Illustrator Domain 2 - Project Setup and Interface

This objective covers the interface setup and program settings that assist in an efficient and effective workflow, as well as knowledge about ingesting digital assets for a project. This section contains presentations, projects, and quizzes to help you pass the Adobe Illustrator CC Certification Exam.

2.1 Create a document with the appropriate settings for mobile, web, print, film and video, or art and illustration.

a. Set appropriate document settings for printed and onscreen artwork 
  • Key Concepts: width/height, orientation, artboards, bleed, raster effects, resolution, color mode, etc.
b. Create document presets to reuse for specific project needs.

2.2 Navigate, organize, and customize the application workspace.

a. Identify and manipulate elements of the Illustrator interface.

  • Key Concepts: Control bar, menus, panels, toolbars, artboards, 100x canvas, etc.

b. Organize and customize the workspace.

  •  Key Concepts: using and switching between default workspaces; tabbed documents; showing, hiding, nesting, and docking panels; shortcuts and menus; customizing, saving, and resetting workspaces; etc.

c. Configure application preferences.

  •  Key Concepts: General, Type, Units, Guides & Grid, User Interface, File Handling & Clipboard, Appearance of Black

2.3 Use non-printing design tools in the interface to aid in design or workflow.

a. Navigate a document.

  • Key Concepts: panning, zooming, pasteboard, etc.

b. Use rulers.

  • Key Concepts: showing and hiding rulers, changing the measurement unit on rulers, adjusting and resetting ruler origin

c. Use guides and grids.

  •  Key Concepts: adding, removing, and locking/unlocking guides; hiding guides and grids; showing grids; using snap or align options; creating guide layouts

 d. Use views and modes to work efficiently with vector graphics.

  •  Key Concepts: Outline vs Preview, Screen Mode, Presentation Mode, Isolation Mode, Drawing modes

2.4 Manage assets in a project.

a. Open artwork.

b. Place assets in an Illustrator document.

  • Key Concepts: embedding, linking, replacing, copying and pasting, import options, etc.

c. Use the Links panel.

2.5 Manage colors, swatches, and gradients.

a. Set the active fill and stroke colors.

  • Key Concepts: Color Picker, swatches, Eyedropper tool, color values, etc.

b.  Create and customize gradients.

  • Key Concepts: Gradient panel, editing color and transparency stops, gradient types, Gradient Mesh, etc.

c.  Create, manage, and edit swatches and swatch libraries.

  • Key Concepts: color, global color, pattern, and gradient swatches; identifying color swatch type, including Process, Spot, and Global Spot; creating, managing, and loading swatch libraries (including commercial libraries like Pantone), etc.

d. Use the Color Guide panel to select coordinated colors. 

2.6 Manage preset brushes, symbols, styles, and patterns.

a. Open and browse libraries of included brushes, symbols, graphic styles, and patterns.

b.  Edit preset brushes, symbols, graphic styles, and patterns.

  • Key Concepts: Gradient panel, editing color and transparency stops, gradient types, Gradient Mesh, etc.