Adobe Illustrator: stage 1
Time: 18:15 - 21:15
Location: KS - Keeley Street
This course is FREE if a) you live in London and your job is at risk of redundancy or b) you are either on Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) or Employment & Support Allowance(ESA) or c) you receive other state benefits (including Universal Credit) and your monthly take home pay is less than £343. For more information click here
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City Lit
Course Code: VG521
Please choose a course date
Duration: 6 sessions (over 6 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This practical course stage offers a rounded introduction to Adobe be it for design or illustration. Best known as the vector application for creating logos and icons Illustrator is widely used in the graphic design, illustration, fashion, packaging, marketing and branding industries for print and web.
What will we cover?
• Introduction to the Illustrator environment:
• Terminology, workspace and artboards
• Grids and guides
• Paths, strokes and fill
• Working with colour for print and screen
• Creating, manipulating and transforming basic shapes.
• Working with features for design and illustration:
• Creating tracing templates
• Plotting and amending paths with Bezier pen tools
• Using pencil, cutting and join tools
• Merging and subtracting shapes with the Shape Builder tool.
• Differences between the Blob brush and Paintbrush tools
• Creating brushes
• Creating a basic pattern
• Working with features for logos and icons
• Introduction to the Type tools
• Using layer to organise your artwork
• Saving work.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Navigate the Adobe Illustrator interface
• Use drawing tools to create basic designs
• Use the Pen tool to plot paths and and manipulate curves
• Set up and manage tracing templates
• Create brushes to use with the Paintbrush tool
• Format and manipulate type
• Create a simple graphic or illustration
• Use transformation tools to transform artwork.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introduction to Adobe Illustrator. However, students should be confident and competent computer users on a Mac or Windows PC and be proficient with a mouse and keyboard in either a creative software, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or equivalent and should be able to download, upload, save, open and retrieve files. Some awareness of design for print or any other art/design practice would be useful.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions,demonstrations,hand-outs and health and safety information,and will be invited to take part in group discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught using a range of techniques including workshops, short lectures, demonstrations, and by completing practical exercises on Computer. Each student has access to a computer for practical work. Student preparation and homework outside class times is strongly encouraged. Notes will be provided.
Should you wish to practice homework you will need to have access to your own Adobe® Creative Cloud licence for Illustrator, which is what will be used to teach this course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
A pen and paper to take notes. You may also find that having a couple of sheets of A4 paper and a ruler to hand would also be useful. Handouts for this course are best viewed in Adobe Acrobat Reader (or, if you have full Creative Cloud, Acrobat DC) so may want to have Acrobat on your computer.
Unfortunately, due to the range of hardware and software used by students at home, the College is unable to provide advice on installation issues.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You can develop your skills further in either Adobe Illustrator: stage 2 or through a range of courses in graphics, illustration, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, web design and animation.
Gita’s practice as a graphic designer and illustrator spans many years and disciplines within the field. She has worked in print and screen-based media across major broadcast, corporate, NGO, publishing and state sectors. Gita went digital in 1991. She brings her experience and knowledge to teaching Adobe Creative Cloud apps for design and Illustration in different departments within Visual Arts at City Lit. She started teaching evening and weekend courses at City Lit in 2006, having previously provided bespoke workplace-training for companies and organisations. Her classes are regarded as fun, friendly and challenging, with extensive resources for both in-and-after course study.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
