BASICS
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In this project you’ll use basic Adobe Illustrator
tools that will get you started learning the program’s
functionality and creative power. You’ll learn how to
set up a document, set up a color palette, add fonts,
import clip art, and manipulate it. You’ll be able to
change colors and sizes, plus copy, paste, rotate, and
move things around on an “artboard” as you wish, to
create a design that will serve your needs. In the end,
you’ll have a finished document that you can take to
a printer, bringing to life the invite of your dreams.
START
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1. SET UP AN ILLUSTRATOR DOCUMENT
1a. Open Starter_Template.eps in Illustrator, then
select Illustrator ⇒ Preferences ⇒ Units & Display
Performance. Set the menus to the following:
» General: Inches » Stroke: Points » Type: Points
MATERIALS
» COMPUTER
» GRAPHICS SOFTWARE I USED ADOBE
ILLUSTRATOR CREATIVE SUITE 3. YOU CAN FIND
OLDER VERSIONS ON EBAY FOR LESS THAN $50.
» HIGH-END DIGITAL PRINT SHOP TO PRINT
YOUR FINISHED DESIGN
» X-ACTO KNIFE AND EXTRA BLADES
» AVERY #5353 WHITE FULL-SHEET LABELS
FOR STICKERS
» RIBBON I USED ½"-WIDE SILVER.
» TRANSPARENT ENVELOPES IN YOUR CHOICE
OF COLOR; I USED CLEAR.
» CLEAR ADDRESS LABELS
» TEMPLATES VISIT CRAFTZINE.COM/10/101
TO DOWNLOAD STARTER_TEMPLATE.EPS, AND
POSTCARD_TEMPLATE.EPS.
» CLIP ART OF YOUR CHOICE
1b. Turn rulers on by selecting View ⇒ Show Rulers.
Show guides by selecting View ⇒ Guides ⇒ Show
Guides. Save your work as Main_envelope_inside.eps.
2. ENVELOPE: SET UP THE COLORS
2a. I selected 4 colors: black, blue, gray, and white.
A
If the Swatches window isn’t already on the screen,
open it by selecting Window ⇒ Swatches.
2b. Remove all the colors in the swatch palette
except white, by clicking on the first color after white
and then the last color while holding down the shift
key. Drag all the highlighted color squares to the
trash icon on the bottom right of the swatch box.
2c. Select Window ⇒ Swatch Libraries ⇒ Color Books
⇒ Pantone solid uncoated. Click the little menu icon
on the right side and select Show Find Field (Figure A).
B
2d. Type “314” in the find field. The color will be
highlighted (Figure B, bottom left). Drag the highlighted color from the Pantone box to the swatch
box. Do the same for “427” and “black.” Your swatch
box will look like Figure C.
