Mengenal Adobe Illustrator

Once you know what is a vector design, and a bit about the basics of graphic design, then the next thing you must master is technical ability. What is meant by the technical ability here is the ability to use a graphic design program accordingly so that you can visualize ideas and creativity in a work.

Since we are talking about vector designs, the program / ​​software that must be mastered is a vector design software, or commonly called illustration software. The author deliberately picked one illustration software that suits your needs, namely Adobe Illustrator, among a variety of similar software on the market.

Why Adobe Illustrator?

• If you are wondering why the author chose as Adobe Illustrator illustration software that must be mastered, it is not separated from the facts about the program output Adobe.inc software giant itself. Some of the reasons are:

•      Adobe Illustrator has long been recognized as an illustration software world's No. 1 choice on the designer and professional design practitioners.

•      Adobe Illustrator has the capabilities, features and amenities that can be relied upon to realize your creative work.

•      Adobe Illustrator is compatible with a variety of software for various purposes other end, as the interests of printing, desktop publishing, web publishing, and others.

•      Adobe Illustrator is user friendly, which is very easy for the user to use and access a variety of features, especially with the grouping system facilities through the facilities of the menu, toolbox, palette and so on.

•      Adobe Illustrator is capable of handling a variety of designs from the simple to the very complex nature, and to be able to export the final results of a design into a variety of formats to suit your needs with quality dependable.

Especially for the work of this book, the authors use Adobe Illustrator CS (Creative Suite), or often called Adobe Illustrator 11. It now has available the latest release Illustrator, ie Adobe Illustrator CS2, but due consideration of the needs of computer resources that are too large, especially for novice users, the authors chose the previous release.

But do not worry, you can just use this latest release is possible if only because there are so many changes in the second release. Or even, if you are still using earlier versions of Illustrator, Adobe Illustrator 10 down was not so matter. Although there are some facilities that exist only in CS and CS2 versions.

Interface Adobe Illustrator CS

To be able to use this program, you must first look at the interface (UI) program. Interface is similar to Adobe Illustrator CS interface Adoeb other programs, the grouping facility and clearly structured. As well as the main focus on the work area in the middle.
Such interface type is expected to provide convenience to its users to focus on the work being done. Even for those who are beginners, Adobe Illustrator CS interface will be very helpful.

Note the Adobe Illustrator program interface as shown in Figure 2.1. below carefully.

Gambar 2.1. Interface Adobe Illustrator CS

Broadly speaking, the interface (interface) Illustrator CS is divided into four (4) major sections, namely:

Menu

Menu encapsulates everything Illustrator CS facility owned by a collection of commands in the drop-down menu that is located at the very top of the program window. Command menus are organized by similarity of function, such as the File menu contains a set of commands associated with the document settings, such as working document creation, storage, export and import files and so on.

Use this menu to access the facility diverse Illustrator CS major facility as shown in Figure 2.2.

Gambar 2.2. Fasilitas Menu Illustrator CS

If you notice, in some of the menu there is a submenu commands. This means that in the menu there are additional menus that you can access. Usually these menus marked with a black triangle on the right end.

In addition, there are other types of menus, the menu ends with 3 (three) marks the point, such as at the open on top. Signs point like this show that there is a choice on the menu is an additional parameter values ​​that you must specify that Illustrator CS can do a command correctly.

For instance, if you select File> Open, then an Open dialog box will appear, where through this dialog box you are asked to choose which files the document will be opened. See Figure 2.3.

Figure 2.3. Open dialog box to select the file to be opened

Toolbox

Toolbox by default (floating) on the left side of the program window Illustrator CS a collection of tools (tool) that you use to create or edit an object illustration. Illustrator CS equips you with a variety of tools with a variety of functions as well.

You can move through the toolbox is in any part of the program window Illustrator CS. This allows you to get a wider workspace while working. It is obvious from this toolbox is the new logo Illustrator CS in the form of an illustration pink flowers on the top of the toolbox.
The interesting thing is, if you press the keyboard "VENUS", then the image of interest into a new logo Illustrator CS will turn into a picture venus (female) who is a previous version of Illustrator logo.

Consider Figure 2.4. below.

Gambar 2.4. Toolbox Illustrator CS

Due to the variety of existing tools, while efficiency is not possible to show all the tools at once, then Illustrator CS hide some tools that have a similarity function under another tool. If you look at some tools there is a black triangle in the bottom right corner. It shows that under the tool are other tools that are hidden (hidden tool).

To create the tool is hidden, you just hold your mouse on the tool corresponding pressure for a while, then the tools hidden underneath will appear, as shown in the picture above.

In some tools, there is also a facility settings that you can use to create an object or editing as you wish. To make arrangements on a tool, you can simply double click (double click) tool is a dialog box will appear. For instance, double-click the Pencil tool, and you will find a Pencil Tool Preferences dialog box appears as shown in Figure 2.5.

Figure 2.5. Pencil Tool Preferences dialog box