Introduction to Adobe Illustrator

Step 1: Install Adobe Illustrator & Practice Tutorials

Install Adobe Illustrator on your Mac

Login to the Adobe Creative Cloud app with your school email address. Choose 'Enterprise ID' after logging in. Press the install button. Watch the below tutorials to familiarize yourself with Adobe Illustrator.

HOW TO WATCH A TUTORIAL

Getting Started

Setting up Artboards

Layers

Pen Tool

Shapes

Selection Tools

Color, Fill, Stroke & Opacity

Saving & Exporting

Adobe Illustrator Skills Test

[2] Practice drawing your first 'Bezier Curves' *

For this 'pen tool'  tutorial you need to download the AI Bezier Curve Practice Files and watch the Bezier Curve Tutorial:

Step 2: Practice Bezier Curves

For this 'pen tool'  tutorial you need to download the AI Bezier Curve Practice Files and watch the Bezier Curve Tutorial:


pen tool basics.mov

Step 3: Practice Line Tracing

For further practice you can use these video instructions and this pack of images that it refers to. Choose one Husky from Set 1 and one from Set 2 to trace and fill. 

When finished, hide the watermarked Example layer and screenshot your work to share. 

This exercise takes about 45 minutes to complete.

pen tool practice.mov

Step 4: Practice Shading & Colorizing

And now...take it to the max! Dab Dog Max!

For further extension, use lines and fill shapes to recreate Dab Dog Max! 

When finished, hide the watermarked Example layer and screenshot your work to share. 

Pen Tool: Extra practice


For more pen tool practice, you can play the Bezier Game

Preparing the Laser Cutting & Engraving Lines

From Ilustrator to Laser Cutter