J2: Illin' Test

Illin' Test Journal 2/Post 2

Relate 3 to 5 different ways to find Adobe Illustrator
You can find Adobe Illustrator in many ways including the icon being located on the toolbar, find in recently used applications, search for the application using spotlight search, or by opening up an illustrator file.

What version of illustrator are you working with?
I am working with Adobe Illustrator CS4

What are vector graphics?
Vector Graphics are a collection of points, lines, curves, or shapes represented by a mathematical equation to create an image.

What are bit-mapped graphics?
Bit-mapped graphics are created from individuals pixels or small squares/points of color.

What do we mean when we say a program is “raster based”
A raster based program is the editing of pixels.

What do we mean when you say a program is “object-oriented”?
A program that uses objects consisting of data fields to design applications.

What are the differences between Illustrator and Photoshop?
Illustrator is a vector based image editing software while Photoshop is a raster based image editing software.

What is a stroke?
A stroke is a object usually a line that is either a solid, dashed, or dotted.

What is A fill?
It applies a color or pattern filling an object such as a rectangle or circle.

What is a pixel?
A pixel is the smallest point of a picture that can be controlled during editing. It is usually represented with a square and is a point of color.

What does a “command R” do?
Command R adds or removes the rulers in Illustrator.

What are the keyboard commands for:

zoom in
"command +"
zoom out
"command -"
fit in window
"command 0"
actual size
"command 1"

How else can you get to these commands?
In the drop down menu of the view button within the toolbar.

What is the navigator and how do you find it?
The navigator is a special toolbar that allows allows you to zoom in and out of your document and move the zoomed in area to a different place. You can find it in the window button of the toolbar.

Where else can you find palettes if they are not up (or available or visible)?
You can find the different palettes in the window button of the toolbar.

What is the color palette and...
The color palette gives you quick access to the commonly used colors in Illustrator.

...how do you find it?
You can find it in the window button of the toolbar.

What is the swatches palette and how do you find it?
The swatches palette is place to give you quick access to different colors or patterns. It can be found in the window button of the toolbar. You can also add custom swatches to your palette.

What is the brushes palette and how do you find it?
The brushes palette is a quick selection of the variety of shapes and sizes of the brushes that Illustrator offers. The palette menu can be found in the window button of the toolbar.

What is the selection tool and how does this work?
A selection tool is a tool that lets you select the shape or object and move it freely throughout the document.

What is the pen tool?
A pen tool allows you to create anchor points that will automatically connect to each other to create an object.

What is the direct selection tool what does this do?
A direct selection tool is a tool that allows you to select the entire object and move it around but it also allows you to select a specific anchor point and move it to create a different shape.

How do you properly close a shape?
You properly close a shape by connecting the end point to the beginning point, you will see a small circle appear next to the pen tool when these points are together.

Find the rectangle tool…what does this do? Where is the ellipse tool?
The rectangle tool creates a rectangle object unless you have it constrained to make a square, you do this by holding down the shift button. The ellipse tool creates a oval object unless you have it constrained to make a circle, you also do this by holding down the shift button.

When you move the pen tool around, what does a tiny “X” to the bottom right of the pen icon tell you?
The tiny "x" tells you that it is the starting point of the shape or object.

How about a (-)?
A tiny - sign appears when you are able to delete a anchor point.

How about a (+)?
A tiny + sign appears when you are using the pen tool when you move the tool over any path of the shape.

How do you turn a letter into an object or outline?
Go to the type drop down menu then click create outlines.

Did you do the blocks and circles exercises outlined in the handout? Show me a page of these exercises please.