Technical Training Video - Summary and Critique

Technical Training Video - Summary and Critique


Having never worked with Adobe Illustrator I learned a lot from watching the various videos located at http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/

- Selecting and Manipulating Objects
This video depicted how to select objects, utilizing the two selection tools. The regular selection tool allows you to select the whole object; while with the direct selection tool you are able to grab specific anchor points. These tools are needed to provide the objects with various modifications.

- Using the Line, Eraser, and Shape Tools
Through the shape tool you can create prefabricated geometric shapes that have anchor points. Both the polygon and star allow you to increase or decrease the amount of sides located on your object. The eraser tool works similar to that located on other art based programs, as you drag it to determine where areas are to be erased. The line tool, simply creates lines, but you are able to modify it in different ways: one option is moving the line at 45 degree angles, allowing you to be precise.

- Using the Pen Tool
Through the pen tool, you create objects through anchor points. Every object has a stroke and fill color, which can be adjusted to fit your needs. Once an object is created you are able to change it by modifying the anchor points located along the object.

- Using the Paintbrush Tool
This tool creates marks where the cursor went. The fidelity option changes the amount of anchor points, as well as how smooth the mark is. Different brush strokes are available, including ones that resemble banners or pictures located along the mark you created.

- Using the Pencil Tool
This is similar to the paintbrush tool. You are able to modify and create strokes. Through this tool you can modify any object, even if it wasn’t originally created by the pencil tool.

- Scaling, Skewing and Rotating Objects
Scaling can be done uniformly or non-uniformly. When shearing an object you can click outside the object and then drag the object to the angle you wish it to be. Free transformation allows you to scale and shear an object, as well as distort it with perspective.

- Creating Point and Area Type
Point text is defined by 1 anchor point, which can be aligned in different areas, such as center, left and right. Area type defines an area, and type fills it, in area type you can create columns of text.

- Creating Type on a Path
There are start and end point on a path that can be changed to determine where text is located along a path. By dragging the text, the words will move up and down the path; also if you pull it down, the text will flip to the other side of the line and vise versa.

I found that the most helpful videos were those about using the different drawing tools. All the tools seem to do the same thing, and had I not watched these videos differentiating their functions I would not understand how to use them or their specialties. For example I never would have figured out that the pencil tool allows you to modify any object, even those not created by the pencil.

Both of the people presenting the videos had a video instruction along with their voice telling you how to manipulate the tools. Personally I found Matt Richmond, the presenter who demonstrated the first 6 videos easier to understand. He spoke clearly and used different voice intonations during his descriptions. Also at the end of his videos he did a one-sentence recap to inform the viewer on the major function of what he was presenting. Mordy Golding presented the last two videos, and I found his speech impediment a bit distracting. Also his directions seemed less unsure and planned as Richmond’s