SIMPLE LOGO DESIGN Intro to Adobe Illustrator

WORKSPACE OVERVIEW & SETUP

WORKSPACE OVERVIEW

These are the locations that we will be referring to throughout this tutorial. We won't be using every part in a single step, some rarely but just so you have a basic understanding of where different tools and actions are located within the Adobe Illustrator App.

WORKSPACE SETUP

Once your new document has been created go to the menu bar at the top of your screen and select "Window > Workspaces > Essentials Classic." This will add additional tools and palettes to your workspace.

MAIN KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

• A - Selection Tool
• V - Direct Selection Tool
• P - Pen Tool
• T - Type Tool
• M - Rectangle Tool
• L - Ellipse Tool
• CMND + C - Copy
• CMND + V - Paste
• CMND/CTRL + SHIFT + P - Place Image
• CMND/CTRL + S - Save
• SHIFT + X - Switch Fill and Stroke
• CMND/CTRL + [ - Move down one layer
• CMND/CTRL + SHIFT + [ - Move to bottom layer
• CMND/CTRL + ] - Move up one layer
• CMND/CTRL + SHIFT + ] - Move to top layer

1: CREATING A RECTANGLE

Select the "rectangle Tool" from your "Toolbar" or by pressing the letter "M" on your keyboard as the shortcut. Click once on your "Artboard" and plug in 8.25in for the width and 4.25in for the height.

Once the Rectangle has been created, while the object is still selected make sure the "Fill" box on your "Toolbar" is in front and click on the "Red Dash" just below it to the right. This will remove the fill from the object.

Just above the Fill and Stroke boxes on your "Toolbar" there is a "Flip Arrow." Click it and the Fill and Stroke will switch places. The result will be this Rectangle filled with black with no Stroke color.

Click on the Rectangle with the white "Direct Selection" arrow in your "Toolbar." Click in the middle of your Rectangle to avoid selecting a specific anchor or path. Click and drag on one of the small white circles that appear towards the corners of the object and drag inward until the Radius that appears in the Grey box next to it reads ".55in"

2: PLACING AN IMAGE

Once you have downloaded the MLB logo above, save it somewhere on your computer. In Illustrator go to the "Application Menu Bar" at the very top of your screen and click "File > Place" then navigate to the location you saved the MLB logo and click "place." It will not automatically drop the image onto the "Artboard," you will need to click where you would like the image to be put.

After the image has been placed use the black "Selection" Arrow to move the image to the right of your "Artboard" so it doesn't interfere with your Rectangle while we build the player in the logo.

3: CREATING THE BALL

Click and hold on the "rectangle" tool to open its drawer and select the "Ellipse" tool or press the letter "L" on your keyboard.

When creating a circle using the "Ellipse Tool (L)" hold the "Shift" key while clicking and dragging. Be sure to let go of your mouse/track pad before releasing the Shift key because it can cause a last second distortion.

Since the fill is hard to see we are going to change the color of our work while we design the player. Go up to the "Application Menu Bar" and click "Window > Swatches." This opens your "Swatch Palette."

Select the black "Selection Tool (V)" and click on the circle you just created to make sure it's selected. Make sure the "Fill Box" is in front of the "Stroke Box," and select the neon green swatch from the "Swatch Palette."

4: CREATING THE PLAYER WITH PEN TOOL

Select the "Pen Tool" from your "Toolbar" or by pressing the letter "P." To use the "Pen Tool (P)" go to where you intend to start tracing the player and click once, this will set your first Anchor. The line that follows your cursor shows the path that will be created once you set your next Anchor. A single click will create a straight line, where Clicking and holding then dragging your cursor will create a curved path.

To stop the curve from continuing as in the image above, click once more on the anchor you just created, this will allow you to create sharp corners with straight lines again.

Because your "Fill Box" has green it will become hard to see the object you are tracing so you will need to use the "Swap" arrow just above it to continue working with a green Stroke and no Fill.

Continue tracing the player until you have made your way back to your starting point. As you hover over the starting anchor you will notice a small circle next to your cursor appear that indicates this will "Close" the shape. Notice that I went slightly above the bat, and slightly below at his waist.

To fill your object use the "Swap Arrow" just above the "Fill and Stroke Boxes."

Using the black "Selection Tool (V)" select the ball and while holding the "Shift" key click on the player to select them both at the same time. Go to the "Application Menu Bar" and click "Object > Group."

5: SPLITTING THE BACKGROUND

Using the "Selection Tool (V)" click on your graphic and drag it to the Rectangle you created earlier while holding down the "Option" key. Remember to let go of the mouse/trackpad before releasing the "Option" key.

Select the Player, Ball and Rectangle using the "Selection Tool (V)." In the "Application Menu Bar" click on "Window > Pathfinder" to open the "Pathfinder Palette."

Once the "Pathfinder Palette" is open and your objects are selected click on "Minus Front," it will be the second icon on the first row under "Shape Modes." This will cut out the player and ball from the background Rectangle.

Select the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" from your "Toolbar" and click once in the middle of the left side of the remaining graphic. This will only engage this portion of the image.

Select the "Eye Dropper Tool (I)" from your "Toolbar" and click anywhere on the blue field of the placed image. This will copy over the color to your graphic, resulting in the image above.

Repeat the same process, using the "Direct Selection Tool (A)" select the right side and use the "Eyedropper Tool (I)" to copy over the red from the placed image.

6: CREATING THE OUTSIDE BORDER

Go to what is now displaying as your "Ellipse Tool (L)" and click and hold to open the shapes Drawer, select "Rounded Rectangle." Click once on your "Artboard" and plug in "Width: 9in, Height: 5in, Corner Radius: .85." then click "Ok."

Once the "Rounded Rectangle" has been created use the "Selection Tool (V)" to move the rectangle into place around your image.

ADDING TYPE

Select the "Type Tool (T)" from your "Toolbar" and click just once on your "Artboard" and type out "Major League Baseball."

Click on the "Selection Tool (V)" and make sure your type is selected. You will notice in the "Tool Specific Menu Bar" there is a drop down menu that is titled "Character." Opening the drop down menu shows you the list of fonts you have downloaded to your computer and hovering over one will display it's appearance on your "Artboard." Select "Arial Black" as the font for "Major League Baseball."

Additional places to download fonts: Adobe Fonts, Dafont

Click on the "Selection Tool (V)" and grab the corner of your "Bounding Box" and drag away from it while holding the "Shift" key to increase the type size. Scale it until it is as wide as the border you creased.

FINISHED IMAGE