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Day 2: Getting Started in Illustrator


If you haven’t gotten your Illustrator, you can download the 30 days trial from Adobe’s download page. After installing, we will run Illustrator for the first time.

Create New Document

Go File>New Document to create your first document. Type in a Name for the document and click Advanced to select RGB for Color Mode as we will be working for the screen. Click Ok after that.

New document

Illustrator Workspace

Below is the workspace and some common terms for calling it. If you are using the latest Adobe Illustrator CS3, you will notice to new design for Floating Palette. The rest looks about the same.

illustrator interface

Toolbox

This is the handy toolbox which we will use most often. By default, it comes in one single column as shown in the screenshot above. To switch it back to the old 2 columns toolbox, you can simply click the top left mini arrow to toggle it into 2 columns. Some of the tools like Rectangle have more tools hidden. To expand, just click and hold the icon to reveal all the similar tools under that group.

illustrator toolbox

Floating Palette

This is the floating palette which contains properties for our shapes. It is commonly used for changing colors and stroke width.

illustrator floating palette

Saving AI Files

Let’s select the type and click on the artboard and type some text. After that go to File>Save. Select Adobe Illustrator(*.AI) for file type and name it “First Drawing”. Click Ok after that. Leave the rest of the settings at default. You have successfully save your first file. To make any more changes you can simply open the Adobe Illustrator file.

illustrator rocks

Next Lesson: Drawing Basic Shapes
Back to Table of Contents

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About The Author: admin

Hi. I'm the founder of Vector Diary. Illustrator is my passion and I have written numerous tutorials on illustrator helping people learn illustrator. My most popular tutorial on learning illustrator in 30 days has been a hit. It makes learning illustrator so easy and has benefited more than 20,000 people worldwide. Also, I've revealed some of my secret techniques in the premium tutorials. So don't forget to check it out!

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+Add Comment19 Comments

  1. Gravtar for Rubske
    Rubske July 15th, 2008

    Hello,

    Im from netherland. I go on vacation friday. The lessons stays on this site? I hope so :)

    Please send a answer to: rubske40@hotmail.com

  2. Gravtar for iStockdiary
    iStockdiary July 15th, 2008

    Don’t worry. It will be around. Enjoy your vacation!

  3. Gravtar for Cristian M
    Cristian M July 25th, 2008

    Thank you so so so much for this tutorial!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Gravtar for Klaus
    Klaus July 27th, 2008

    I’m from Brazil and work with advertising.
    Tks for this tutorial.
    Internet is rich with people like you
    who wants do share.
    I found the site on Delicious.
    Good job.

  5. Gravtar for Alfredo
    Alfredo August 20th, 2008

    Thank you so much for this!!!! I love it =D

  6. Gravtar for Jaikumar
    Jaikumar September 9th, 2008

    Its really good

  7. Gravtar for Erika
    Erika September 25th, 2008

    I used freehand before, but since I had a new job, I need to learn this software

    n ur tutorial is really helpful, thx :)

  8. Gravtar for gibori
    gibori October 23rd, 2008

    Hola este tutorial es muy bueno y quiero agradecer, ya que me ha servido de mucho en mi trabajo diario.

    Gracias y Saludos a todos.

  9. Gravtar for Trish Perry
    Trish Perry November 1st, 2008

    I am trying to learn illustrator cs3 after using adobe photoshopX2 for years is there anything that can translate how to from photoshop to illustrator? I am lost with out my color palet and how it changes colors so easily. I am even having trouble getting my first page setup. How do you add new layers and rasters?

  10. Gravtar for o m g
    o m g January 30th, 2009

    omg this is soooo cool devon

  11. Gravtar for Tissaka Senarath
    Tissaka Senarath February 28th, 2009

    Thank you very much for this tutorial. It really helped. I really wanted to learn Ai. Thank you once again.

    Regards
    Tissaka

  12. Gravtar for Riyaz
    Riyaz March 5th, 2009

    I am join the class 2day i think am a export in illustrator after 30 days thank you very much this sit totorial bilder

  13. Gravtar for faisal
    faisal March 24th, 2009

    plz give me a setup of latest version of adobe illustrator PLZ PLZ PLZ

  14. Gravtar for Cisse
    Cisse March 28th, 2009

    May I kindly ask you how I can keep track of my objects similar to the old fireworks. I develop mostly for web, and I want the x and y positions of my objects, even adjusting them without having to move by them by mouse.

  15. Gravtar for OMAR
    OMAR April 5th, 2009

    hola soy omar de colombia gracias por el tutorial esta buenisimo.
    me gustaris saber si puedo encontrar la pagina en español, por que me toca ver la pagina en version traducida y ahi cosas que no entiendo, les agradeceria mucho mas su gran colaboracion.

  16. Gravtar for mani
    mani April 28th, 2009

    hi i submited a request a couple of days ago i thougth i was gonna get emails from u everyday on video or something does it work like this?? thanks

  17. Gravtar for Kamna
    Kamna May 1st, 2009

    Thank you so much for this guideness.Its really helpful for me.

  18. Gravtar for Nancy Kashkoul
    Nancy Kashkoul May 23rd, 2009

    Thank you do much for this great web site.

  19. Gravtar for mohammed shahzad
    mohammed shahzad October 13th, 2009

    thanku very much sir tony soh i m anew user of illustrator thanks alot dear sir

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