Hey this is Kiril and welcome to the first lesson for user interfaces. We’re going to learn the core functionality of Illustrator and the tools we’ll be using 99% of the time when vectoring a logo design. Once we’re familiar with the tools I’ll be able to teach you workflow techniques to improve your efficiently using the software.

Illustrator is the industry standard program used to create vector art. It’s bundled with the Adobe Suite that already includes Photoshop, After Effects, and many other programs developed for creative work. Even though we’re using Illustrator it doesn’t mean you’re locked into it for the rest of your life. Download the seven day trial for now and learn it’s basic functionality. If you’re able to understand the logical systems in the program, you can easily swap to programs such as Vectr or Affinity in the future.

Don’t worry about it too much for now, this is just a heads up for the students that are hesitant on purchasing Adobe Illustrator. There are other software packages that can achieve the same end result compared to Illustrator, but it’s still a worthwhile program to learn!

Illustrator would cost you $20/m for the first year, Affinity is $55 to purchase the program one-time, and Vectr is free but requires a constant internet connection. We have all of these listed on logocore.com/assets.

– For all the beginners, we’ll be using Illustrator because it’s a vector based program. This allows us to design without being limited to a set resolution. Our designs are able to be printed on a plane wrap to tiny website icons – limitless possibilities! Photoshop on the other hand is a raster based program, once you set a certain resolution it can not be upscaled or downscaled without risking quality.
– Illustrator also provides us with an art board tool! This will let us create multiple documents on the same page, each that can be later exported into separate files. If you’re going to be creating 100 logo variations, 25 business cards, and 40 additional icons – having them all live on the same document can save you tons of time!
– Another plus to using Illustrator is the compatibility with other software in the Adobe suite. You will learn how to animate your logo designs, and the connection between Illustrator and After Effects will make the process much easier.
– Lastly, Illustrator is incredibly precise. You’ll be able to make decisions around your logo that concern every possible angle and distance, letting you have complete control over the final design. You’ll have the tools to know exactly when your shapes are properly aligned through guides, grids, and up to 3000% zoom-in levels.

So let’s do a quick demo of the Photoshop versus Illustrator argument.

Objectively speaking, Illustrator is an easy program to develop logos & symbols. Within Illustrator the workflow is divided into three categories – create, modify, and organize. With every new design you will have to modify or create a geometric shape. It’s something to define the starting point for every design. Afterwards, you’ll be able to modify the shape in hundreds of ways. You could change the size, colour, stroke, round the corners, or colour it with a crazy cool gradient! Once you’ve modified your creation you’re able to organize it. A fairly abstract term to compile the idea that you can choose where the design will appear in your document, structure it above or below other shapes, or even create a reusable symbol from the design! You create, modify, organize, repeat. The faster you can run through this cycle, the better!