Overview

Several times a year, I instruct an Adobe Illustrator course with the needs of scientists specifically in mind. Course materials can be found in the downloads. An approximate schedule is also provided below.

Tutorial Downloads

• Adobe Illustrator - CC - MacOS cheat sheet
• Adobe Illustrator - CC - Windows cheat sheet
• Examples.zip
• Poster.zip

Workshop Schedule

Session 1: Basics

• How to make a poster, assuming you already have all the graphs and cartoons to include.
• Pre-requisites: No previous knowledge of the software required; Adobe Illustrator installed on laptop (IT can do it)

1: Using the workspace (10 minutes) – 10:00am – 10:10am

Exploring the interface
Setting up an artboard
Opening a file (embedding and linking)
Zooming and scrolling
Tools (arrows, anchor points)
Shortcuts

2: Learning essential skills (10 minutes) – 10:10am-10:20am

Using the shape tools
Repositioning and resizing shapes
The Transform panel
Entering exact dimensions
Cutting and pasting objects
Using clipping masks
Pathfinder

3: Colors (10 minutes) – 10:20am-10:30am

RGB vs CYMK
Line weights
Changing colors
Using color picker
Choosing color palettes (online)

4: Adding and formatting text (15 minutes) – 10:30am-10:45am

Formatting text
Paragraph formatting
Using paragraph and character styles
Editing styles
Putting text on a path
Warping text
Putting text in a shape
Creating outlines
Checking spelling
Using Find and Replace

5: The Layout (5 minutes) – 10:45am-10:50am

Aligning and Grouping
Arrange (Front back)

BREAK (10 minutes)

6: Importing different kind of data (10 minutes) – 11:00am-11:10am

Deconstruction of given AI file

Exercise (30 minutes) – 11:10am-11:40am

Build a poster with our files (Dropbox)

7: Saving (10 minutes) – 11:40am-11:50am

Saving
Exporting
Linking files

Session 2: Advanced

• How to design a figure (for posters, presentations, publications).
• Pre-requisites: Adobe Illustrator installed on laptop; Basic knowledge of the topics covered in Session I; Mouse preferred

1: Using drawing tools

1a: Using the Line and Pencil tools (10 minutes) – 10:00am-10:10am

Working with Image Trace
Using the pencil tool
Using the smooth tool

1b: Understanding the Pen tool (15 minutes) – 10:00am-10:15am

Straight, curved and hinged lines
Editing existing paths
Adding and removing points
Cutting and joining paths

1c: Creating a brush (5 minutes) – 10:15am-10:20am

Exercise: Trace something [receptor, brain, etc.] (15 minutes) – End at 10:35am

Locking layers
Adding transparency

2: Additional color options (15 minutes) – 10:35am-10:50am

Adding a gradients
Using the Gradient panel
(Mesh tool)

BREAK (10 minutes) – 10:50am-11:00am

Exercise:

Examples from science
Exercise: discuss how to re-make an image in groups

Useful resources

Libraries of graphics:

https://reactome.org/icon-lib
https://www.flaticon.com
http://ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/index-42.html

Color palette resources:

http://paletton.com
https://color.adobe.com/

Visual review of color theory in design:

https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/color-matters-reasons-color-choose-logo-important/

Suggested font sizes for academic posters:

Title (top, centered): 85pt (45-130pt range)
Author line (second line, centered): 36-44pt font
Body text: 24-34pt font