# Illustrator in a Day (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.creativelive.com/classes/illustrator-in-a-day-self-paced>

## Overview

Illustrator is the industry standard for vector graphics, and this course gets you creating and editing them from day one. You'll pick up the skills to draw shapes and lines, apply color, trace images, and combine graphics with photos or type, building a solid working foundation in the tools and techniques that make Illustrator such a powerful program.

It's a great fit if you're new to Illustrator and want a focused, practical introduction without a big time commitment. If you're ready to take things further, our 18-hour Adobe Illustrator Bootcamp goes into much greater depth, and if you're working toward building a portfolio, the Graphic Design Certification Program is well worth exploring.

## What you'll learn

- Build a wide range of vector graphics, from simple icons to full illustrations
- Work with basic shapes and Pathfinders to put together more complex designs
- Turn hand sketches and pixel-based art into clean, scalable vector graphics
- Mix photos, type, and vector graphics to create designs for social media and more

## Curriculum

### Section 1

#### Drawing with Basic Shape Tools

- Drawing Ovals & Perfect Circles
- Creating Precise Shapes
- Setting Fill & Stroke Color
- Using the Eyedropper to Copy Formatting
- Navigating a File: Zooming & Scrolling
- Outline & Preview Views

#### Shape Controls

- Rounded Rectangles
- Polygon Tool & Triangles
- Star Tool
- Scaling Corners & Strokes

#### Line Tools, Variable Width Strokes, & Rotate Tool

- Line, Arc, & Spiral tools
- Width tool & Variable Width Strokes
- Rotate tool
- Flipping Horizontally

#### Building Complex Shapes with Basic Shapes

- Using the Direct Selection Tool to Move Individual Points
- Using the Pen tool to Remove Anchor Points
- Deleting Anchor Points
- Joining
- Aligning
- Working with Groups

### Section 2

#### Pathfinder

- Comparing Pathfinders
- Pathfinders vs Shape Modes
- Live Compound Shapes

#### Image Trace

- Image Trace
- Converting Hand-Drawn Sketches into Vectors
- Adding Color with Live Paint

#### Social Media Graphics with Type, Photos, & Vectors

- Importing Photos
- Sample Colors with the Eyedropper Tool
- Adding Type
- Adding Vector Shapes
- Using the Curvature Tool to Curve Lines
- Working with Multiple Artboards
- Saving Illustrator Files That Contain Linked Photos

#### Exporting as JPEG, PNG, & SVG

- Exporting SVG Files
- Exporting Multiple Artboards with “Export for Screens”
- Exporting Parts of a File Using “Assets Export”

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $425