Infographics with Adobe Illustrator Intro to Adobe Illustrator

1. Adding Swatch Colors and Creating a Background

First start by opening your color palette by clicking on "Window" and scrolling down the sub menu to "Swatches."

We are going to start by adding the University of Arizona's Red and Navy Blue to our "Swatches" palette. To begin start by clicking on "File > Place" -A- and then navigate to where you downloaded the file "UofA A LOGO ONLY," select it -B-, then click place -C-.

To place the logo simply click on your "Artboard." To scale the logo go to you "Toolbar" and choose the "Selection Tool," it's the dark grey arrow at the top of the Toolbar. Click on the logo so the bounding box appears, then click-and-hold on one of the corners and drag while holding the "Shift Key" to maintain the artwork's proportions.

To sample a color, select the "Eyedropper Tool (I)" and click on the color -A-. It will add the color to you "Fill Color" box on your Toolbar and Swatch Palette. In your Swatch Palette click-and-hold on the Fill color box and drag it down into your colors -C-, this will add it to your color library for this project. Do this for the blue color as well.

Double clicking on the fill box will open the color picker you see in the middle of the image above. You can also "plug in" or retrieve color hex codes of desired colors -B-.

Using the selection tool, move the A Logo to the Pasteboard. Select a lighter red color from your swatch library, then select the "Rectangle Tool (M)" and click and drag from any corner of the Artboard to the opposing side to create a background with a red fill.

2. Adobe Stock and Clipping Masks

Click on "File" > Search Adobe Stock," this will launch your preferred internet browser and load the Adobe Stock website.

If prompted to sign in make sure to sign in using your netid@arizona.edu as your Adobe ID and select the "School or Company Account" to make sure you pass through the schools SSO.

Here you can search through a massive library of images, videos and even audio. Your school license allows for unlimited 2-D asset downloads, which include photos, illustrations and vectors. There are items that are considered "Premium," which you can request the Adobe Team to purchase, this will allow for you to download them along with the rest of the University. Here I searched for "Abstract Line Background."

Find the image you would like and select the "Download for Free."

In this case this item had been already downloaded by some one so the button says "Re-Download for Free."

When this screen appears just click on the "License" button in the bottom right hand corner.

This menu allows you to select which format you would like to download the image, because we are working in Adobe Illustrator we will be selecting the "Vector (AI/EPS/SVG)" option and clicking "Download."

Once back in Illustrator, click on "File > Open" -A-. Navigate to where you saved the Stock image -B- and then click "Open" -C-.

Opening a document will prompt Illustrator to open a new window. Using the "Selection Tool (V)" click on the pattern and go to "Edit > Copy" or the shortcut is "CMD/CTRL+C," to copy the image.

Click on your UofA Infographic tab to return to your original document, then go the "Edit > Paste" or press "CMD/CTRL+V" to paste the pattern into the document.

To rotate the pattern, use the "Selection Tool (V)" to activate the pattern then hover just outside the corner of the bounding box, you will see a bent double sided arrow. This is the rotation function, click-and-hold to rotate the selection.

Holding the "Shift Key" will allow you to rotate in perfect 45 degree angles.

To move the pattern behind the red rectangle we created earlier make sure it is selected then go to "Object > Arrange > Send to Back." To move objects up and down in layers you can also use "CMD+[" to send and object down a layer and "CMD+]" to send them up a layer.

With the pattern selected make sure the Fill Box is in front of the Stroke Box and select the UofA Red we sampled in the beginning.

Duplicate your red rectangle by selecting it using the "Selection Tool (V)" and pressing "CMD/CTRL+C" and then "CMD/CTRL+F" to paste a copy directly in front of the existing one. Then hold "Shift" and click on the pattern to add it to the selection. Then go to "Object > Clipping Mask > Make."

Similar to Photoshop, this will clip off the image that extended beyond the rectangle we duplicated.

To add a border to our background we will need to open "Stroke," go to "Window > Stroke."

Using the "Rectangle Tool (M)" click and drag from one corner to the other. Make sure the Fill color box is marked with "None" a red slash through a white field located in the first color box in your Swatch Library. The Stroke Box should be filled with the Navy Blue color we sample from the A Logo. Increase the size of the stroke "Weight" -A- until you are content and then adjust the "Align Stroke" to "Inside" -B-.

Using the "Selection Tool (V)" click on the A Logo and click "Object > Arrange > Bring to Front" and then move it to the top center of your background.

Go to "Window > Layers" to open the Layers Palette. Here we will be able to create new layers and lock layers that we do not want to disturb while continuing to design.

Double click on "Layer 1" and rename it to "BACKGROUND" and then click on the + symbol inside a square at the bottom of the palette, this will create a new layer to work in. Clicking the empty box next to the eye on your BACKGROUND layer will lock that layer.

3. Using Pencil Tool and Pathfinder

With a white Fill Color selected use the "Rectangle Tool (M)" to create a box centered below the A Logo.

If the box is not centered, use the "Selection Tool (V)" to relocate the object.

Double click on the "Pencil Tool (N)" to open its properties panel. Move the "Fidelity" slider to the left making it more accurate to your mouse movements -A-. Once you are done close the panel by clicking "Ok" -B-.

To use the "Pencil Tool (N)" click-and-drag to create a path. You can let go and start again by putting your cursor over the last anchor in the path and starting again, make sure to close your shape by returning the line to its origin, similar to the image above.

We are mimicking a torn piece of paper, so imagine what the edge looks like while creating this object. The smooth top portion doesn't matter just the area touching the white rectangle you created earlier.

Create a copy of the object you made by selecting it using the "Selection Tool (V)" and going to "Edit > Copy" -A- then "Edit > Paste" -B-. The keyboard shortcut is "CMD/CTRL+C" to copy and "CMD/CTRL+V" to paste.

Using the "Selection Tool (V)" rotate the copy and place it at the bottom of the white rectangle.

Go to "Window > Pathfinder" to open its palette.

Use the "Selection Tool (V)" to select all three parts -A- then click on the "Minus Front" pathfinder button to remove the two objects from the rectangle.

Pathfinder allows you to Add, Subtract, Divide, Exclude etc. using multiple objects. Just be aware that it requires more than one object and at least one of the objects is lost in the process so depending on your goals you may want to create a copy before using Pathfinder.

Use the "Line Tool (/)" to create two line dividing the torn rectangle into quadrants. The lines should not reach the edges. Use a sampled Navy Blue stroke for their color.

4. Shape Builder and Polygon Tool

To the side on the "Pasteboard" start by using the "Ellipse Tool (L)" to create a circle for a head. Give the shape a fill of the sampled Navy Blue.

Create midsection for the character using the "Rectangle Tool (M)."

Using the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" which is the white arrow located in the upper right hand portion of your Toolbar, click on the top two anchor points of the rectangle while holding the "Shift Key." Next click-and-hold on the little white circle that appears just inside of one of the corners and pull towards the center of the rectangle to round those edges.

Repeat this process by creating a rectangle for the arm -A- and then selecting all four anchors and rounding the corners -B-.

Using the "Selection Tool (V)" rotate the arm to the desired position -A-. Duplicate the arm and go to "Object > Transform > Reflect" and select either an angle of 90 degrees or "Vertical" and then press "Ok."

Use the "Rectangle Tool (M)" and the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" to create legs and round the feet for the character.

Select all parts of the character by using the "Selection Tool (V)" and clicking-and-dragging over all the parts -A-. Select the "Shape Builder Tool (Shift+M)" from your Toolbar and drag over all the lines that divide the character inside -B-.

This removes those sections leaving you with a solid object, similar to using Pathfinder's "Unite" option.

Use the "Rectangle Tool (M)" to create a box that divides the character in half as in the image above.

Using the "Selection Tool (A)" select all parts of the character and the rectangle then click on the "Divide" button in Pathfinder -A-. Next using the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" select the remaining part of the rectangle and delete it.

Using the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" select all the parts that were divided on the right side of the characters body -A-. Double click on the Fill Box in your Toolbar to open the color picker and slide the color selection slightly upward to get a lighter shade of blue -B-.

To create the second character use the "Rectangle Tool (M)" to create a small rectangle roughly as wide as the circle of the first character head -A-. Next use the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" to select the top two anchor points and round them -B-.

To access the "Polygon Tool" click-and-hold on the Rectangle Tool until a dropdown menu opens and then click on Polygon Tool.

To create a Triangle using the Polygon Tool, click and drag like you would making any other shape but don't let go, which still holding your click press the downward arrow key on your keypad to reduce the number of sides on your polygon. Let go one you have your triangle and the size you desire. Next using the "Selection Tool (V)" grab the upper portion of the bounding box and pull upward to stretch it.

Use the "Rectangle Tool (M)" to create a box that covers the top of the triangle like in the image above -A-. Use the "Selection Tool (V)" to select both objects -B-, and then click the "Minus Front" button in Pathfinder -C-.

Copy, paste and rotate the shape before scaling it down like in the picture above. Once done use the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" to move the two bottom anchor points inward to match the shape below.

Use the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" to round the two top anchor points.

Create arms for the second character and use "Shape Builder "Shift+M" to remove the interior lines of the character.

Create a swoop for the hair by using the "Pen Tool (P)." Click once to set the first anchor then move upward toward the middle of the head and click-and-hold, now drag your mouse upward and slightly to the right to curve the line. Make sure you have removed the fill and only have a stroke color -A-. Next open the "Profile" option in the "Stroke" palette and select the triangular option -B-.

Click on "Object > Path > Outline Stroke" with the hair swoop selected. This will turn it into an object and is no longer a stroke.

Select the Swoop and head -A- then click the "Minus Front" option in Pathfinder to remove the shape from the head -B-.

Use the "Rectangle Tool (M)" and the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" to create feet for the second character.

Create a rectangle to cover half the figure like we did with the first character, select everything and then select the "Divide" button in Pathfinder. Use direct select to remove the remaining rectangle and assign the same lighter blue color we did for the first character to the right side.

5. Type, Transform and Intertwine

Use the "Selection Tool (V)" to click and drag over all of the first character and press "CMD/CTRL+G" to group all the parts of it together, you can also use "Object > Group." Repeat for the second character as well. Copy and paste them and scale them down to fit on your page in the upper left hand quadrant (remember to hold Shift to constrain the proportions).

Duplicate one of the characters and add them to the right or left.

Select the "Type Tool (T)" and click once below the characters, type out "46,932" -A-. In the "Object/Tool Specific Menu Bar" the section "Category" will appear, click to open the drop down menu and select a font you would like to use.

You have access to Adobe's font library and can download lots of fonts from other sites such as dafont.com. Always exercise caution when downloading anything from the internet.

Repeat the same steps as in the last step -A-, choose a thinner font and scale the size down -B- before changing the colors to the Sampled Red.

Using the "Selection Tool (V)" copy the type and characters and move them over to the right.

Double clicking on grouped objects causes the rest of the page to "Grey Out," this is called "Isolation Mode" which allows us to work within groups or on specific objects without interacting with other objects in my project. It also allows us to change type, which we will swap to "15:1" and "Student to Faculty Ratio." To exit Isolation Mode simple double click outside of the grouped objects you are working with.

Similar to before duplicate two of your characters and move them to the right or left -A-. Next create duplicates of the row and move them downward -B- to create a block of 15 students. You will need to scale them so they fit the space better so make sure to hold down the shift key as you shrink them.

Use the "Line Tool (/)" to create a vertical line to the right of the students roughly the same height.

Copy one character from the first set and move them to right of the line you just created. Adjust the colors so they are lighter and darker red respectively.

Copy and move just the type from one of the already filled quadrants to the bottom left. Adjust they words so they say "150+" on top and "Majors" below.

Using the "Pen tool (P)" create a series of shapes like those picture above. Remember to click-and-hold to curve your lines, and make sure you return your path to the starting anchor point to close the shapes.

Duplicate the shapes then click "Object > Transform > Reflect" then select "Vertical" from the dialogue box and click "Ok." Move so they match the first set and assign them the same lighter blue you used for the characters.

Copy just the type and move it to the 4th quadrant and adjust it so it says "3" on top and "Nobel Prize Winners" on the bottom.

Use the "Polygon Tool" to create a triangle.

Round the corners of the triangle -A-, then remove the Fill color and assign it a Stroke Color of the sampled Navy Blue -B-. Adjust the weight of the stroke until you are happy with it's appearance.

With the triangle selected go to "Object > Path > Outline Stroke."

Create a Rectangle over half the Triangle -A- and then select both objects and use the "Divide" button in Pathfinder. Use the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" to remove the remaining rectangle and assign the divided shape the same light blue.

Use the "Ellipse Tool (L)" to create a small circle at the bottom juncture of the triangle. Assign it a red fill with a white stroke.

Use the type tool to place the number "1" in the middle of the circle with a white Fill color. Group all the parts of the medal you just created by selecting them and pressing "CMD/CTRL+G."

Create two copies of the medals and move them so they look like the image above.

Use the "Selection Tool (V)" to select all three medals then go to "Object > Intertwine > Make."

Using your mouse, draw circles around the intersections you see circled above.

This will allow objects to weave in and out of one another.

6. Effects

Using the "Selection Tool (V)" click on the torn white rectangle in the back and the Universities A Logo.

Click on "Effects > Stylize > Drop Shadow." Adjust the settings in your dialogue box that appears, clicking on-and-off of the preview box to see what it will look like, before clicking "Ok" to apply the settings.

7. Saving and Sharing

To save your document, go to "File > Save As" from here you can save in a variety of formats that you will be able to open and rework the project.

To export the project to someone who does not have Adobe Illustrator or for use in a different setting go to "File > Export > Export As," here you can save in various popular file formats that can be viewed without Illustrator and can be used in other programs. Keep in mind that not all of these setting can be opened back up in Adobe Illustrator to be reworked. The images will be flattened and you will have no access to the layers you created.

To share with someone for review you can click on the blue "Share" button in the upper right hand corner. Click "Create Link" it will then prompt your for a document title when shared, change if you desire then click "Create Link" again here in the bottom of the new dialogue box you will see the URL link you can copy and send to someone -A-. You will also see the option to "Invite People" -B-. Here you can plug in email addresses and a link will automatically be sent to them.

Reviewers can leave comments, when they do they will appear in your document. You can see in the Quick Palettes section of my interface a "Speech Bubble" has appeared with a blue dot. This means I have a new comment. Clicking on it will display the comment and a green circle pin will be placed in reference to the location.

Once issues have been addressed you can clear the comments and the pins will be removed.

8. Additional Resources