Exercise - Tracing in illustrator using the pen tool.

Computer Illustration IL361 • Instructor: Octavio Perez

NOT TRACING!!?
Yes tracing. Would you ever have thought that the worst taboo for an artist would be an assignment in college? Well it is ( I just assign it so I can point and laugh at you), but it's just to get you familiarized with the basic tools in illustrator I wouldn't want you to exhaust your own creativity on the first assignment so I've provided one for you.

Now before you start whining about this, everybody has to do it and you will get an "A" if you just follow the directions. Think of it as an exercise not an illustration.

Directions
• Open the file named Template.jpg in Illustrator. You can find the file in the course webshare.

• Take a good look at the image, it's not just lines and it''s not just shapes...it's both. Once you can tell the difference, dive in and start tracing with the pen tool. DO NOT USE THE PENCIL OR PAINTBRUSH TOOLS.

• You don't have to make an exact duplicate of the image.

• Create the image in full color. You don't have to get all fancy with highlights and shadows. If you want to show off in front of the class I'm not going to stop you from being a "suck-up".........I mean making a masterpiece.

• You can use as many layers as needed to keep the image organized. Just don't drop sixty layers on it. Show some self control.

• The whole premise of the pen tool is to make a shape or line with as few points as possible. You'll get more comfortable with it the more you use it... so have patience.

• SAVE YOUR WORK OFTEN! I would hate for you to have to start any assignment over again but if you lose your work you WILL have to start again... sorry.