Adobe Illustrator PC 1 Course Completed
One thing I find myself doing is constantly learning, especially when it comes to knowledge related to web design and development. I have always had a dislike for school but at the same time I have always enjoyed learning about whatever I can. With web development I have been looking to further my skill set and in an effort to do so I have been looking to branch off into the design side of the industry. With that in mind I choose to jump into the world of Vector images and artwork with Adobe Illustrator.
Why have I wanted to learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator?
I wanted to learn Illustrator to get a feel for vector artwork and illustrations. I believe in the land of web design, skills in illustrator can help when creating layouts that are more visually appealing as well helping clients brand themselves by creating logos that are not resolution dependent. You know, being able to use your logo on various types of media: from screen to print and beyond! It can also help in designing more unique websites that are more graphically and visually appealing to targeted audiences.
My Adobe Illustrator course was a level 1 course that helped me learn the basics and fundamentals of the program for creating vector images. While taking my Graphics Design (aka Communication Design) overview course, Illustrator also allowed me to digitize my homework and gain a better understanding between the two relationships print and web work can have.
So what have I learnt?
Recently I have been wanting to create a Vancouver skyline type vector and came up with the following:
I took one of the many photos I took the other day and traced it out with the Pen tool. I find Illustrator to be pretty fun when I finally learnt how to properly use it. I added some white highlights to perhaps make it stand out a bit more and hopefully other people like it. I do anyway. I think it can be pretty recognizable to at least people of BC.
While working on it I remembered that Rebecca’s website uses the Vancouver skyline in vector form as well. My vector image is quite similar to the one she uses and it looks like it was created from a photo shot from the same location mine was shot at; off of Stanley Park.
So now all I need to do it work on my Illustrator skill and keep on being creative. Perhaps I can redesign my blog into something more interesting and unique. I find that I need to keep an edge and keep my knowledge, skills all all that up and current. It seems there are web designers and developers everywhere and I need to make a mark and keep ahead of the pack as best I can.
“It seems there are web designers and developers everywhere and I need to make a mark and keep ahead of the pack as best I can.” you’ve hit the nail on the head! having both skill sets, or at least skilled in one and knowledgeable in the other I find helps in leaps and bounds.
It is a pity that the developers I work with have a very closed mind when it comes to learning skill sets that they feel are not required from them.
Same goes with other key areas really; SEO for example is what I see as being another key area to at least know the basics of and especially when it comes to onsite SEO.
Paul.
I took my graphics design course to get a better look at the world of design. I also thought it would be good to have the basic knowledge if I had to deal with graphic artists and designers or have to explain my actions for a particular look of an item.
The Illustrator course is also another skill I can and have fun developing too. I seem to enjoy doing it so far.
I do understand I can’t learn everything though I can sure try right?
Great cityline, Tyler! There’s no better cityline to use than Vancouver’s
I’d love to see more of your vector art as you create it.
Adobe Illustrator is an incredible tool. I’m dieing to buy the Adobe creative Suite program, it’s be so awesome lol… That picture you made is pretty cool, do you know if you could make 125×125 ads with it? Cause that would make it alot more useful for bloggers.
Jonathan Muller
@How to Blog - yea you can make 125×125 ads. Just create a RGB document at 125p x 125p and away you go! You can do it even in Photoshop like I used to. The nice thing I like about Illustrator for creating web graphics etc is that each item is an object.
Photoshop deals only with layers so each item is on a different layer. Illustrator allows you multiple objects within the same layer or on different layers. Easier to work with.
O that’s awesome. Yeah illustrator sounds easier, I suppose I’ll just need to get both lol.
Jonathan Muller