is in the details, they say. So

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP | JULY 2004

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STEP 10. Now we have to make a copy of the circle. First make sure that the circle to be copied is deselected. Then while keeping the [ALT] + [SHIFT] keys pressed, click and drag the object slightly to the right. You will notice that a copy is created. Now replicate this by pressing [CTRL] + [D] till the whole row is filled with circles.

STEP 13. Now for the real dope. First press [F7] to display the Layers palette. There, create a new layer by clicking onto the Create New Layer icon. Name that new layer Center. Then, select the Ellipse tool from the floating toolbar and click anywhere in your document.

In the ‘Ellipse’ dialog box that appears, enter the values: Width = 12 and Height = 4.2 cm.

Fill the ellipse with the color of value C = 5, M = 65, Y = 100 and K =0.

STEP 16. Now, place the elliptical shape over the flower. Then, select the Rotate tool from the floating palette. To rotate our elliptical shape, we chose the center of the flower as our pivot. Press [ALT] while rotating the elliptical shape. You will notice that a duplicate ellipse is created which rotates round our pivot point. Now, press [CTRL] + [D] to create yet another duplicate that’s rotated around the same pivot.

JULY 2004 | INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

STEP 11. Keeping the [SHIFT] key pressed, select each circle in the row. Then press [CTRL] + [G] to group them all. Replicate the whole line in the same way we described in the previous step to get something that looks like our screen. Before you go ahead, select each circle that appears over the flower and delete them.

STEP 14. We now have to create another ellipse. Once again, click and enter the values for a second ellipse: Width = 11.4 and Height = 3.7 cm. You will notice that the second ellipse is created in the same color as the first. Hit [D] to make it white once again.

Now, place the ellipses one over the other like in the screenshot.

STEP 17. Select the Type tool from the floating palette and type in capital [R], font size 70. Change the font to Wingdings and then place the changed character in the center of the flower. Change the fill color of the character to: C = 25, M = 90, Y = 100 and K = 20. Then, change the stroke color to: C = 0, M = 5, Y = 100 and K = 0. The finished product should look like our screenshot.

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STEP 12. Once again select all the circles and group them by pressing [CTRL] + [G]. Then, go to ‘Effect | Blur | Gaussian Blur’. In the resulting dialog box, enter the value 7.5.

Now, go to ‘Effect | Warp | Fisheye’. In the resulting ‘Warp Options’ dialog box, specify Bend = 100 %, Horizontal = 0 % and Vertical = 0 %. Also, change the circles’ Transparency to 50 % (see Step 7). Background complete!

STEP 15. Now pick the Selection tool from the floating palette and select both the ellipses. Then press [SHIFT] + [F9]. This will throw up the Pathfinder dialog box. Click on the second icon under ‘Shape Modes’ called ‘Subtract from shape area’ (see inset). This will trim our ellipses to look like our screenshot.

STEP 18. Once again, use the Ellipse tool to create a circle (Width and Height = 0.3 cm) just besides the newly created star.

Now, select the Rotate tool and choose the center of the flower as the pivot again.

Press [ALT] while rotating the circle and place it at a slight distance from the first to create a duplicate. Now, press [CTRL] + [D] to create more duplicates all around the star (see screenshot).

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Starting out with Adobe Illustrator CS

STEP 19. Select each of the circles while holding down the [SHIFT] key and press [CTRL] + [G] to group them all. Then, fill the circles with the color of values: C = 0, M = 5, Y = 50 and K = 0. Choose its stroke color: C = 0, M = 5, Y = 90 and K = 0. Then, select the three ellipses as well and go to ‘Effect | Stylize | Outer Glow’.

In the dialog box that appears, pick the color: C = 0, M = 5, Y = 85 and K = 0 and Blur = 0.1.

Click ‘OK’.

STEP 20. Now select the Rectangular tool from the floating palette. Click anywhere; in your document and in the ‘Rectangle’ dialog box that appears, enter the values for both, Width and Height as 1.2 cm. Fill the rectangle with the color: C = 25, M = 90, Y = 100 and K = 20, and give it a stroke color of: C = 0, M = 20, Y = 100 and K = 0.

STEP 21. Keeping the rectangle selected, double-click on the Rotate tool from the floating palette and enter in the value 45 besides the angle parameter. This will rotate the box. Then, select the Pen tool (see highlight) from the floating palette and click on the right hand corner point when the mouse pointer displays a minus sign. This will automatically create a triangle from your square.

STEP 22. We will now need to create duplicates of our triangle. To do this, click [ALT] and drag your triangle. Then, press [CTRL] + [D] to create yet another copy. You will now have three triangles. Select the first copy you created and then double-click on the Scale tool. In the ‘Scale’ dialog box, select the ‘Uniform’ radio button and enter the value 80 besides scale. Repeat the process for the third radio triangle and scale it to 60.

STEP 23. Now press [SHIFT] and select each of the three triangles. Then, press [CTRL] + [G] to group them all together. Place the grouped triangles as in the screenshot to the right of the flower. Now making sure, that the triangles are still selected, right-click, and in the context menu that appears, click on ‘Transform | Reflect’. In ‘Reflect’ dialog box that appears select the ‘Vertical’ radio button and click on the ‘Copy’ button.

STEP 24. Place the copy of the triangles at the opposite side of your flower so that it looks exactly like our screenshot.

STEP 26. Select the original group and then go to ‘Effect | Blur | Gaussian Blur’ and give it the blur value of 2. Then, take one copy of your strokes and place it over the blurred ones; once again visit ‘Gaussian Blur’ and give this copy the blur value of 1. Then, rightclick on that copy and select ‘Transform | Reflect’. In the dialog box that appears, select ‘Horizontal’ and click ‘OK’.

STEP 27. Now place the third and last copy over the two blurred versions and group them all. Then, right-click on the group, go to ‘Arrange | Send to Back’. This will place the lines behind the triangles. Once this is done, create a copy of the whole group, right-click, and in the context menu that appears, click on ‘Transform | Reflect’. In ‘Reflect’ dialog box, select the ‘Vertical’ radio button and click on the ‘Copy’ button. Place the copy like in screenshot.

STEP 25. Now, select the Pencil tool and draw free hand lines that start at the triangles. Just make sure however, that once you draw a line you deselect it before you start with the next. Now group all the lines you have drawn by selecting them and pressing [CTRL] + [G]. Create a copy of that group by pressing [ALT] while dragging.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP | JULY 2004

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STEP 28. First create a new layer and name it ‘Circle’. Then select the Ellipse tool from the floating palette. After making sure there is no fill color (see highlight), press [SHIFT] + [ALT] and click in the absolute center of the flower. In the dialog box that appears, enter the values for Width and Height as 15 cm.

You will notice that a circle is created around your flower.

STEP 29. Now keeping the circle selected, double-click on the Scale tool (see step 22) from the floating palette. In the ‘Scale’ dialog box, select the ‘Uniform’ radio button and enter the value 103 % besides ‘Scale’. Click on ‘Copy’. This creates a concentric circle.

Now select the inner circle and hit [F10]. This will throw up the Stroke palette. Doubleclick on the ‘Stroke’ tab and after checking the ‘Dashed Line’ checkbox, enter the value 2 to convert the circle into a dotted one.

STEP 30. Going back to the floating palette, select the Line Segment tool (see highlight).

Then, using the center of the flower as a point, draw a line that runs slightly past the outer circle. Now select the Scissors (see highlight) tool from the floating palette. Then use it to click at the point where the line intersects the outer circle. This will divide our line into two halves. Now using the Selection tool, select that part of the line that starts from the center of the flower and hit [DELETE].

STEP 31. Keeping the remainder of the line selected, select the Rotate tool. Then, click at the center of the flower to denote its pivot.

Now press [ALT] while dragging the line slightly to the right to create a copy. Then, as discussed before, constantly press [CTRL] + [D] to replicate those lines around the pivot till you get something like our screenshot. Before you go any further, just stretch the two lines at either end to look slightly longer than the rest (use the Direct Selection tool).

STEP 32. Now copy one of the lines (press [ALT] and drag) and place it on the insides of our inner dotted circle. Keeping it selected, click on the Rotate tool. Once again use the flower’s absolute center as the pivot and [ALT] drag to create a copy by its side. Next, press [CTRL] + [D] to replicate those lines along the insides of the circle like in our screenshot.

STEP 33. Select the outer circle and then select the Scissors tool. Using it, click at a point somewhere below where the rules end and then, a little further below (see screenshot). Then use the Select tool and click anywhere between the two points you marked with the Scissor tool. This will show you a selection. Hit [DELETE].

STEP 34. Now, use the Direct Selection tool to select the smallest of the triangles we had created earlier. Make a copy of the triangle, resize and rotate it to place it at the end of your cut circle like in the screenshot.

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STEP 35. Using all the tricks we discussed earlier, cut circles, make copies of lines, rotate, change colors and experiment to get something like we have in this screenshot.

STEP 36. Once you’ve got everything to look something like our previous screenshot, select the Rounded Rectangular tool from the floating palette. Click in your workspace, and in the resulting dialog box fill in the measures as given: Width = 2, Height = 0.75 and Corner Radius = 0.2 cm. Then, create a square of measures: Width = 1.5, Height = 1.5 and Corner Radius = 0.2 cm.

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Starting out with Adobe Illustrator CS

STEP 37. Now rotate the square to 45o in the same way as described in step 21. Also, create a triangle from the square using the method described in the same step. Now place the rotated triangle and the rectangle in such a way that it resembles an arrow.

Select both the objects, and press [SHIFT] + [F9]. This will display the ‘Pathfinder’ dialog box. Click on the third icon to merge the two.

STEP 38. Once you’ve merged the objects, go to ‘Effect | 3D | Extrude and Bevel’. In the dialog box, enter the values as follows: 30, 10, 30 degrees (see inset). Then under the ‘Extrude Depth’ slider specify the value as 20 pt. Click on ‘OK’. Place the arrow like we have, pointing to the center of the flower.

Make two more copies of the arrows, giving one arrow just the stroke color.

STEP 39. Create a new layer once again and name it ‘Revolve’. Select the Ellipse tool and then while pressing [SHIFT] + [ALT], click at the absolute center of the flower. In the Ellipse dialog box that appears, enter in the values for width and height: 21 cm. Then, select the Text on a Path tool (see highlight) and click on our newly created circle. Paste text that you’d like along that path.

STEP 40. Before you go ahead, make sure that the text has the color values: C = 0, M = 40, Y = 100 and K = 0. For our design, we chose a font called Pepsi and we specified the font size to be 13. Now, replicate the text circle four more times, using slightly larger circles each time, making sure that the font size is larger as well—except for the outer most circle where the font size is the same as the first.

STEP 41. Now select all the text circles, except for the center most one with the Selection tool. Then press [SHIFT] + [F10]. This will display the ‘Transparency’ dialog box.

Besides ‘Opacity’, enter the value as 20%.

Now select the text circle that we had left out and specify its transparency as 40%.

STEP 42. Once again select the Rounded Rectangular tool. Click in your workspace, and in the resulting dialog box, fill in the measures as given: Width = 3, Height = 3 and Corner Radius = 0.2. Create two more copies of the same and fill them with the color: C = 30, M = 80, Y = 95 and K = 40. Also, give them the stroke color of: C = 0, M = 20, Y = 100 and K = 0. Now change their opacity to 60%.

STEP 43. Now select the Pen tool and making sure that the color is the same as the stroke color of the previous step, draw a figure like the one in the first box (see screenshot). Now copy the figure and place it in the second and third box as well. Select the figure in the second box and then click on ‘Effect | 3D | Revolve’. In the dialog box that appears, enter the values 25, -25 and 10 degrees. Change the revolve angle to 180.

STEP 44. Now select the figure in the third box. Once again click on ‘Effect | 3D | Revolve’. In the dialog box that appears, enter the values 25, -25 and 10 degrees.

Change the revolve angle to 360. You should now see a complete bell.

STEP 45. Play around with text and other effects to embellish your image.

Experiment—it’s the only way you’ll get comfortable. Have Fun!

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP | JULY 2004