Vector Graphics:
Drawing Tools
V I S U A L M E D I A D E S I G N 10 5
PROJECT: DRAWING FREEFORM PATHS
This project will introduce you to the Pen and Pencil, drawing tools
that are useful in generating more freeform organic shapes. We will
also look at layers, and at the brush system in Illustrator.
Scenario: You have been asked to design a series of icons for print
and screern, that have a rough organic feel. You will deliver vector
fles that can easily be scaled deoending on the project.
GETTING STARTED
£ Locate and open the fle StarLogo_Start.ai.
The fles we have built so far have tapped into Illustrator’s power to
generate clean geometry. But Illustrator can do rough and organic
too!
EXAMINE THE FILE
£ Go to Window > Layers to open the Layers Panel. You will see
a locked layer in this fle called Template. The template layer
contains a sketch that will serve as a guide as you build this
project.
£ Use the icons at the bottom of the lanel to add 3 new layers
to the fle: Star, Lines and Border.
Layers in Illustrator work mostly the same as they do in Photoshop.
As you build this fle, it might be useful to toggle these layers on
and off.
DRAW THE STAR
£ Target the Star layer and equip the Pen Tool [P].
£ In Properties, set your fll to None and your stroke to 1 point
£ Start at the top and click around the star shape, generating
points at each point in the star. When you get back to the top,
click on your frst point to close the shape.
£ Save your fle
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DRAW THE LINES
The Pencil and Brush tools allow you to generate freeform vector
shapes, much like the Paintbrush in Photoshop.
£ Target the Lines layer. Equip the Pencil tool.
£ Double-coick on the Pencil tool icon to confgure it. Move the
“Fidelity” slider all the way to the right towards Smooth.
£ In Properties, set your stroke to 16 points wide
£ Trace over the lines in the sketch with separate brush strokes.
If you make a mistake, type Cmd-Z to undo your last move.
£ You should now have the sketch traced completely. Toggle
the Template layer on and off to make sure you haven’t
missed anything.
£ Save your fle.
ADD A BORDER
£ Target the Border Layer.
£ Equip the Elipse Tool and drag out a circle big enough to
enclose the other elerments in the fle.
£ Position the border so that it frames the illustration.
£ Save your fle.
ADD BRUSH EFFECTS
The Brush system in Illustrator allows you to add rough organic
effects to smooth vector paths.
£ Go to Window > Brushes
£ The lower-left icon at the bottom of the panel gives
you access to brush presets. Go to Artistic > Artistic_
ChalkCharcoalPencil. These brushes wil appear in a separate
panel.
£ Select all the lines in the fle by clicking on the small circle on
the far right of the Lines layer.
£ Click on the third brush in the panel to apply the brush
setting.
£ You can apply the same brush for the rest of the elements, or
experiment with other presets.
FINISH UP!
Adding freeform tools to your toolbox really expands what you can
do with Illustrator. When you’re happy with your fle, save and move
on!
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Visual Media Design 105 > Digital Skills for Visual Media
PROJECT: DRAWING CURVED SHAPES
This project will introduce you to the Curvature Tool, a great way to
reproduce curvy shapes in Illustrator.
Scenario: Your son has decided that it’s Batman or bust for
Halloween this year! The frst step in creating his costume is to
recreate the logo. You have a rough scan that you want to trace and
perfect in Illustrator.
GETTING STARTED
£ Create a new docuent that is 1000 x 1000 pixels.
£ Locate the fle BatmanLogo.png.
£ Go to File > Place and navigate to the scanned logo fle.
£ Click on your artboard to place the fle in your working
document.
£ Roughly center the logo in your fle.
£ Save the fle. Name it Lastname_Firstname_Batman.ai
CREATE THE TEMPLATE
Illustrator supports special template layers that make these kind of
tracing jobs much easier. Let’s set one up.
£ Open the Layers Panel. You’ll see that Illustrator has already
created a Layer 1 in the fle.
£ Double-click on the icon for the layer and set the options for
Layer 1 as you see in the screenshot.
£ After you click OK, the layer will be locked and dimmed.
£ Save the fle.
TRACE THE LOGO
Now, you’ll use the Curvature tool to trace around the logo
£ Equip the Curvature Tool [4th tool from the top of the Tool
Panel].
£ Set your fll to None. Set the stroke to 1 point.
£ Add a new layer called Trace and be sure it is targeted.
£ Hold down option and click at the top of all the curves in the
logo.
£ Make your way all around the shape until you create a closed
path. Take off Option for the fnal click. Your initial path might
not be perfect but that’s OK.
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Visual Media Design 105 > Digital Skills for Visual Media
REFINE THE TRACE
£ With the Curvature Tool still selected, click in the middle of
each line segment and drag it until the curve lines up with
the shape in the template.
£ The curves along the bottom of the logo will be more
accurate if you double-click on those points
£ The top 2 curves in the logo might require 2 points to
accurately render the curve. See the screenshot at left.
£ Don’t worry about minor imperfections. Do marvel at how
easy this tool is to use!
FINISH UP!
£ Add flls, strokes, other shapes and even other elements.
£ When you’re happy with the fle, save and move on.
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Visual Media Design 105 > Digital Skills for Visual Media
LOGO CHALLENGE!
The challenge project in this section will ask you to recreate a
simple illustration without explicit step-by-step instructions. This
project will tap into all the Illustrator skills we’ve learned so far.
Scenario: You’ve been asked to design a logo for the company
PurePower. They’ve provided you a sketch and some type, but the
rest is up to you!
GETTING STARTED
£ Look through the assets that are provided for this project. You
have a sample fle and some type to use.
£ Strategize. Look at the sample and think about the steps
required to recreate it. It might even be helpful to write them
down!
£ When you’re ready to begin, jump into Illustrator and make a
new document that is 900 x 750 pixels. Build your logo in this
fle.
REQUIREMENTS
• Recreate the battery shape. Match all the shapes, flls, and
strokes as closely as possible.
• Add the type to the fle. See if you can fgure out how to
generate the drop shadow!
• Add the horizontal rules using the line tool.
FINISH UP AND SUBMIT!
You are free to make additions or changes to the logo, provided
that all the core elements are in place. Once your happy with your
fle, save it one last time and move on.
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Visual Media Design 105 > Digital Skills for Visual Media