Illustrator Course for Fashion and Apparel Design

Illustrator Course for fashion and apparel design topics

Module 1: The Adobe Illustrator workspace

• Raster vs. vector artwork and why it matters
• Choosing a workspace
• Opening a file
• The document window
• Using artboards
• Using tools and panels
• Custom workspaces
• Customizing keyboard shortcuts

Module 2: Adobe Illustrator essentials for apparel design

• Using the shape tools
• Constraining a shape
• Selecting artwork
• Using shape and transform tools to create artwork
• Using layers when building an illustration
• Cutting and pasting objects
• Repeating a resize transform

Module 3: Working with Adobe Illustrator drawing tools for apparel design

• Working with the Pen tool
• Tracing images
• Adjusting the variable width of a stroke
• Getting rid of stray points
• Adding Dashed strokes to build custom stitches
• Additional Stroke options
• Placing a sketch and using Image Trace
• More practice with combining shapes using the Shape Builder tool
• Using brushes in fashion illustration
• Create new brush libraries

Module 4: Using Adobe Illustrator to Add Color to Fashion Designs

• Basics of the Appearance panel
• Creating a colorful illustration
• Using Live Paint
• Adding a symbol to your artwork
• Saving swatches
• Using the Color panel
• Working with Pantone colors
• Taking advantage of the new and improved Kuler panel

Module 5: Tracing Fashion Artwork using Adobe Illustrator

• Importing images as templates
• Image trace options
• Working with the Method option
• Abutting vs. Overlapping

Module 6: Using Live Paint in Adobe Illustrator

• Creating a Live Paint group
• Using the Live Paint Bucket
• Setting color
• Editing gap options
• Modifying Live Paint regions

Module 7: Organizing Adobe Illustrator fashion projects with Layers

• Using layers to organize your illustrations
• Using the Layers panel to make selections
• Creating new layers
• Moving items between layers
• Paste remembers layers
• Using template layers

Module 8: Working with Symbols in Illustrator

• Using symbols in the fashion industry
• Creating symbols
• Editing symbols
• Importing a symbol library
• Using the symbolism tools
• Editing nested symbols
• Saving symbol libraries

Module 9: Using Adobe Illustrator Patterns in Fashion Designs

• Exploring the Pattern options panel
• Creating a pattern with a defined repeat
• Applying a pattern in various shapes, and sizes
• Editing a pattern swatch
• Editing a pattern in an object
• Editing a pattern's application visually

The course topics serve as an outline for the course. Instructors may adjust content based on the specific needs of each class, such as to answer your  Adobe Illustrator questions.