Photoshop & Illustrator skills
Before getting started on Photoshop and Illustrator. It's time to learn a little about:
Comp Sci Topic: Files and file types
Below are a set of mini skills which will help you level up your abilities in Photoshop and Illustrator.
Present all of the images you create from the skills on your portfolio website.
You will also cover some Computer Science Topics. Your teacher will quiz you on these at the end of the unit.
1) Setting up files and folders
In your documents (H:) - Create a folder named Image Manipulation and inside the folder make three folders named:
Photoshop
Illustrator
Project
Comp Sci Topic: Colours and images in computers
Adobe Photoshop Skills
Layers
Learn how to use Layers, then using the images provided from the link below create your own version(s) of Mr Potato head.
You will learn how to,
move layers
rename layers
hide/show layers
Transform
Computer Science Concept: Compression
Adobe Illustrator Skills
File types
Vector vs Raster
Learn about the difference between vector and raster images. Compare the two file types using adobe Illustrator.
Follow the instructions in the document or watch the screen recording below to see the difference between a vector and raster.
Screen recording - click here
Copy of Vector and raster images.pdf
Intro to Adobe Illustrator
Complete the worksheet provided by your teacher on the basics of Adobe Illustrator.
Illustrator worksheet.pdfThe Pen tool!
One of the most powerful tools in Illustrator is the Pen tool.
It is also one of the harder ones to learn.
These games will help you learn the basics
Adobe's Pen tool game or The Bezier Game
Practice the Pen tool!
The pen tool takes a lot of practice to master. Practice tracing these shapes. The column on the left shows where the nodes should be.
How to set up:
Create a new illustrator file
Create a layer for the reference image
Insert the image (pasting a screenshot is easy)
Lock the reference layer
Create a layer for the tracing
Start tracing!
Tracing images with the pen tool
Digital artists use the pen tool to create the lines and boundaries in their art. Often they trace over a reference image. It might be a sketch, a photo or anything else.
The process for this goes:
Create a new illustrator file
Create a layer for the reference image
Insert the image.
Lock the reference layer
Create a layer for the tracing
Start tracing!
Find an image to trace. You can use these birds if you can't find of one your own.
TLDR: Pen tool is awesome, but takes time
Coloring your drawing
Color your tracing with the live paint bucket tool.
Once you have the lines you can use the live paint bucket to fill in the color.
The process for this goes:
First, finish all of your tracing
Select all the lines
Select the Live Paint Bucket tool
Click on the lines to make them a "Live paint object"
Select a color and start coloring.
When you have finished coloring
Style the lines
Tidy up the edges
Check out 3:09 where they demonstrate coloring in an illustration.
Extra stuff - Extension, if you dare...
Adding Text with the text tools
Text tools
Learn how to use the text tools and have a go at using a range of different techniques.
Extension - have a go at these text tutorials .
