Digital Illustration (Photoshop, Illustrator)

Vector Graphics

made of lines and curves defined by mathematic objects called vectors. You can freely move or modify vector graphics without losing detail or clarity they are resolution independent. Edited in programs like Illustrator.

Raster/Bitmap Images

Rectangular grid of picture elements (pixels) to represent the visual. Each pixel is assigned a specific location and value. Pictures taken on your phone are considered raster images. These images are usually edited in softwares like Photoshop.

Panels

Help you monitor and modify your work (eg. Tools, Layers, Adjustments, Properties etc). Certain panels are displayed by default, and you can display any panel by choosing it from the Windows menu.

Bounding Box

A border that displays around the edges of a selected object.

Key Object

an object that you want to align other objects to

Stacking Order

The order in which the layers of an image are organized, beginning with the first object created, this determines how they display when they overlap.

Closed Path

a continuous path that has no beginning or end, for example a circle or rectangle.

Endpoints

paths that can be opened or closed with distinct anchor points at each end, called endpoints

Rulers

help you accurately place and measure objects and distances. They appear at the top and left in the Document window and can be shown and hidden. There are two types, art board and global rulers.

Guides

Nonprinting vertical and horizontal lines that you can move or copy to help align objects

Corner Point

An anchor point where a path changes direction in an angle rather than smoothly.

Smooth Point

An anchor point that connects path segments in a smooth curve.

Bezier Curve

A mathematically generated curve that has two endpoints and control points to specify curve direction.

Directional Handles

Handles on an anchor point used to control the Bezier curve.

gradient fill

Color shade gradually progressing to another shade

2 types of gradients

1. linear

2. radial

Blend objects

you can blend two distinct objects to create and distribute shapes evenly between two objects. They can be the same or different. When you create blend, the blended objects are treated as a single object.

Spine

the blended objects path

Patterns

Artwork saved in the swatches panel that can be applied to a stroke or fill within an object. You can customize existing patterns and design patterns from scratch with any illustrator tools

Pattern tile

The blue box around the original group of items. The series of light colored objects around that artwork in the center is the pattern repeat.

How do you select objects using the magic wand tool? And what are the advantages of using the magic wand?

You use the Magic Wand tool to select objects in a document that have the same attributes, like color fill. Its advantage is that it saves time by quickly selecting all of the objects by customizable options making changes a snap.

How do you select an object that has no fill?

Click on its stroke/path

How do you make a copy of a shape?

Select the shape and press Command + C.

How do you constrain the proportions to make 45- degree lines?

Hold down the shift button

How do you add points to a star or sides to a polygon?

While creating the shape, and with the mouse button still pressed, use the directional keypad to go either up or down to add or subtract sides to a shape.

How do you convert anchor points from corner to smooth?

With the Direct Selection Tool, select a specific anchor point to turn into a curve. In the Properties panel under Convert, select "Convert selected anchor point to smooth".

How do you make straight lines and constrain angles when drawing with the pen tool?

You can create a straight line similar to the way you convert smooth points to corner points. For this, after creating a curve, you are going to hover your pen tool over the last anchor point you created. This deletes the leading directional handle. Your line should now be straight, to constrain that line just hold down the Shift key.

Selection Tool

V

Copy

Command + C

Zoom

Command + -/+

Undo

Command + Z

Fit Artboard in Window

Command + 0

Pen Tool

P

Direct Selection Tool

A

Paste

Command + V

Hand Tool

H

Group

Select all shapes you wish to group, press Command + G

Step Backward

Command + Option + Z (Photoshop)