Monday Link List, volume 22

Illustrator and Web Design

Yes, Illustrator is a web design tool.

If you are a Lynda.com subscriber, check out this course.

Set-up Tips

Tips for setting up your Illustrator document for a web design project.

Antialiasing: What it is and how to set up your properly Illustrator files.

More on antialiasing and some troubleshooting tips.

Getting Started

Creating wireframes.

Wireframes & multiple artboards.

I’ve created my artwork in Illustrator, now what?

Illustrator & Dreamweaver integration.
Illustrator and HTML5/CSS3

Tips & Tricks

Some awesome quick tips from Jeff Whitchel. 

Convert CMYK to Spot Colour on the fly.

Doing the Impossible: Apply a Gradient to Live Type.

Two Impossible Things in a Day: Apply a Gradient to a Stroke.

Secrets of Dashed Strokes.

Monday Link List, volume 21

Get your Graph On. This week it’s all about using the Graph Tool to present boring data in eye-catching ways.

Straight from Adobe’s Help tool:

Start Here.

Create a Graph.

Types of Graphs.

About Graph Designs.

Tutorials & Articles

Creating Graphs with Illustrator.

Going beyond the Graph tool. Sometimes you need to use destructive techniques.

A 3D Pie Graph.

Turn boring data into a masterpiece.

Monday Link List, volume 20

Tool Techniques

Using Shape Builder to create a Celtic Knot.

Applying Width Profiles to Strokes and using the Width Tool.

Draw Inside & Draw Behind modes.

Quick review of the 3D tool. Like the text effect created here.

Using the Bristle Brush to create textures in an illustration.

Color Guide – remapping colours in an illustration.

Tutorials

Create a retro-futuristic chrome type effect.

Drawing a lotus flower using Gradient Mesh.

Creating a volume bar for an application or web interface. As a challenge, try to create this object using as few shapes as possible utilizing the Appearance pallet.

Eye popping explosion effect. Includes my favourite trick, using the tilde (~) when drawing.

Tutorial Round-up:

40 posters, logos, portraits and more.
15 text effects. How many of these can you use for other applications?

Not everything exists in isolation: 3 tutorials that combine Illustrator & Photoshop:

Metal plating pattern. 

Custom Damask pattern.

Workflow

Illustrator keyboard shortcuts.

Monday Link List, volume 19

Tutorials

70 Tips & Tricks covering type fx, icons, portraits & more.

One of favorite tutorial sites, Lynda.com presents Deke’s techniques: Drawing Swirls.

Create a retro 50’s poster.

More retro: using Smart Guides to create type.

Using Symbols to create a kaleidoscopic effect.

Create a cartoon character with the Width Tool.