Advanced, ACE Edition
Frequently asked questions and instructor notes
Note for Adobe Creative Cloud users
This course as originally written and published was designed for the release version of Illustrator CS6. Adobe’s new Illustrator CC, while based on CS6, is a constantly evolving product, and software updates may frequently add or change features.
This book has been tested with Illustrator CC version 17.1.0, current as of March 2014. Most features and activities will be identical in behavior to IllustratorCS6, though not all screenshots and commands will be exactly the same. Changes are detailed in the following Course Notes topic, and instructors using Illustrator CC should review the course against their own software before class.
Topic A: Classroom setup
All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires that they do. This topic gives information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course.
Hardware requirements
Each student’s personal computer should have:
· A keyboard and a mouse
· Intel Pentium 4, Intel Centrino, Intel Xeon, or Intel Core Duo (or compatible) processor
· 1GB RAM
· At least 2.5GB of available hard-disk space for installation
· A DVD-ROM drive
· A monitor with at least 1280 ´ 960 resolution and 24-bit color or better
Software requirements
You will need the following software:
· Microsoft Windows 7; Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, Ultimate, or Enterprise with Service Pack 1 (certified for 32-bit editions); or Windows XP with Service Pack 3
· Adobe Illustrator CS6
· Adobe Reader
· A Web browser with SVG support, such as Firefox, Chrome, Opera, or Internet Explorer 9 or newer
· A PostScript printer driver, such as the Xerox Phaser 6120PS; an actual printer is not required
Network requirements
The following network components and connectivity are also required for this course:
· Internet access, for the following purposes:
– Downloading the latest critical updates and service packs
– Downloading the Student Data files from www.axzopress.com
(if necessary)
– Downloading Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com
Classroom setup instructions
Before you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.
1 Install Windows 7 according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. If the student machines have Internet access, and they are behind a software or hardware firewall, install the latest critical updates and service packs.
Note: You can also use Windows Vista or Windows XP, but the screenshots in this course were taken in Windows 7, so students’ screens might look somewhat different. Also, some of the following setup instructions might differ slightly.
2 With flat-panel displays, we recommend using the panel’s native resolution for best results. Color depth/quality should be set to High (24 bit) or higher.
3 Install Adobe Illustrator CS6 according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. If you have the full version of Creative Suite 6, you need to install Illustrator CS6 and Adobe Reader for this course.
a On the Installation Options screen, from the Install list, choose Selected Components.
b Clear all check boxes except the one for Adobe Illustrator CS6.
c Continue with the default installation. When asked whether to download updates, click Yes.
4 Change Illustrator’s default units as follows:
a Open Illustrator and choose Edit, Preferences, Units.
b From the General list, select Inches. Click OK.
c Close Illustrator.
5 If necessary, download and install Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com.
6 If you have the data disc that came with this manual, locate the Student Data folder on it and copy it to the desktop of each student computer.
If you don’t have the data disc, you can download the Student Data files for the course:
a Connect to www.axzopress.com.
b Under Downloads, click Instructor-Led Training.
c Browse the subject categories to locate your course. Then click the course title to display a list of available downloads. (You can also access these downloads through our Catalog listings.)
d Click the link(s) for downloading the Student Data files. You can download the files directly to student machines or to a central location on your own network.
e Create a folder named Student Data on the desktop of each student computer.
f Double-click the downloaded zip file(s) and drag the contents into the Student Data folder.
Topic B: Frequently asked questions
There are no frequently asked questions for this course at this time.
Topic C: Course notes
Colors.AI in Unit 4, Topic C (“Color Adjustments”) was originally placed in an incorrect data folder. This has been corrected on the website. Students with an older data file can find Colors.AI in the Unit 4, Topic D folder.
Illustrator CC changes
When using Illustrator CC, there will be several changes to activities, as detailed below:
Activities
In general, many panels and dialog boxes have been changed in layout. When a dialog box or panel differs from a screenshot, use ToolTips if necessary to verify the correct option.
The iPhone preset is no longer in the New Document dialog box. This affects Activity B-1, in Unit 1, “Exploring artboard options.” Students can use other mobile device presets for the activity, but the printed screenshots will not match student screens exactly.
The process for exporting illustrations to Flash has changed slightly. In Unit 3, Activity D-1 “(Creating an animation), students should click Export once rather than Save twice.
The Kuler extension is now more closely illustrated into Illustrator CC. The Kuler panel is now displayed by default in the Color panel group, and can be toggled by Window, Kuler. Its changed functions affect Unit 4, Activity B-1, “Using the Kuler panel”, as follows:
· In step 3, the panel will only show themes favorited by the user. At first, none will be displayed. Students should click the Launch Kuler Website icon; then in their browser, they can click Explore to reach the searchable theme use.
· In step 5, students should point to a theme and click Add to Favorites; in Illustrator, they can then click Refresh in the panel to display their favorites, and choose Add to Swatches from the Kuler panel menu.
In the Paintbrush Tool Options dialog box, Fidelity and Smoothness have been merged into a single slider. This affects Unit 5, Activity A-3, “Exploring Paintbrush tool options.” n step 2 of the activity, Students should just drag the slider to the second stop.
Topic D: Additional information
There is no additional information for this course at this time.