Textile design using Adobe Illustrator

What is the course about?

This course is a short introduction to understanding the creative potential of Adobe Illustrator for textile design. While learning digital drawing skills we explore shape, and experiment with colour to compose elements ideal for creating motifs and pattern.
This practical course will be delivered in person and will involve tutor demos, presentations, and practical exercises. It is perfect for learners, artists and designers who already have ideas and designs on paper but do not have the technical knowledge to transform them into digital files.

What will we cover?

- Understanding the potential for Adobe Illustrator for textile design
- Illustrator interface; using navigation and toolbar
- Creating shapes
- Using the Pen tool; understanding stroke and fill
- Using Shape Builder and Pathfinder tool to combine and divide
- Creating and exporting Artboards
- Understand how to create a motif using design elements
- Pattern swatches.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Understand Illustrator file formats and which formats to use
- Produce and save a range of digital artwork for future development
- Create textile motifs using drawing, painting and reshaping tools
- Understand colour modes; working with swatches, and applying fills, strokes, and gradients
- Export files to the correct format for printing.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This is an introduction to Illustrator for beginners. No previous experience is required however, you should be competent on a computer. This course is ideal for textile students, artists and designers who already have ideas and designs on paper but do not have the technical knowledge to transform them into digital files.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions. Demonstrations and technical handouts will be provided. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.
Please note; we will be working on iMacs/Macbooks.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

This course taught in person through technical demonstrations, Q&A, group discussions, and practical activities.
This course is supported by Google Classroom as an E-learning virtual environment. You will need to login into our Google classroom before our sessions starts where all course materials will be stored. Details on how you can access this will be provided before the course starts.
Student preparation and homework outside class times is strongly encouraged to support progress on this course.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

• A notepad and pen to take notes during our sessions
• A selection of ideas to work on. These can be your drawings, photographs, paintings, fabric samples, designs and images of colours, textures and patterns that inspire you
• We will supply fabric and sublimation paper.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Illustrator for Textile design II is a natural progression from this course where you can explore your Illustrator skills further.
Please browse the website for upcoming course dates.
General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 12:00 – 14:00 then 16:00 – 18:00.