Blog Challenge 2015 for Beginners (Part: 1)

Hello there kiddies :>  I have been having hard time taking out time for adding lots of new renovation on my blog plus layout. So I decided to create "Blog Challenge" where anyone can join me for creating awesome impact on your blog layout and creating advancements. It's 2015 and if you won't do it now then when?. This blog challenge will help me stay motivated and perhaps you can share your progress with me too?;>. That way we can motivate each other.

Here is a list of 10 important things you can start off with. Save this list and start ticking as you accomplish each of them:

I just can't wait to see your progress x>. Don't forget to share with me by taking a screenshot of your daily blog advancement on Instagram. Just tag me with #saoirsechic, so that I can find you.

Let's do this man. A beautiful life ahead as blogger awaits;>,

-Seresha

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Class # 2: Adobe Illustrator Basics (Part : 1 )

Hello there kiddies :>. My routine has been weirdly changed. you might be noticing I blog often at night time now. Apologies for this, I will be tuning my routine soon. Lately, I've just been too over whelmed by taking care of 6 cats together. I am just waiting for them to grow bigger so that I can give them to my friends and family who want to adopt my cats. I will be giving at least two cats for adoption.

So, last week I shared my little story of getting into "Graphic Designing" and basics of graphic designing. I hope by now you must be clear about the difference between Vector and Raster graphics?. If not then I recommend you to go through my previous class again right here.

Today I will be teaching you basics of Adobe Illustrator and also the details of the advantage this software can give you:

Question from Previous Class: Is Text used in Adobe Illustrator Raster or Vector?

Answer: Text is always vector since it's not made with pixels. Anything you will create in Vector based software will be Vector in nature.

Shortcuts Of Adobe Illustrator:

The first very important thing which will be noticed when you will say , go work for a company as a graphic designer is the amount of time and efficiency level you will put into doing their work. So for example, a company asks you to design a logo for them. You open the Adobe Illustrator, go into "file tab", select "New" and then open new page. Similarly, for every single little command you go into "Tabs" for selecting options. This will not only waste your time but also make things inefficient for your work.  Rule # 1: Every professional graphic designer should learn shortcuts by heart. This will not only save plenty of your time, but also create a very professional image of yours in work environment.

Here are some most commonly used shortcuts which can come handy from time to time:

1. New File (Ctrl +N)
2. Open File (Ctrl + O)
3. Save File (Ctrl + S)
4. Undo (Ctrl + Z)
5. Redo (Ctrl+ Shift+ Z)
6. Lock Object (Ctrl + 2)
7. Unlock Object (Ctrl + Alt + 2)
8. Hide Object (Ctrl +3)
9. Show All (Ctrl + Alt + 3)
10. Group (Ctrl + G)
11. Ungroup ( Ctrl + Shift + G)
12. Duplicate (Ctrl + D)
13. Duplicate and Paste Object (Ctrl + C + F + D)
14. Copy Object (Ctrl + C), (Alt + Left Click of Mouse and Drag Object)
15. Magnify In ( Ctrl plus +)
16. Magnify Out ( Ctrl plus -)
17. Paste (Ctrl + V)
18. Paste In Front (Ctrl + F)
19. Paste In Back (Ctrl + B)
20. Eye Dropper Tool ( I )
21. Send To Back ( Ctrl + { )
22. Bring To Front (Ctrl + } )

I am sure there must be 100 more shortcuts in Adobe Illustrator, but these are the basic shortcuts which you should know. Learn these by heart and practice them everyday to be able to get your work done more efficiently.

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Question: Are all shortcuts same in Adobe Pack?

Answer:  No, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Indesign have totally different shortcuts. Some of them are similar though like say magnifying In or out. But not all of the shortcuts are same.

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Color Modes:

There are two types of color modes in Adobe Illustrator:

1. RGB : Red, Green, Blue.
2. CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black

RGB colors are primary in nature and are set for photographs and electronic media. Whereas, CMYK are secondary colors commonly used in print media.

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Uses of Adobe Illustrator in Print and Electronic Media:

1. Print Media: Magazines, newspapers, banners, pamphlets, catalogs, comics, books, visiting cards, printable artwork etc.
2. Electronic Media: Photography, mobile/websites apps, website banners/templates/ads, TV ad, graphics, digital art etc.

Note:

Print media work is always done in "Inches". When you create new file there is an option which allows you to choose units for your file. Always select the option "Inches". 

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Your homework for next class is to learn and practice all these shortcuts. Be able to differentiate between print & electronic media along with color modes. Do not get confused by which color mode is used for what media.

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Hope this might help you in some way kids :>.

Any questions you have email me at: saoirsechic@gmail.com

I will answer in next class ;>.

xo,

saoirse

Class # 1: Introduction to Graphic Designing

Hello kiddies:>. I am starting whole series on graphic designing where I will teach you not only how to use the whole Adobe Pack but the basics of graphic designing as well.

Note:
I am currently a student in a graphic designing course myself.

Before I enrolled myself into taking graphic designing course, I was double minded whether I should invest in such a course or not. Many of my friends recommended me to learn everything about Adobe using tutorials given on blogs, instead of taking such an expensive course. I thought it must be easy learning online so for next few days I did my research on such "blogs", who were teaching you for free to learn everything about Adobe. And literally my mind went BONKERS. Everything was being taught in such a terrible terrible  messed up, confusing way, that i'm sure not even a "Professional" graphic designer would invest their time cruising such sites.

The biggest turn off I found on all sites was this that they have explained everything in such a COMPLEXED way, a beginner like me would just run away on first glimpse. Bummer!, I decided to take the course. On 25th May 2015, I was finally enrolled and took my first class. It surprised me what ever I was being taught on first day of my class was never being taught ANYWHERE on internet. After a week, I was quite happy with what ever I have learned from this course. Suddenly, an idea just dawned on me... why not create series on my blog with whatever I am learning?. I am fortunate enough that my dad got me enrolled but I'm sure not many of you can really afford such expensive course and would rely on only source of information i.e Internet. And when the information on internet will Suck too, what will you do then?.

I'll tell you what you can do. You should start reading my new series starting from here below:

I will be teaching you these software from scratch:

1. Adobe Illustrator
2. Adobe Photoshop
3. Adobe In Design
4. Corel Draw

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Class # 1:

Graphic Design:

Just remember this : Graphic Design is the art of visually communicating your ideas through visuals (Images, graphic forms, animations etc.) or text.

There are two types of graphics in this world:

1. Vector: Made with curves and lines.
2. Raster: Made in pixels.

Any image made in Raster will pix-elate when magnified or changed. Whereas, anything made in Vector will not pix-elate and will always give you fine result. E.g:

All logos, banners, graphics, illustrations etc are made in Vector because of it's high quality end result. For images like photos Raster is used.

Now I will tell you which soft wares are Vector and which are Raster:

Vector Software:

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Indesign

Corel Draw

Raster Software:

Adobe Photoshop

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Question: If you drag an image to Adobe Illustrator and work on it there. When you will save it to your computer won't it be still Raster?.

Answer: No, because you have worked in a vector software on the image. Does not matter what ever you will work on in Adobe Illustrator. Once you will save it, it will be Vector graphic because you have worked in Vector based software. Same goes with other software too.

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Uses Of Vector and Raster Software:

1. Print Media: (Everything which needs to be printed like magazines, books, comics etc.)
2. Electronic Media:(Everything which will be digitally saved e.g photos, websites, mobile app etc.)

Graphic Format Types:

1. .DPI (Dots Per Inch)
2. .JPEG(Joint Photography Expert Group)
3. .PNG(Portal Network Graphics)
4. .PPI(Pixel Per Inch)
5.  Bitmap

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I learned 50 more new things on my first day of class. But I think it's enough till here. Your homework for this week is: Be Crystal clear about differentiating between Vector and Raster graphics. Learn the Format types by heart because you never know when some one can ask you about them and what you will do, remain blank?. How embarrassing!. 

If you have any questions send me here: saoirsechic@gmail.com 

I will answer it in next class;>. 

See you next Thursday for class #2 for the Graphic Designing series.

xo,

saoirse