Adobe Illustrator CS6 Tutorial

This comprehensive series provides an in-depth guide to working with both text and graphics in Adobe Illustrator CS6. The initial lessons focus on typography, beginning with the Character Panel to control leading, kerning, and tracking, before exploring advanced features like scaling, rotation, and applying formatting like small caps and underlining. The tutorials then detail the Paragraph Panel, showing how to set alignment, adjust various indents, control spacing, and manage word hyphenation for a professional finish.

Efficiency is highlighted through the explanation of Type Styles and the features available within Open Type Fonts and Smart Punctuation. The text section concludes by showing how to use Create Outlines to convert live text into editable vector shapes.

The second half of the series transitions to graphics, covering file import via Place and focusing heavily on the Image Trace tool. Users learn to apply presets like Auto Color, adjust advanced controls such as Paths, Corners, and Noise, and select tracing methods (Abutting or Overlapping). The final step is Expanding the trace, which converts the raster conversion into a fully editable group of vector paths ready for final design work.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 71 - Open Type Fonts

This tutorial demonstrates how to work with Open Type Fonts in Illustrator, which are identified by a small 'O' icon. It shows how to use the Open Type Panel to adjust figure position (superscript, subscript) and apply attributes like standard ligatures (for better character connections) and other stylistic alternatives to improve the professional look of your type.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 72 - Creating Outlines Around Text

This tutorial in the series shows how to convert text to a shape by using Create Outlines. This vector conversion allows you to individually manipulate the letters using the Direct Selection Tool to create custom typography or graphics.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 73 - Intro to Using Graphics

This tutorial begins a new series on Graphics in Illustrator. It covers the types of graphic files you can open (Tiff, JPEG, GIF, etc.) and the two primary methods for adding them to your workspace: using File > Open to open a new document, or using File > Place to insert a graphic onto an existing canvas with options like Link, Template, and Replace.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 74 - Tracing an Image Into a Vector

This tutorial demonstrates how to use Adobe Illustrator's Image Trace feature to convert raster images into vector graphics. The instructor uses a photo of ducks in the sky to illustrate the process, showcasing different presets and their effects on the final output. The video promises to delve deeper into refining the Image Trace settings in future tutorials.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 75 - Beginning Advanced Image Trace

This tutorial continues with Image Trace, introducing the Image Trace Panel and its presets, such as Auto Color, High Color, Low Color, Grayscale, Black and White, and Outline. It demonstrates using the Auto Color preset and touches upon adjusting the number of colours and the Threshold slider for black and white modes, preparing for the detailed discussion of advanced options in the next part.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 76 - More Advanced Image Trace

This tutorial details the advanced Image Trace options, specifically the Paths and Corners sliders. Adjusting Paths controls path fitting, with higher values yielding a tighter trace. The Corners setting affects edge detail, where a lower value produces smoother, more rounded vector outlines.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 77 - Finishing Advanced Image Trace

This final Image Trace tutorial covers the Noise slider for smoothing out pixelation and two Method options: Abutting for cutout paths or Overlapping for stacked paths. It also explains creating Fills versus Strokes, plus the Ignore White option.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 78 - Converting Image Trace to Paths

This tutorial concludes the Image Trace series by explaining how to Convert Image Traces to Paths, also known as Expanding. Once expanded, the image is no longer an Image Trace object but a standard group of editable vector paths and anchor points, allowing for full reshaping, recolouring, and background removal using the Direct Selection Tool.

Adobe Illustrator CS6 - Tutorial 79 - Graphics Styles

This video demonstrates how to apply graphic styles in Adobe Illustrator CS6. The instructor explains how to access and use the graphic styles panel, showcasing various artistic effects and patterns. They also highlight that certain styles may not work on all image types, particularly photos.