Illustrator workshops notes

Image Making (with pen tool):

• Each layer is actually a folder which you can rename - groups all your lines
• If your tracing an image - double click the layer and click trace on the image settings (change the opacity to 20 percent)
• If you want any guides (i.e. if its a symmetrical image and you only want to draw half of it), get the rulers up (view, rulers, show rulers) then put the guides in a new layer and lock this layer so they can't move
• to reflect a shape - select the layer - object , transform, reflect then copy to keep your old layer. OR (a quicker way) - click the rotate tool and on the drop down there is a reflect tool. click alt then on your guide (reflection line) and it will reflect
• to join the two sides of the reflections - select the two sides, object, path, join
• NAME ALL YOUR LAYERS and do THE BIG SHAPES FIRST
• when drawing a circle hold down alt to draw it from the centre
• to group different things together - select all, object group
• to change the thickness of a line or whatever - click with mouse and change in top panel
• to duplicate a shape, press alt and drag
• If something is grouped and you want to colour just one part - you just double click the object to enter isolation mode - now you can edit parts separately
• to fill a small part coming off a big shape (i.e. claws) you make it a big round area, fill then click object, arrange, send to back (to send it behind the main body

Adding Type Along a Path:

• Draw line with pen tool, click type tool, bring mouse toward path and wavy line icon pops up (if it doesn't press alt) then start typing - you can also add it around a shape (command [ puts an object to the back)
• When you draw around a shape it takes away the fill - so click on the shape - edit, copy in place