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Illustrator Notes 1 (Week_01) (supplement)

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Illustrator interface – drawing ribbon, selecting tool – select vs direct select.  Photoshop vs Illustrator

  • Zooming through ctrl +/– or Hold Alt + scroll mouse wheel
  • Copy/Paste ctrl C/ctrl V

Topic_00: Export to Illustrator

Here we will recreate the example image given out for next week’s exercise 1.3

  1. Export from Rhino to Illustrator:
    1. In Rhino, Type Isometric > select a view from either NE/NW/SE/SW
    2. Type Make2D > select object to be drawn as 2D > make sure ‘Parallel’ is selected under ‘view’, and we do not need ‘hidden lines’ checked now > hit OK
    3. Go to Top View and pan towards the Origin (0,0) – the 2D line-work of our 3D object should be there

      We could export to illustrator now and do all other line-work in illustrator, or we can set them up in Rhino first:
    4. We will be using the make 2D command again, any new lines drawn from that command will be on the visible>curves layer. We do not want the new 2D drawing to be on the same layer as the 2D drawing we just did. So lets rename the curves layer as ‘Lines’. Do this by double clicking on the text, then type the new name.
    5. Lets merge the 3D objects together to get some basic lines: Go back to perspective view > type BOOLEANUNION > select the 3D object we want to merge > enter. (note: once ‘boolean union’ has been used on an object, the object cannot be split back to its original parts)
    6. The object is merged, but it still has remnants of the ‘faces’ from previous objects: type MERGEALLFACES> select the object > enter
    7. Type make2D again > select the shape we just merged, but this time, check ‘hidden lines’
    8. The two make 2D images should be overlapping, if not, make sure it is.
    9. To export line work go to File > Export Selected > select objects > Enter > Save as (.ai file) > preserve model scale if a specific scale is required > OK

Edit in Illustrator:

    1. Make sure the Art board is 8.5″ x 11″: Select Art board Tool (Shit+ O) > under properties window change the W and H to “8.5 in” and “11 in”.

      1. File > Open >
      2. May have to scale to fit into art board, or re-export it at a different scale
      3. Change line color: Select all, change its stroke to black
    2. Change line weight by layers
      1. select the layers icon > select all on visible:curves layer by clicking the circle to the right of the layer title
      2. select the stroke icon > change weight to 1.5 pt
      3. select the layers icon > select all on hidden:curves layer
      4. select the stroke icon > change weight to 0.5 pt > check dash, and set dashes at 5 dash, 5 gap
      5. select the layers icon > select all on visible:lines layer
      6. select the stroke icon > change weight to 0.25 pt
      7. Delete extra lines not shown in the example: lock visible:line layer > select the lines to delete > hit backspace or delete on keyboard
    3. Create fill
      1. Make new layer with icon on bottom right of layer window > name it ‘fill’ > move it to top > lock all other layers
      2. Trace where we wish to have color with pen tool > change stroke to 1.5 > select a fill color
      3. With the fill still selected, go to transparency window > from the drop down menu change ‘normal’ to ‘multiply’.
      4. Add scale figures: place scale figure on illustrator (or draw your own!) > resize it > change its transparency

Topic_01: New Document

  • Opening new document, sizing/orientation
  • Line tool , rectangle tool
  • Pen Tool (right click to connect points, hold right button to make curves)
  • Selecting objects
    • Direct select vs select tools (black arrow vs white arrow)
    • Scale object: Use black arrow to select object > drag a control point to scale (hold Shift to scale evenly)
    • Alter object: Use white arrow to select object > drag a control point to change object shape
  • Check or un-check box for ‘scale strokes & effects’ under Properties Window > Preferences
  • Double click object to enter isolation mode

Topic_02 – Layers

  • Layers
    • Creation
    • Layer order establishes drawing order
    • Selecting everything on a layer through the image selection box – drag to change object layer
    • Renaming: double click on ‘Layer’
    • Locking and visibility

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Command: Default Shortcut

These are some of the commands covered:

Place:  ctrl shift P

Zoom:  ctrl +/-

Pan:  hold space bar

Rulers: ctrl R

Pen:  P

Type (Text):  T

Paint Bucket:  K

Refer to the adobe “cheat sheet” for others:  https://helpx.adobe.com/content/dam/help/en/illustrator/pdf/illustrator_cheat-sheet.pdf

Refer to Adobe TV for additional tutorials:  http://tv.adobe.com/product/illustrator/

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