Getting Started with Illustrator CC

Launch illustrator, tour the interface, and create a new document with file > new, choosing artboards and color space settings; manage multiple documents as tabs and arrange windows with shortcuts.

Explore the Illustrator interface from the menu bar to the dynamic options bar, the toolbox with many tools, and the panels that organize color, stroke, and layers for creative work.

Customize the Illustrator interface by arranging, docking, and mixing panels (including floating ones) into a compact workspace, organizing color swatches, stroke, gradient, transparency, and appearance for faster design workflow.

Create and name custom workspaces in Illustrator, save changes to the interface, and switch between layouts such as web, print, or typography to suit different projects.

Learn to use Illustrator's selection tools—black arrow for selecting objects or groups, white arrow for direct selection, and marching ants indicate selections; master multi-select with shift and bounding-box selections.

Master the direct selection tool to grab anchor points, paths, and direction lines to tweak curves, while toggling with control or command between white and black arrow tools.

Master Illustrator's lasso tool for freehand selections, add with shift, subtract with alt, deselect by clicking away, and compare with line mode for complex artwork and stacking order limits.

Learn to use the magic wand tool to select objects by fill or stroke color in Illustrator CC, adjusting tolerance for precise color-based selections.

Save intricate selections in Illustrator CC by using the select tool and stroke color to pick items, then save the selection with a name for easy reload later.

Create rectangles and squares in Illustrator by dragging with the rectangle tool, use the transform panel for x, y, width, and height, and hold shift or option for center creation.

Explore Illustrator's line-based tools, including the line segment, arc, and spiral, plus grids. Learn to apply lines, arches, and grids in design with shift snapping to precise angles.

Explore drawing with the pencil tool in Illustrator to create freehand lines, paths, and arcs, select paths to continue drawing, and erase mistakes with the eraser tool using a stylus.

Explore how vector artwork in Illustrator relies on paths and anchor points, differentiate open versus closed paths, and work with freehand pencil tool strokes using the white arrow tool.

Learn the Illustrator paintbrush tool, use pressure sensitivity with a drawing tablet, and explore calligraphy, scatter, art, and pattern brushes for vector strokes.

Using the blob brush tool, create fill shapes that weld together when the same color overlaps, with pressure-sensitive control on a Wakeham tablet for varied noir-inspired shading.

Move vector shapes with the selection tool, and duplicate them via copy-paste, paste in place, or drag with option/alt; use cmd/ctrl d for repeat transformations.

Explore how to scale, rotate, reflect, and shear vector artwork in Illustrator CC, using shift for proportional scaling, center-based scaling, the reflect tool with preview, and reset bounding box.

Master precise vector transformations in Illustrator using micro positioning with arrow keys and numeric scale options, then rotate, transform, preview, and reset the bounding box.

Master precise positioning and transformation of vector objects in Illustrator using the transform panel. Set x and y with top-left reference, adjust width and height, and apply rotation and shear.

Discover how to use Illustrator CC's transform panel to perform calculations, adjusting vector object dimensions in millimeters with plus, minus, multiply, divide, and percentage operations, including mixing units.

Master stacking order in Illustrator CC by noting new objects appear on top and controlling order by bringing items to front or back, or moving them forward or backward.

Group two or more vector objects to keep your artwork organized, then edit the group in group edit mode, duplicate groups, or ungroup using the object menu or keyboard shortcuts.

Master alignment and equal spacing of vector objects in Illustrator CC using the align panel, align to selection or artboard, and horizontal or vertical distribute spacing.

Learn how to align multiple objects to a key object in Illustrator CC, keeping the key object fixed while others move to accommodate the alignment, using the align panel.

Learn to apply and customize strokes in Illustrator by adjusting stroke weight, cap and corner options, and stroke alignment (center, inside, outside) for precise vector artwork.

Explore Illustrator's built-in swatch libraries, including ancient, baroque, and impressionism palettes, plus pantalone color books, and apply fills or strokes using the swatches panel.

Mix and save custom colors in Illustrator by using the color panel and swatches, then apply the saved swatch to multiple tentacles via replace fills.

Learn to create, customize, and save gradients in Illustrator CC, using the gradient panel, color stops, and the gradient tool to apply linear or radial fills to objects.

Learn to fill objects with patterns in illustrator cc by using pattern swatches, exploring libraries, and applying halftone and animal skin patterns to shapes.

Copy fills and strokes across multiple Illustrator objects using the eyedropper tool, enabling quick transfer of gradients, patterns, transparency, and other properties.

Import large amounts of text using file place, create area type frames, and tidy by revealing hidden characters, removing carriage returns, and replacing three or more spaces with a tab.

Explore how to use the area type options dialog box in Illustrator to control text frames, adjusting width, height, columns, gutter, and offset with live preview.

Learn to create type on a path in Illustrator CC by placing text along open or closed paths and formatting with fonts, color, and stroke.

Convert text to shapes in Illustrator CC by selecting text and choosing create lines from the Type menu, turning editable text into shapes and keeping a copy of the original.

Explore Illustrator layers and the layers panel to organize artwork, toggle visibility, and manage stacking order. Create, rename, and move objects across layers to control document composition.

Explore the pathfinder panel in Illustrator to combine, cut, intersect, and exclude shapes, and experiment with shape modes to create custom forms and temporary welds.

Explore how to apply illustrator's vector and raster effects to shapes and text, including pucker and bloat, roughen, drop shadows, 3d extrude and bevel, warp.

Explore the appearance panel in Illustrator CC to apply nondestructive effects, manage multiple fills and strokes, and use offset path and warp options to creatively shape objects.

Learn how to save Illustrator artwork in vector and raster formats using save as for AI and export for PNG, JPEG, or TIFF, with options like color model and resolution.

Learn how to save Illustrator artwork for the web using save for web, choosing formats like PNG, JPEG, or GIF, and controlling transparency, image size, and artboard cropping.

Master the fundamentals of Adobe Illustrator CC, from raster vs vector graphics and the interface, to creating vector shapes, applying fills and strokes, and exporting common formats.