Due Date: March 1
Adobe Illustrator is indispensable when it comes to generating complex patterns and designs. With it's ability to generate vector lines and Boolean constructs using Pathfinder, the possibilities are endless.
Create a new folder in your Graphic Design folder and title it: Adobe Illustrator Rotation - Swatches - Symbols
Create a new Illustrator Document using these settings:
You hould see six "Artboards" in Illustrator. Your Artboards panel/pallette can be accessed by going to "Window/Artboards" on Illustrators menu bar.
Click here to download the PDF file which will act as a working model for you to base this assignment on.
Place the downloaded file into Illustrator using these settings;
When you select the downloaded file, you will notice the "Link" box will be checked - this is OK. It is supposed to do that. The thing to look out for is that the "Show Import Options" box should also be checked.
You should see this window: (there are three different ones, depending on how you make your selection - DO NOT CHOOSE 1 OF 4)
"2 of 4" is to be placed in Artboard 1. Your Rotation recreations should be placed on Artboard 2.
"3 of 4" is to be placed in Artboard 3. Your Swatches recreations should be placed on Artboard 4
"4 of 4" is to be placed in Artboard 5. Your Symbols/Spraycan recreations should be placed on Artboard 6
Be sure to save it as "Adobe Illustrator Rotation - Swatches - Symbols.pdf" when you have completed the assignment
Create two objects. There should be an object that other objects will "rotate" around.
Select the item that you want to rotate (in this case, the red circle) and then select the Rotate tool from Illustrator's Tool Bar
Next, hold the Alt key and select the blue diamond at the center of your rotating object (the red circle in chis case). Drag the blue diamond to the center of the object you want to Rotate around menu command and see if Smart Guides is selected. Once this is done, a pop up dialogue box will appear. Use the settings in the image below.
The 360/12 indicates that the image will rotate around our object in a 360 degree array while the 12 indicates how many instances of the object there will be once the array is completed. Whatever you do, do not select Okay. Instead, select Copy.
You should see two red circles. Now, simply click the keys Ctrl + D (duplicate) until you see the array be completed.
Simply drag a shape (or combination of shapes) into your swatches panel.
*If your shape does not look correct, you may have to disable/enable Scale Strokes & Effects under the Preferences section under Edit.
*if your shape is too big, you may have to resize the objects and then drag them into the Swatches panel
Youc can create any shape you like and then simply apply the swatch to the Fill and/or Stroke of the shape.
If you want to edit a Swatch, simply double click on the swatch item and it will bring up teh Pattern Options box.
Drag your object into the Symbol panel
Now, use the Spray Can in the Tool Bar to spray on a pattern of your symbol.
Spray anywhere in your doucment. If your symbol appears too large, you may need to resize it before placing it into the Symbols Panel. If the spray pattern is too large, double click on the Spray Can icon (on the too Bar) and change your settings there.
| Criteria | No | Yes |
| (Rotate) Were all shapes created accurately? Is there an accurate amount of shapes rotated around their central objects? Are the finished designs perfect versions of the originals? | 0 | 30 |
| (Rotate) Were all gradients applied appropriately? | 0 | 5 |
| (Swatch) Were the swatches created using the appropriate shapes? Were the shapes aligned properly using (Brick by Row/Grid/Brick by Colum/Hex by Colum/Hex by Row) where necessary? | 0 | 5 |
| (Swatch) Were the swatches created with their shapes having the correct stroke because they were enabled in the Preferences section of Illustrator? | 0 | 5 |
| (Symbols) Were the symbols spraypainted on, in an appropriate manner, using the created symbols in Illustrator? | 0 | 5 |
