Adobe Illustrator

Blend Images with Blend Modes

• Make clipping mask (select all, Command 7)
• Select shape with photo in it
• Properties → Opacity
• Try different blending modes from pull down menu
• Play with opacity
• Can combine multiple copies with different blending modes

How To Make Images Black & White and then Mix with Color

• Place image (has to be embedded, not linked)
• Edit → Edit Colors → Convert to Grayscale
• Put boxes of color(s) over the image and select Opacity → Blend Modes
• Try different blend modes from pull down menu
• Select image Effects → Pixelate → Color Haltone - leave defaults

Anaglyphic Text Effects

• Type out word
• Make a copy
• Select text
• Type → Create outlines
• Ungroup letters
• Choose anaglyphic color scheme
• One color per letter
• Overlap letters - select entire word
• Opacity → Choose blending mode (multiply looks good)

Gradient Stroke Overlap

• Create a line - black stroke, no fill
• Add width with width tool
• Select line
• Stroke color - add gradient
• Can add multiple lines with different color gradients that overlap
• Opacity → Choose blending mode

Gradient in Line of Text

• Type out words, select
• Object → Compound Path → Make
• Fill - choose gradient
• If you just add gradient to text without compound path, the gradient will be applied to each letter separately

Printing Gradients Settings

Before Printing

• Select gradient
• Object → Rasterize
• Set resolution - High 300 dpi

During Printing

• Graphics → Compatible Gradient & Gradient Mesh Printing

How to Add Shadows

How to Add a Regular Shadow

• Select item
• Properties → fx → Stylize → Drop Shadow

Long Hard Shadow

• Make a duplicate of shape (will need it later)
• Select item
• Change color of item to same as background, then make a little darker (use HSB instead of RGB)
• With object still selected Object → Transform → Transform Each (x1,y1)
• Command D: repeat until it goes off the page
• Join all pieces into one, select all, Pathfinder, select first choice
• Place original back on page and line up with the top edge of shadow
• Use shape builder to cut pieces off the edge and eliminate them

Long Soft Shadow

• Made a duplicate
• Select item
• Change color of item to same as background, then make a little darker (use HSB instead of RGB)
• Make a duplicate of shaodw shape, drag to bottom right, change to background color
• Group pieces in each shape separately
• Arrange → Bring to Front (main shape)
• Select both items Object → Blend → Make
• Object → Blend → Blending Options: can set specific amount of steps (maybe 100?)
• Bring original back, line up on top edge, bring to front
• Finalize blend Object → Blend → Expand
• Put box over top to match art board, select everything, press Command 7 and it cleans it up with a clipping mask

Duotone Image Effect

Convert image to vector

• Select image
• Properties → Image Trace → Shades of Gray
• Click Expand
• Click off of image
• Using white arrow, click on background, press Delete

To Recolor Photo from Grayscale

• Using black arrow, select image
• Edit → Edit Colors → Recolor with Preset → 1 color job
• In Recolor window double-click on small box next to grayscale where it says "New", choose color
• Then if nothing happens, use S Slider at bottom to show color
• Select image (Command H : to turn off green lines) Opacity → Blending Modes

Advanced Repeating Patterns

• Create shapes or place premade shapes into pattern on screen
• Select all shapes
• Window → Pattern Options
• Box pops up - looks grayed out
• Go to hamburger menu → Make Pattern
• Can adjust apttern with different options in box
• Can adjust pattern live by adjusting design on screen
• Patterns are saved in swatch panel
• Create shape and add swatch of pattern to shape

Live Shape Effects

• These only apply to ellipse and polygon
• Draw shape

Ellipse

• There will be little handle sticking off of the right side of the ellipse
• Click on it with your mouse and drag to manipulate the shape
• Double click on dot and it resets

Polygon

• This one will have an extra dot on the edge of the blue box around the shape
• Click on the dot and drag either way to manipulate how many sides the shape has

How To Create a Template File

• Create new file
• Change all settings to what you want as default (size, orientation, RGB, etc.)
• Click create new file
• Save → Save as Template
• Cannot just open the new template from the regular home screen
• New → New from Template to open a new file using your new template

How To Clean Up Stray Marks in Document

• Object → Path → Clean Up
• Good for preparing document for prepress
• Good for compound shapes and clipping masks

How To Tell if Background is White or Transparent

• Command Shift D : shows transparency grid

Custom Shortcuts for Aligning & Distributing

• Window → Actions : (already added in)
• Command fn 1 : left align
• Command fn 2 : right align
• Command fn 3 : center horizontal
• Command fn 4 : center vertical
• Command fn 11 : distribute up and down
• Command fn 12 : distribute left and right

How To Proof Colors in Adobe Illustrator

• View → Proof Colors : turn on
• View → Proof Setup : working CMYK is good - click on it even if it has a checkmark

Using Illustrator with Other Adobe Software

• Put your artwork, colors, etc in your library and you can open it in any Adobe program
• Photoshop - choose "Paste as Smart Object" in Photoshop when copying/pasting
• InDesign - regular copy/paste
• AfterEffects - can't copy/paste, have to bring it in from your library. It won't like it as an AI file, go to Layer → Convert shapes to vector layer
• Animate - just copy/paste
• Dreamweaver - prep item in AI with Asset Export
• Group item together
• Drag into Asset Export
• Choose format - SVG
• Save, insert image in DW
• XD - just copy/paste

How to Fill a Letter with Text

• Type out text, change to big, bold slab font
• Right click - create outlines, ungroup
• Right click - release compound path
• Text → Area Type Tool
• Click on outside stroke and it will fill with text
• After adjusting text size if letter is not full, Type → Fill with Placeholder Text

Letters with Holes in Them

• Create outlines, then drag center to the side
• Insert text (area type tool)
• Drag center hold back, select
• Object → Text wrap → Make: can change offset options
• Give shape no stroke, no fill to make it disappear

How to Add Gradient Color To Letters with Text

• Select all letters
• Convert to outlines
• Object → Compound Path → Make
• Select letters, add fill

How to Put Background Image Behind Letters with Text

• Select all letters
• Convert to outlines
• Object → Compound Path → Make
• Place picture behind letters
• Select all items
• Command 8 : Clipping mask

How to Use the Touch Type Tool

• Type text
• Select Touch Type Tool
• Select one character
• Options to change size and angle of each character

How to Add Multiple Strokes on a Path

• Create shape or line
• Go to Appearance panel in Properties
• Click on 3 dots in bottom right corner
• Select line where it shoes your first line with stroke width and color
• Click ➕ Duplicate Selected Item at bottom
• Change color of new line
• Change stroke width to be larger/smaller
• Change change order of strokes in same panel
• Higher up will be on top of other strokes
• If you make new shape andu se eyedropper tool on shape with multiple strokes the same will be copied to new shape
• Properties (when nothing is selected) - Scale Strokes & Effects

How to Add Additional Strokes Around Text & Shapes

Text

• Type text
• Open the Appearance Panel in Properties
• Click on open box at bottom
• This applies stroke
• Grab and drag down just below Characters
• Can add multiple strokes
• Type is still editable

Shape

• Same as above, but drag to below Contents
• If copying to another item, might have to reorder fill color to the top if it doesn't look right

How to Make Multiple Lines Using Offset Path

• Create shape using shape tool or draw one
• Select item with black arrow
• Object → Path → Offset Path
• Turn preview on, change settings as needed
• Can add more by going to Offset Path again and again

How to Make Multiple Lines Outlining Text Using Offset Path

• Type out text
• No fill, stroke of 1px
• Create outlines
• Select word
• Object → Path → Offset Path
• CCan also do an internal line by using negative numbers