Adobe Illustrator CC Level 2

Overview

This hands-on, 1-day course builds on core Illustrator skills learned in Level 1 and introduces more advanced tools including brushes, advanced typography, effects, 3D tools, image tracing, symbols, appearance management, and preparing complex artwork for production.

This course uses the current version of Adobe Illustrator CC. Participants using versions beginning with 2013 should be able to follow, although some of the newest features may not be available in older versions.

Adobe Illustrator software allows you to create sophisticated artwork for virtually any medium. Industry-standard drawing tools, flexible color controls, and professional type controls help you capture your ideas and experiment freely, while timesaving features such as easier-to-access options let you work quickly and intuitively. Improved performance and tight integration with other Adobe applications also help you produce extraordinary graphics for print, web and interactive, and mobile and motion designs.

Prerequisites

• Experience with Adobe Illustrator equivalent to On-Track Adobe Illustrator Level 1.
• Familiarity with basic design terminology, such as palettes, color modes, shapes, text, and paths is highly recommended.

Learning Objectives

Through hands-on exercises participants will learn to:

• Work confidently with advanced Pen tool workflows
• Create and edit custom brushes
• Apply typography controls, text on a path, and variable fonts
• Use advanced color tools including Recolor Artwork and Color Themes
• Transform artwork using gradients, blends, patterns, and effects
• Convert raster images to vectors using Image Trace
• Build reusable components with Symbols and Libraries
• Use the Appearance panel for multi-stroke/multi-fill effects
• Prepare complex documents for print or digital delivery

Course Outline

Module 1 - Advanced Path Editing and Pen Techniques

Smooth vs corner anchor techniques

Handling Bézier curves precisely

Simplifying paths

Joining and averaging points

Using the Width Tool for variable strokes

Module 2 - Advanced Typography

Area type, point type

Columns, threading, overflow text

Text on a path

Variable fonts

OpenType features (ligatures, stylistic sets)

Module 3: Brushes and Artistic Tools

Calligraphic, scatter, art, pattern brushes

Creating custom brushes

Using the Blob Brush & Eraser

Simplifying strokes

Module 4: Color Mastery and Recolor Artwork

Advanced gradients and gradient mesh basics

Blend Tool

Recolor Artwork workspace

Extracting color themes

Spot color vs process color

Module 5 - Effects, Appearance and Graphic Styles

Appearance panel: multi-stroke, multi-fill

Drop shadows, glows, distortions, warps

Creating reusable Graphic Styles

Applying effects non-destructively

Module 6 - Working with Images: Linked, Embedded, Image Trace

Embedded vs linked: pros, cons

Placing raster images

Image Trace presets (sketch, 3-color, high fidelity photo)

Expanding traced artwork

Cleaning up traced paths

Module 7 - Symbols, Libraries and Production

Creating and reusing symbols

Symbol sprayer tools

Using Creative Cloud Libraries

Export for screens: assets, scaling, file types

Preflight checks and packaging

ON-TRACK Corporate Training has a diverse and flexible schedule that can be customized to your needs. We offer group courses (both public and corporate), one-on-one training, virtual (on-line) classroom (Zoom etc.) and on-site training options. We also have easily accessible on-line training videos on OnTrackTV.