Essential Basics

• Familiarizing with the Interface elements
• Resetting, Customizing and Saving a Workspace
• Creating a Personalized Custom Tool Panel
• Using the Zoom Tool & Various Zoom Techniques
• Customizing a Document Profile for a Print Project
• Creating New Artboards to Handle Several Design Collaterals in an Illustrator Project
• Setting an Exact Measurement for Each Artboard
• Using Rulers and Setting the Ruler Origin
• Working with Smart Guides

Selection & Alignment Techniques

• Learning the Various Basic Selection Techniques
• Select Points & Paths with the Sub-Selection Tool
• Making a Quick Selection with the Magic Wand
• Making an Advanced Selection Based on Similar Graphic Characteristics
• Automatically Align Objects for a Layout
• Controlling Objects Alignment with a Key Object
• Automatically Distribute Spacing between Objects
• Organizing Objects with Groups
• Working in the Isolation Mode

Compositing an Illustration with Shapes

• Drawing with the Shape and Line Tools
• Editing and Beautifying corners with Live Corners
• Reshaping Paths & Shapes Intuitively with Ease
• Creating Shapes with Specified Measurements
• Adjusting the Visual Characteristics of the Shapes
• Applying Advanced Stroke Adjustments to a Shape
• Working in the Outline Mode for Better Visibility
• Creating Beautiful Curves using the Eraser Tool
• Converting an Image into an Editable Shape using the Image Trace command

Transformation Techniques

• Applying Various Transformations: Scale, Reflect, Rotate, Distort, Shear, Perspective Scale etc.
• Enhancing designs using the Free Transform Tool
• Creating an Artistic Form from a Basic Shape
• Creating a Realistic Hard-Edge Vector Shadow
• Adjusting the Transparency of Objects
• Applying Multiple Transformations Instantly
• Re-applying Multiple Transformations in One Step
• Enforcing Consistency Across the Design Collaterals with Exact Object Placements

Illustrating with Drawing Tools

• Drawing with the Pen and Pencil Tools
• Learn to create smooth paths automatically
• Create controlled and natural illustrations with the advanced features of Pencil Tool
• Drawing Open and Closed Paths
• Illustrating with Straight and Curve Paths
• Converting smooth points to corner points
• Creating Curve Paths with the Pen Tool
• Decorating the Ends of a Path with Designs
• Creating a Dashed Line
• Deleting and Adding Anchor Points

Essential Basics of Colors

• Knowing the Different Color Modes
• Using the Color and Swatches Panels
• Creating and Saving Frequently-Used Colors
• Adding and Modifying a Color Swatch
• Using the Color Picker Menu
• Saving Related Colors in a Color Group
• Getting Inspirations for Color Applications using the Color Guide Panel
• Saving Colors Defined by the Harmony Rules

Creating Complex Effects with Blending

• Saving Color Gradients for Reusability
• Designing with Linear & Radial Gradients Blends
• Adjusting the Direction and Angle of Gradient Fills
• Beautifying a Stroke with a Stroke Gradient
• Determining the Visual Output of a Stroke Gradient
• Sharing the Same Gradient Among Different Objects
• Creating Gradient Colors with Advanced Methods
• Using Transparency to Create a Translucent Gradient
• Duplicate and Transform Objects with Blending
• Specifying the Settings of an Object Blend
• Creating Complex Shapes and Colors with Blending

Designing with Typography

• Working with the Point and Area Types in a Poster
• Adding Headlines in a Poster Design
• Introducing Text Wrap in an Area Type
• Adding and Using fonts from Typekit
• Importing Text from Other Applications (i.e. Word)
• Resolving Overflow Text with Text Reflow
• Improving Text Legibility with Area Type Columns
• Specifying Precise Characteristics for the Columns
• Decorating Text with Essential Text Formatting
• Applying Additional Text Attributes such as Leading, Kerning, Tracking etc.
• Making Creative Arrangements Intuitively on Text using the Touch Type Tool
• Adding Symbols using Glyphs
• Changing Paragraph Attributes
• Distorting Text with Envelope Warp
• Reshaping a Text to a Shape with an Object Warp
• Wrapping Text Around an Object
• Flowing Text Along an Open Path
• Filling the Interior of a Closed Shape with Text
• Creating Text Outlines & Expanding Appearances
• Compiling an Illustrator Project with the Relevant Images, Graphics and Fonts into a Package

Mastering Layers

• Creating and Reordering Layers
• Improving the Hierarchy of Layers with Sub-layers
• Duplicating and Locking Layers
• Pasting and Retaining the Hierarchy of Multiple Layers from Another Illustrator Project
• Hiding Portions of a Layer using Clipping Mask
• Instantly Locating an Object’s Layer in a Project
• Prevent Unwanted Edits on Other Layers with Layer Isolation

Decorating Paths with Brush Effects

• Working with Different Types of Brushes
• Getting Acquainted with the Brushes Panel
• Defining a Custom Stroke Effect with an Art Brush
• Knowing the different declarations of an Art Brush
• Decorating Paths and Shapes with Custom Brushes
• Designing an Unique Logo Effortlessly
• Defining a Brush Effect with Bitmap/Raster Images
• Removing a Brush Stroke Effect from a Path
• Creating and Altering a Customized Art Brush for Different Effects
• Loading Preset Brushes from the Brush Libraries
• Creating and Saving Pattern Swatches
• Defining a Customized Pattern Brush
• Using the Auto Corner Generation Types
• Creating a Frame Design with a Pattern Brush
• Refining a Pattern Brush for Specific Needs