Design with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- Course Code: VG534
- Dates: 04/10/24 - 29/11/24
- Time: 18:00 - 21:00
- Taught: Fri, Evening
- Duration: 9 sessions (over 9 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
- Tutor: Gita Hahn
Course Code: VG534
Duration: 9 sessions (over 9 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
On this practical course you will learn the basics of how to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator and get the opportunity to experiment with a range of techniques that integrate vector graphics and pixel-based images. Photoshop and Illustrator are used together for illustration, graphic design, fashion, packaging, info-graphics and promotional material. The course will cover relevant art and design principles. The course is taught on Apple Macs but skills learnt can be applied to Windows PCs.
Participants who will attend the full course will receive a City Lit certificate of attendance electronically for their CV or CPD records. The certificate will show your name, course title and dates of the course you have attended.
What will we cover?
Fundamentals of Photoshop and Illustrator for print and web
Introduction to the Photoshop and Illustrator environment:
- Workspace, tools and terminology
- Saving files: file types and their uses
- Colour modes for print and screen
- Features for design and illustration
- Layers in both programs and their differences
- Placing (importing) and amending files between Photoshop and Illustrator
- Setting up a tracing template in Illustrator using a Photoshop file
- Saving and exporting work to different file formats.
Photoshop
Working with pixels based/photographic images to:
- Crop, straighten and compose
- Use the Colour Picker pick colours
- Adjust tonal and colour values
- Define, refine and edit selections
- Retouch and repair photographs
- Combine images to create a basic photomontage/collage
- Work with Adjustment layers
Illustrator
Working with Vector graphics/paths and shapes to:
- Create simple and complex objects
- Apply colour to fills and strokes
- Manipulate shapes using selection and Pen tools
- Plot and amend paths with Bezier pen tools
- Transform and duplicate artwork
- Use Type tools for features for logos
- Mix colours and create basic patterns to save in Swatches.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Identify the main differences between and the uses for Photoshop and Illustrator
- Identify difference between linked and embedded files in both programs
- Work with Photoshop and Illustrator to ‘place’ a tracing template in Illustrator
- Save a body of work for future development.
- Export images for web and print.
Photoshop
- Manipulate and edit images using a variety of Photoshop features
- Select and isolate specific areas of an image
- Apply colour adjustments to images
- Combine several images together to produce a photomontage.
Illustrator
- Create designs using a variety of Illustrator features
- Use the Pen tool to create and manipulate curves
- Apply transformations to artwork
- Create a logo, icon or illustration.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No prior knowledge of Photoshop or Illustrator is required. However,students should be confident and competent computer users on a Mac or a 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, handouts 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 short lectures, demonstrations, practical exercises, tutorials, group and individual assistance.
Student preparation and homework outside class times is strongly encouraged i.e. planning rough designs on paper and finding images you would like to work on in class. Should you wish to practice outside class time you will need to have access to your own Adobe® Creative Cloud licence for Photoshop and Illustrator (the core software).
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No costs. Bring a pen and a pad to take notes and a USB stick or portable data storage so you can take your work home.
City Lit students receive 10% discount off everything* from Cass Art, the UK's leading art supplies retailer. Your tutor will advise you on what you should buy. You will need to show your enrolment receipt in-store to receive your discount. Visit the Charing Cross shop at 13 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0EP or find your local shop at www.cassart.co.uk. *Terms and conditions apply, visit www.cassart.co.uk/students.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please click here to view our courses in the Adobe Creative Cloud.
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.
