The Type Tool

Today we're going to learn the intricacies of the Type Tool in Illustrator. It's how you make letters, choose fonts, type bodies of text ... essentially anything dealing with letters (with the exception of hand drawing them with the pen tool, you do with the type tool. So, after we go over the presentation on the Type Tool, and you all start messing around with it, you can go ahead and start on your next assignment, which is to make a composition out of letters, numbers and/or symbols. By composition, I mean anything. It could be a portrait of yourself, words making up your home state or country, a flower (don't make it corny) ... really anything you want, just make it out of words instead of drawing it. Refer to the examples in the presentation.

Click here to download the presentation for this week.

DUE THURSDAY OCTOBER 15TH: a composition made with words of the same font. Subject matter is open.

For this assignment you have to use the Type Tool, and you must use only one font. If you'd like to use more, let me know what your idea is for using more than one font, and I'll have to approve it.

EXAMPLES:

The Pen Tool

Today we'll (officially) learn to use the Pen Tool. The Pen Tool is extremely useful in Illustrator. It's one of the most important tools because it draws custom lines and shapes. Today we'll do an exercise with the Pen Tool to stretch out your little fingers and get you ready for the laborious task of drawing your name. Once you've completed the exercise (or if you feel comfortable enough with the Pen Tool) call me over and I'll confirm that, and you will be able to start on your name assignment.

Click here to download the presentation for this week.

DUE WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24TH: A stylization of your name, using mostly the Pen Tool. You may use other tools to make shapes and lines, but I want to emphasize the Pen Tool in this assignment so that you can get used to it.

So for this assignment, you must show evidence of using The Pen Tool. No other tools are required, but you'll probably end up using other tools anyway.

EXAMPLES:

Welcome to Illustrator.

Today we'll be learning about the general tools of Illustrator. You'll need to memorize these in order to get familiar with the program. You'll be using these tools in most things you do. Make some flash cards, work in the program, do what you can to get to know all these tools. We'll have a fill-in-the-blank test Thursday on the tools I pointed out as important.

Click here to download the presentation for this week.

DUE THURSDAY OCTOBER 1ST: A Landscape. I want you to compose a full color landscape. This could include the sun, grass, a house, people, animals, clouds, aliens, or anything you can dream up. Use your imagination. I want you to experiment with all the tools in Illustrator for this first project, and just get a good idea of what Illustrator does.

You must show evidence of using the Rectangle, Ellipse, & Line tools.

I recommend you use the rest of the tools, and I'll be able to answer all your questions on how exactly you can use them, but it will be harder for me to specifically tell if you've used the rest of the tools. Just put a good amount of work in the piece. I will be able to tell. Remember to play around with different colors. Try not to use the default colors in the color palette.

EXAMPLES: