Transcripts
1. Intro MTPT: Hello. Welcome to my first skill stare class. Mastering the petting tool in Adobe Illustrator from beginner to Brilliant. My name is Jill. I'm a surface pattern designer, illustrator and closing pattern designer after lunch Daisy Patterns. I love Adobe Illustrator, but it isn't exactly intuitive. That's why the class will teach you everything you need to know about its most fundamental tools. So you can start making amazing artwork even if you've never used illustrator before. And if you are experienced with the tool, I hope to did you tips and tricks to improve your skills. I've been working in Adobe Illustrator for about six years now, making everything from coloring pages from my favorite digital magazine to repeating patterns your fabrics to Children's clothing patterns and more. This class is great for anyone who uses or wants to use adobe illustrator, graphic designers, illustrators or casual creators. I use illustrator for personal projects all the time. As you may have guessed, you will need access to Adobe Illustrator to get the most out of this course. If you need to, you can download a free trial. Simply follow the link in the class description. I'm using Adobe CC but older versions will be very similar. You can use the skills or learn in this class in so many ways. Any time you want to create a vector image, understanding the mental will make it easier, even if you decide to use a different tool. In addition, many vector programs works similarly to Adobe Illustrator, so you'll be able to use those programs with the much smaller learning curve. By the end of this class, you'll be able to not only use the pencil, but be comfortable with it. Following best practices and professional tips, you'll develop your skills with a couple of easy many projects. In the final project, you still let's read your favorite animal. Let's get started.
2. Class Project | Skillshare MTPT: so the class project for this class is actually too easy. Many projects plus the final project. You see it really master the pen tool. You do have to practice, so I'm having you do a couple of low stress projects just to practice and get comfortable using the pen tool. The first many project is just a doodle. After you watch the lesson on during straight lines, see what you can draw with straight lines. After you watch the lesson on drawing with Kurt blinds, see what you could drive with curves. Once you've watched the lesson on hybrid or combination pats, see what you can make use and current blind straight lines, angles everything all together, and that's your first many project. The second many project is to trace something. This is to let you practice. Suggestion your paths. I provided an image for you to trace or you're welcome to trace anything you'd like. Then, once you're comfortable drawing and to just in your past with the pencil, you'll be ready to create your final project. Put in it altogether to illustrate your favorite animal. All right, let's get started
3. Vector Terms & Basics | Skillshare MTPT: This first lesson covers the very basics of the mental and a little about vectors and illustrator in general. If you get nothing else out of this lesson, I want you to know, use the quickie P toe access the pencil so much faster than finding it in the toolbar. Every time I watch someone use illustrator photo shop or whatever and they don't use the quickies, I die a little inside. Use the quickie. Okay, moving on first wire Vector. So awesome. Take a look at these two images. They look same, right? The one on the left, though, is a raster image. While the one on the right is a vector image. Raster images are made up of pixels, little squares of color that combined to form the image. This means that the image loses quality when you scale it up. When you scale up a raster image, each pixel gets bigger and they don't blend into smooth lines anymore. A vector, on the other hand, is made of math. Luckily, the computer does the math, not us. This makes a vector image infinitely scalable. No matter how large you scale the vectors, the math fills in the lines, leaving you with beautiful, perfect lines and edges. Now that you are thoroughly convinced of the greatness of vectors, let's get to the most important factor tool of all the mental. So the pen tool is right here in the toolbar. I figure you should know where it is, but don't use it. Use the quickie. It's way faster. Doesn't slow down your workflow. You definitely want to use it every time. The quick key, remember, is the letter P. Now let's define some terms. She's the stocks here. These are your anchor points. The path is the line, as the computer sees it, and the path see, it's pink. Here, the path goes through the anchor points and the way that you control the path. The way that you tell a computer how to draw this path is with these handlebars. So see how they're different sizes, and as they change them, it changes the path. So I'll teach you how to use the handlebars to draw your path, just how you'd like it. And since we're in the basics, a path is the Linus. That computer sees it. It's not the same thing as the stroke. See the stroke is the thickness that you add to the line. So here the path is blue. The color of the path depends on what layer you're on. Some don't worry about the color. It doesn't print. It doesn't show up in your image. See this fish? This fish has a stroke and no film. This has a fill in No stroke. How can you tell that one way? Look right here. This box controls the stroke. It has red slash through it. So that means no struck. This fish has a stroke and no fill the fill box has their it slash through it. Also, this fish is made with an open path. See, the line ends. It has to open endpoints, whereas a closed path, as you can probably guess, is a closed shape. You can have an open shape that has a fill. Firstly, see, it makes a straight line between the two open end points. So you'll want to keep that in mind. But you can totally fill on open jeep and my clothes shapes here. They don't have strokes, but they certainly can. Let's put a strike on him real fast. So you access the color picker by double clicking on the stroke or the fill, whichever one and you probably know how to use a color picker. It's pretty standard. And now we have, Ah, little tiny struck on that. See, the stroke is measured in points just like font size. So you know, whatever size you want in this case, we don't want him to have a stroke. Now let's get drawing. Will start out easy with straight lines. I will see you in the next lesson.
4. How to Draw Straight Lines: in this lesson, we're going to learn to make straight lines with the mental. We're also going to talk about closing your paths, ending your path without closing it, and some other helpful tips for drying straight lines with the mental. When drawing straight lines with a pencil, don't click and drag. Remember, you're not drawing the line. You're drawing the points and letting the computer fill in the line between. I'll show you what clicking and dragging us for. In the next lesson, see the preview. This preview was added to Illustrator and CC 2014. I believe if you have a newer version of Illustrator, you have a head start in mastering the pencil. If you have an older version like the CSX that either and on never fear, you'll get the hang of it. It's really not a big deal. You close your path by clicking again on your first finger point. Notice how the cursor gets an O next to it. This means you've got the right spot on. The path will close. Sometimes you want precise angles. When you're drawing with the mental, you can constrain where the next anchor point goes by holding shift while you click, it will automatically keep 45 degree increments, so 45 degrees, 90 degrees etcetera from your previous point. There's several ways to stop drawing your current path without closing it. You can hold the command control key while clicking. This is what I do. You can do the same using the cult option key. You can also simply press the escape key. No clicking required the return or enter key works this way as well. If you have ended your open path but decide, you need to add to it later, simply hover over one of your anti maker points. The fentanyl cursor will get this slash next to it. When it does, you'll be able to click on the anchor point and continue drawing the same path. This works whether the path is currently selected or not. If you want to join to open paths into one, you can do that too. Simply hover over the endpoint of one path. Now you've got the slash next to the pen tool click and hover over the end point of the other path you want to connect it to. Now you see a circle with too little lines coming out of opposite sides. That means that when you click, you'll join the two paths into one. You don't have to have her before you click. It's just to see the cursor change. Go ahead and get started on your first many project. Simply play around with the pen tool during open and closed paths. There's no reason to learn all the ways of ending your bath. Pick the one that feels the most natural to you. And now you've taken your first step to mastering the mental next to learn the more fun part, drawing those beautiful, sweeping curves.
5. Drawing Curves: now that you can draw and stop drawing straight lines, let's learn about curves. To draw a curve, you simply click and drag. See how you not only have anger points now, but you also have handlebars. The handlebars control the curve. The longer you pull out the handlebars, the further the line goes before it cursed the other anchor points. The tighter curves are made with shorter handlers. Also notice how the handlebars are the same on both sides of the anchor point. You can change that. We'll talk about that later because the handlebars are the same on both sides of the anchor point, the curve is affected on both sides of the anchor point. See, you can see in the preview how the path is still trying to curve based on how far it pulled out the handlebars. So where should you start when you're drawing a closed path? If there are any corners, it could be easiest to start there, so you don't have to worry about a smooth transition, but you can start anywhere. The bigger question is, how do you know where to set your anchor points for curved paths when everything is straight it's easy. You just click at the corners, done for curved fast. You'll get the hang of it with practice, and you'll just know where to put them. But the general rule is to imagine a clock. You put the anchor points at 12 o'clock three o'clock, six o'clock, nine oclock, and then you close the path just like you dio for straight lines. Hover over your beginning anger point and see how you have the own next to the pen cursor click. You're also going to want to drag because this pair of handlebars is not symmetrical. So if you want symmetrical, click and drag so putting the anchor points onto the positions on the clock, a place to non circles, too. You just have to distort the imaginary circles a bit. So here, let's finish drawing this river will put the point at 12 o'clock nine oclock, three o'clock for another clock. Six o'clock, nine oclock. You end your curved open paths just like you do your straight open paths so you can hit command control or the cult option key while you're clicking off. Or you can hit, escape or return. I don't need to click, but there we have. You're open pass. You can constrain your curve just like you concerned to the position of the anchor points when drawing straight lines. I did that when I was drawing the sun here. Notice the handlebars air going straight. You can constrain them to be 45 degree angles. See by holding the shift key I actually uses feature a lot when I'm drawing clothing illustrations. This is the beginning of a rifle, like for skirt or something anyways. Now go ahead and practice your curved lines. Get the feel for where to put your anchor points at simple squiggles and blobs to your first many project and just have fun doodling as you get acquainted with unique skills. Now we can draw straight lines and curved lines, but how do we put them together? That's what will be in the next lesson. I'll see you there
6. How to Draw Hybrid Lines: now that we can make straight and curved lines with a pencil, let's try combining both types of line into one shape. Look at this fluffy cloud here. It's a bit more complicated than what we've drawn in this class so far, with straight lines and the curves that meet at corners all in one shape. But it's really an easy step from what we've done so far. So let's draw another fluffy cloud to show you how it's done. I'm going to start here with the straight line at the bottom. So click hold the shift key so the next banker point stays in line Click. But before I release gonna hold all option key. Look, that breaks the handlebars. Now this side, we can do whatever we like while the other side of the anchor point stays Justice name. Let's go back like that and click and drag up here my whole shift so that these stay straight. It helps give a nice circle and didn't quite get that anchor point where I wanted it. So I'm gonna hold space bar before he said it. There we go. Just a little curve, so small handlebars click, and then break that handlebars by holding the altar option key on, we'll put an anchor point here. That looks good. Click. Mm. Okay. Break the handler with the altar option key. Do another little curve there, Ault Option. And now we're going straight up here, remember? And basically doing the the clock thing. Three o'clock, nine oclock, etcetera. That one was 12 o'clock, I guess. And corner break the handle. Barbs, and we'll go over here. Break the handlebars again. Not option key. Let's go right there. Holing shift. Help me get this shape I want. And then we just hover over the first point click. And that looks pretty good. All right. See, that was easy. But this tip dramatically increases your drawing options. And now it's time to finish him. First meeting project. Let's see what you could make with what you know so far, Don't forget to upload it to the class. Now you can draw any shape. It all but practice makes perfect. Or in this case, practice makes comfortable. And second nature in the next lesson will put it all together too. Great. Your second. Many project tracing the little turtle I provided or image of your choice. Let's go drop
7. Mini-Project 2 Draw Along: Let's do your second of any project together. I've provided an image for you to trace, but you're welcome to use whatever you'd look. So we'll go to file open navigate wherever you saved the image open. And here we have it. Now we want to change the opacity. So go ahead up here, see capacity and send it to about 50% hit. Enter. Now we're gonna click here to expand the layers and look that button because we don't want to move it while we're drawing on top of it. That's it. The pen tool and start drawing. Now let's make sure our stroke and fill or how we want them. Let's have black stroke. No, Phil. Four points is good for starts. So hold the shift key to make so that this line stays straight. Stays horizontal. Rather have this line is not an increment of 45 so we won't hold shift there, Nick, Hold shift, click ethnic and hover over the first anchor point to close. And that line is not as that as in my drying. So let's crank that up a bit. 15. Looks good. We'll go with that. Well de selected by just quick enough. Now the zoom tool is Z like in many other programs on I look at pics later. This is see, because my drawing is a raster image, but we're going to turn it into Beetle electors right now. P for the pencil. Let's start Here. It's gonna be is malls, curves. We'll just keep small handlebars. Oh, right. We better switch back to the four points. That 15 point line is way too fat. Four points. There we go thinking about the clock when I'm choosing my positions now. So we click and click and drag. Get a nice little curve, break the handlebars with the auto option key. Let's go like that. And here I see it. I don't have the lines exactly where I want them to be, But I'm gonna teach you out of fixed these things. So there we go. - No . Remember the handlebars air symmetrical. So how far you pull them affects both sides of the line? We want a bigger curve on this side and on this side. That's okay. I'll show you how to fix that. But it is something to keep in mind. I think we can make this curve as big as we'd want because Fillon's not continuing, it doesn't matter. So you think you thought in mind when you're deciding where to? Where did it started? That's why I went starting at this side. I'm not doing the all four anchor points for these dots. Part of the reason is because they're so small. And also I'm not really concerned. Their shape is funky because they're startled up. Now the bigger, more lima bean shaped ones I really use four points for to get that Lima bean shape his eyeballs. We're going to need to switch back to having a stroke and no feel. Now. The way I got the stroke to appear was I hit the V to get the selection tool, but I think we want for their She looks good. We'll do two points Truck back to the mental, a little funky. That's okay. You're and teach you how to accept. All right, let's go from here. Now you can draw any shape you can imagine, but what if you don't get it perfect on your first go in? The next lesson will walk you through, adjusting and perfecting your paths. I will see you there.
8. Perfecting Your Paths: So now the path is done, but it's maybe not just how you want it. What now? The pencil has some built in secondary tools. Plus, there a few helper tools you can access from within. The pentacle that will use to make our paths perfect aren't in order to edit your paths, you first have to select them. You can select them by hitting the V to get the selection tool right there. But what I like to dio is use the direct selection tool. That's either the a key. It's the white air tool right here. Or even better, why you're on the pencil. Hold the command control Pete Toe Access the White Air tool. The reason why I like the white error tool better than the black hair. A tool for this is that Qala black hair tool allows you to move past around the white error tool. Let you move anchor points and handlebars. So P whole command. Then you've got the white Arab tool. You can move the past, you can handle bars and you can move the anchor points. It's a now that it's selected. Let's make it right. Are used. The zoom tool Quick, easy. So we're in the mental. If we hover over the path, see how the pencil has a plus sign next to it. You're now accessing the ad anchor point tool. You can also get to that by hitting the plus sign on your keyboard. So that's good. If illustrators not quite understanding what you're trying to dio or if you're just adding a lot of anchor points as a whole, you're going to want to stay in the pen tool because it's faster, since it switches back and forth by itself. So you're on the pencil. It's a command t o get the white error. Now you can pull the anchor point where you want it and adjust handlers. So just like you have the ad anger point tool. If you hover over an anchor point, you get the delete anchor point tool. See how it got at minus next to the pencil. It's a click to delete. Now you do not use the delete key. Let me show you what that does, so we have that don't selected delete it, cut out the section of our path. It's not what we're trying to you, so you hover and click to delete the anchor point. But we do want to there so will control Z. To get that back. You can hit the minus sign on your keyboard if you want to stay on the delete anchor point tool. Usually, though, you're gonna want to stay in the pencil because it's faster. So I see that I didn't trace this flipper of my poor little turtle. Poor guy's gonna have a hard time swimming, all right, so we'll go ahead and at that now now, notice. The Pentothal did not get a plus sign next to it when I was hovering over the path. That's because the other path was not selected. See, we select it and Rebeck to the at Anchor Point tool when we hover over the path. Another way to not add to your path is to hold the shift key. See now, even though I'm on the path shift. See, it's staying on the make a new path setting. It's not switching to the at anchor points tool, So if you're ever having struggles with illustrator trying to add anchor points when that's not what you're going for, just hold shift and then it will not add anchor points also won't delete anchor points. It keeps it on just mental, so you can still at to your bath. But you're not going to add anchor points. Let's talk some more about the direct selection tool. Remember, you can access it from within the pentacle by holding command control. So we click and see where anchor points are. See how you have some anger points, that you can see their handlers and some not because I have selected the section here when it's like to this anchor point, I've got the handlebars for it and the ones on each side. So those anchor points interact with this point that I clicked on. So we're gonna go here and first of handlebar. End of it. No noticed. The handle bars aren't symmetrical anymore. I could make this one really sure, really long, and the other one stays the same. I think I'll shrink that one down just a little bit. That's closer to how I intended it when I sketched him out. With this tool, you can manipulate the curves themselves. I like Teoh do the handlebars, but it's an option, if that's what works for you. You can click and drag to select multiple things at a time. Like, say, what? If I want to move these two anchor points, I can grab them both with a boat by just clicking and drinking. So I have these two selected. If I hold shift, I can add to the selection. Let's say I want to get all of these loans that are blue are the ones that I selected. And then if you click on the blue ones, you un select them. Now keep in mind your path, maybe a different color. So it's blue for me. It could be any other color, so they didn't want to move those, actually. And now I release the shift and I can move the ones that I have selected, but I don't actually want to move them. So put them back. The next tool we can access from within the pen tool itself is the convert anchor point tool. Let's work on his flipper over here. So we're on the pin tool. If we hold all the option now, we've got the convert anchor point tool. Right now. It has each side curves, but the handlebars air broken apart. We can change that. So I'm holding all the option. And now it's a smooth curve again with symmetrical handlebars. So we could do that. Or we can grab the one handlebar, break the handler and adjust that we can also just click. And now it's just corner new handlers. We want to have some handlebars. So hold all option, bring out some handlebars and break the handlebars by grabbing onto the handle bars themselves. We'll go ahead and fix this little guy slippers before we move on, but that's the converting. Could point to practice tracing your little turtle or image of your choice until you're comfortable converting in your points moving, then Justin handlebars and all that good stuff. Once you're comfortable with not only drawing with pen tool but also adjust in your lines, you're ready to create your final project. I'm so excited to see it. No
9. Final Thoughts: Well, that's it. You are now a thrilling to master for the pen tool. If you like to the class, be sure to click the button to follow me on skill share so you'll be notified when I published a new class. Also, you can follow me on social media at orange Daisy patterns before you go. Don't forget to post your class project. I really won't see it and tell you the class discussion. What was your favorite thing you learned from the course and what topics you'd like me to cover in the future. Thanks for watching.
Jill Miller, Artist + Surface Pattern Designer
