Rule of Thirds Practice

Rule of Thirds Slides

These will be shown in class, but are here also for your reference.

Rule of Thirds

Copy Illustrator Template

  1. Go to the Rule of Thirds Practice Template

  2. If you aren't already signed in to Adobe, click "Sign in" in the top right corner.

  3. Click "Copy to Files"

  4. Open the Creative Cloud desktop app.

  5. Rename: Right-click on the file and click "Rename" to add your last name to the start:

    • "Last Name, Rule of Thirds Practice"

  6. Open: Right-click and click "Open"

  7. Workspace: Adjust your workspace (go to "Window" > "Workspace" > "Essentials Classic")

Rulers and guides

  1. Go to the "View" menu in the top bar and click:

    • "Rulers" > "Show Rulers"

    • "Guides" > "Show Guides"

    • "Guides" > "Unlock Guides"

Create Margins and Rule of Thirds Grid

  1. In your "Layers" panel, click on the "Guides" layer.

  2. Click and drag from the rulers on the left and top to create guides (bright blue lines). Click on guides (they will turn dark blue) in order to edit them.

  3. Create guides so that you have margins on all four sides of your artboards.

  4. Create guides that split your artboards up into three rows and three columns. There are a few ways you can create a grid:

    • Create Guides

      • Rows: create guides around 3.5" and 7"

        • These will span across your 5 artboards on top so you'll only have to do these once.

      • Columns: create guides around 2.75" and 5.75"

        • You'll need to create these for each artboard.

        • Click on the artboard to adjust the ruler markings.

    • Create Rectangles and "Split into Grid..."

      • Create a rectangle the same size as your artboard, with a black stroke.

      • With the rectangle selected, click "Object" > "Path" > "Split into Grid..."

      • Adjust the "Rows" and "Columns" to be 3

      • Click "Ok"

      • Repeat for each artboard.

  5. Lock your "Guides" layer.


Note: Guides span across all artboards.

DEsign Posters

  1. Click and drag the objects down to the artboard and arrange and design with the following in mind:

    • Hierarchy: Make the most important things the largest, then the next important should be half as big, and so on.

    • Alignment/Margins: Align objects to create unity and create space around objects

    • Rule of Thirds: Place objects on the intersections of your rule of third guides.

  2. Design and add other elements as you wish.

  3. Repeat for each show/movie poster.

Create Your Own

On the blank artboard on the bottom:

  1. Choose a show or movie that you like.

  2. Find the following online and copy and paste onto the artboard:

    • 1 photo of the show/movie (without text on it)

    • Logo/Name of the show/movie

    • A sentence about the movie or a tagline.

  3. Design the poster based on the three guidelines above.

Hide Guides layer

In your "Layers" panel, click the eye icon next to the "Guides" layer to hide it.

Save as .AIC and .PDF

  1. Go to "File" > "Save" to make sure to save your .aic file (if it is grayed out then it is already saved).

  2. Go to "File" > "Save As..."

  3. Choose "On your computer"

  4. Click "Creative Cloud Files" folder on the left menu

  5. Name: "Last Name, Rule of Thirds Practice"

  6. Click "Save"

  7. Click "Save PDF"

  8. Once you save as a .pdf, exit out of Illustrator. If you need to edit again and resave, make sure to edit your .aic file and re-save as a .pdf.

Turn in to Canvas

Turn in your .pdf file on Canvas in the "Rule of Thirds Practice" assignment.

"I'm Done"

If you have more time in class, check out the "I'm Done" page.