ILLUSTRATOR

Foundations of Digital Design

Prof. Eva Machauf
What is Illustrator?
§ Illustrator is a vector drawing program.

§ The image is described by geometric formulae

§ Shapes are created by creating anchor points and pulling handles to create curves.
 Illustrator vs. Photoshop
Unlike in raster images (Photoshop), resolution is not a factor.
Work can be scaled to any size without loss of quality.
 Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
+ Pixel by pixel image editing X Pixel based environment creates soft
+ Best for photographic images edges, bad for text

+ Filters, special effects and tools X Incorrect resolution can make edges
jagged and images fuzzy

+ Linear, vector (curves, handles,

lines) image creation and editing X Limited filter and image editing
+ Best for hard edged images, possibilities
especially logos X Multi-page documents are possible
+ Images can be resized with no but awkward
loss of quality
+ Display sized vector text can be
customized

+ Best for text editing and multi-

page print documents
X Limited image manipulation tools
+ Strong text manipulation tools
+ Can create repeat elements on
every page with Master Pages
 Anatomy of an ad
Final layout in InDesign

Bitmap image:
Photography Custom display type:
edited in laid out in Illustrator
Photoshop, using the placed
placed in InDesign skull as a guide,
placed in InDesign

Vector logo:
Vector logo: created in
created in
Illustrator, placed
Illustrator, placed
in InDesign
in InDesign

Text: styled in InDesign

 Illustrator is used for…
§ Customized Typography
for display uses

§ By Jessica Hische
Illustrator is used for…
§ Logos
crisp, scalable lines as well as some complex
blending
Illustrator is used for…
§ Cartoons, linear illustrations
Illustrator is used for…
Converting hand drawn illustrations by scanning and placing into Illustrator
to be "traced" and modified as scalable illustrations.
Illustrator is used for…
§ Packaging
Very exact measurements ar equired.
Illustrator is used for…
§Technical drawings
Top: Preview
Bottom: wireframe outline view with mesh blend structure

Yukio Miyamoto
Illustrator is used for…
§ Complex hard edged illustrations: Created by applying layers on top of one
another. Useful for maps and Information graphics

Paul Butt
Illustrator is used for…
§Perspective
Using the perspective grid
Illustrator can be…
§ Combined with raster images, Illustrator maintains transparency so that vector layers can easily be
placed over raster layers.