Symbols, Brush Effects, blends

Libraries We have seen them a few times: Symbols, color,… Illustrator has different library sets that incorporate pre-drawn shapes Similar to clip art in Word Can be used to enhance your image, but… Does NOT replace need to be able to draw with the various tools we are exploring! “Placing clip art does not an artist make.”

Explore Symbols Start a new document Open the Symbols panel using Window->Symbols A few basic symbols appear, but there are many more within libraries Open a symbol library – very small icon in top right, looks like venetian blinds

Explore Symbols 2 Pick a library… I opened Nature Lots of different shapes there Select a few symbols Drag to artboard Bugs and weeds! Select the sprayer Choose the symbol Adjust parameters

Explore Symbols 3 A few ways to use the symbols Drag a few over from the panel to the artboard… (The feather and dragonfly in this image) Or Use the Symbol Sprayer Tool I “sprayed” some plants..

Explore Symbols 4. Editing More options under the sprayer tool Try using the Symbol Shifter tool to re- arrange Symbol Spinner spins individual portions, not the whole block Try the Symbol Sizer tool Experiment a bit Open Symbol graphic library: Choose drop shadow

Symbol options The Symbol Shifter tool lets you edit the properties of a symbol group. the symbol set, then click on the Symbol Shifter tool Drag to shift the direction of the instances inside the symbol set. Here is our before picture

Explore Symbols 5 Add a feather/fish Open Graphic Styles panel (Window->Graphic Styles) Find the drop shadow style Click your feather Can you see the drop shadow? Or, use the Symbol Sprayer to get a lot of symbols Then find Symbol Styler tool under the Sprayer Open Window->Graphic Styles There are more Style Libraries you can open – choose a style Open Symbol styler Click the Symbols you sprayed earlier to apply the style Wait – these effects take time to render – you’ll see a dialog

Explore Brushes 1 Find the Paintbrush tool Lower right in screenshot Go to the Brushes panel (Window- >Brushes) Pick a Brush, and left click on artboard to draw Brushes starts off with just a couple of basic shapes for the tip of your brush Try selecting a stroke color, and drawing on the artboard

Explore Brushes 2 Find the Paintbrush tool Like we did with Symbols, open the menu from the top right of the Brushes panel, then find “Open Brush Library” Then choose a library – I chose Decorative- >Decorative Scatter New pane shows up (it can be docked) Any brush you choose will be added to the default brushes pane I’ll choose a star, and drag, OR Use Selection tool, highlight your earlier curve from brush tool With it selected, choose different brush (like the triangle) It changes the stroke to the triangle – notice how the path is the same (faint blue)

Explore Brushes 3 Those brushes are a little gimmicky Lets use a more “artistic” one From the Brushes panel, find the menu, then Open Brush Library- >Artistic- >Artistic_ChalkCharcoalPencil Just check out some of the brushes there

Explore Brushes 4 Prelude to next lecture – once you’ve drawn with the brush tool, you have a path The path can be adjusted with the direct selection tool (white arrow “cursor”) Try finding the square anchor points and moving them around Look for control handles extending from an anchor point, and drag on the round circle at the end to change the curve

Back to Styles Do you remember how we used the symbol styler tool? Find the Graphic Styles panel, then find the Drop Shadow item If an item is selected (like my path) clicking a style will ERASE the current brush style However, holding in ALT BEFORE clicking a style – or ALT-dragging the style from the panel to the object – will combine that style with the existing styles – see the drop shadow?

Raster to vector Open a small photo of your self, or a cat in the Image Trace download Choose high quality as the source quality.

Opens up Give it a name Click ok : Drag to symbol library

So far So far” spray

spray Sprayer .1in Spray Add shadow

Blending Use the pencil tool Make stroke red, 10 points No fill Draw another line, but blue Select both Choose Object>Blend Make

Blending let’s blend a rectangle to a star (a morph) Draw an orange rectangle and a green star Star tool is under Rectangle tool Select both: (Drag over both, or select one, then shift-click on the second object)

… Object>Blend>Blend Options: Says to Blend in 8 steps Then, Object>Blend>Make: