Few weeks ago a member in one of a Telegram group had asked, 'What kind of effect to create as the sample image'. He provide the image of Snowden film as shown below.

So if you look at the man character named Snowden, it used 2 tones (or 3 tones) of color to render the character's face. In Adobe Photoshop, one of the the effect that we can use is Gradient Map.




A post by a member in the Telegram group

Photoshop Gradient Map

We show you how easy to use the Gradient Map effect in Adobe Photoshop, the classic way. Just prepare your subject photo with no background to works on.




Play the Video in HD


Perhaps, the most difficult part in Gradient Map is to get the perfect tone colors.. that's all.. enjoy.

Previously a friend asked, how to create box packaging in Illustrator. So we try to make a very basic way to make a box packaging using Adobe Illustrator CC. Based on a typical rectangular box shape as white box image shown above, here is the video tutorial.





Please set the video to play in HD quality to clearly see the tools and the menu used.

Setting Paper Size is a must to a designer when starting a new document for a new design works, doesn't matter its Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, or any graphic editor you might be using. But, as I still remember when my works are mostly using AutoCAD, setting the Paper Size will be at the end or after completed the drawings on the CAD screen, because the CAD drawing usually will labeled the Scale value according to the drawing size which depends on the paper size to be printed.

Anyway the important to have knowledge in basic paper size and the conversion from one size to another size might save us from printed jobs being rejected just because mistakes like wrong size conversion. Imagine you do artworks for books with 100 or more pages, suddenly 'they' asked you to change the book size.. and you thinking to rescale the whole pages at once by percent. With confident after completion, you send the artworks for printing, and guest what.. the printed book size was wrong.. and you start to feel the disasterrr ☺

Paper Size A & Paper Size B Measurement

Paper Size A	Paper Size B

Paper Size A & B Charts

Size A Width x Height (mm) Width x Height (in) AO 841 x 1189 mm 33.1 x 46.8 in A1 594 x 841 mm 23.4 x 33.1 in A2 420 x 594 mm 16.5 x 23.4 in A3 297 x 420 mm 11.7 x 16.5 in A4 210 x 297 mm 8.3 x 11.7 in A5 148 x 210 mm 5.8 x 8.3 in A6 105 x 148 mm 4.1 x 5.8 in A7 74 x 105 mm 2.9 x 4.1 in A8 52 x 74 mm 2.0 x 2.9 in A9 37 x 52 mm 1.5 x 2.0 in A10 26 x 37 mm 1.0 x 1.5 in	Size B Width x Height (mm) Width x Height (in) BO 1000 x 1414 mm 39.4 x 55.7 in B1 707 x 1000 mm 27.8 x 39.4 in B2 500 x 707 mm 19.7 x 27.8 in B3 353 x 500 mm 13.9 x 19.7 in B4 250 x 353 mm 9.8 x 13.9 in B5 176 x 250 mm 6.9 x 9.8 in B6 125 x 176 mm 4.9 x 6.9 in B7 88 x 125 mm 3.5 x 4.9 in B8 62 x 88 mm 2.4 x 3.5 in B9 44 x 62 mm 1.7 x 2.4 in B10 31 x 44 mm 1.2 x 1.7 in

Resize Paper Size Document

Here I would like to share some of important information when dealing with Paper Size and Resize Paper Size. Sometimes when we were asked (by the client) to change the paper size of a documents from previous agreed size, (let say A4 size) to the new confirmed size, (let say A5 size). Then we think that A5 is half the size of A4, so its gonna be 50%. Its that simple..? Basically, yes A5 size is A4 size divided by 1 center fold (in landscape orientation).

Related topic: Setting A4 Pamphlet with 3 panels, 2 folds

But in artworks when the designs are already made or completed, it's not that simply to Scale your whole artworks or documnts (from A4 size to A5 size) to 50% scale.. Nope..!! Not like that, be careful, you might be destroying your design works when you send it to printer.. because the new size if you scale it 50% reduced, you actually make it A6, not A5..!! Reduce A4 to A5 is 71%.. indeed..

Resize Paper Size A By Percent Chart

The above chart shown the conversion size in percent value from bigger size to smaller and vice versa. But you must read the conversion chart above FROM Size Blue (left) TO Size Red (top) to get the correct value, (Not FROM Red to Blue). Example, from A4 size to convert to A5 size is 71% Scale (not 50%). Hope this chart may helps us when scaling our documents or artworks to the right size before we send it for printing.

Resize Paper Size A To Size B Chart

This chart shown the conversion value by percent from A size paper to B size paper. Again you must read the conversion chart above FROM Size A Blue (left) TO Size B Red (top) to get the correct value.

Resize Paper Size B To Size A Chart

This chart shown the conversion value by percent  from B size paper to A size paper. Reading the conversion chart above is FROM Size B Blue (left) TO Size A Red (top) to get the correct value.

Related topic: Setting Adobe Illustrator Workspace - Creating New Document


Credit:  papersizes.org  |  manorpress.co.uk

Gradient is a combination of 2 or more color fills in Linear or Radial direction. There are a few ways to apply Gradient fill - via Tool Palette, Gradient Palette or (keyboard) shortcut >.

Apply Gradient via Tool Palette

Select your artwork object, click the Gradient Fill icon as shown above.

Apply Gradient via Gradient Palette

Object is selected, go to Gradient Palette, click the Gradient icon (as shown above).
Note: If the Gradient Palette is not there, open at top menu > Window > Gradient. Or keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+F9 (Win), Cmd+F9 (Mac).

Change Gradient Color

Now your artwork / object Filled with Gradient, with default black & white greyscale (1 color). We need to change this default in order to color it.



Select your object (you want to change)..
1. go to Gradient Palette, see the Gradient Slider, click the Black Slider
2. go to Color Palette, click Option (top right corner) as shown above

3. Change from (default) Greyscale to RGB (or CMYK if you need so)

4. Adjust the color, any color you like (suddenly I remember Pink Floyd song.. lol). Now your object's gradient color changed.

5. Then you need to do the same steps for the second Slider - the white gradient color.

Now you know how to change the Gradient Color of your object. Next we try to adjust the Gradient Style.

Change Gradient Style

You need to experiment yourself with these basic methods on how to modify and control your Gradient Fills on your artworks.

Linear Gradient

The steps we learnt above is Linear type of gradient, and we can adjust the Slider Location to modify the effects.

Drag the Sliders and see your object gradient's effect changed.

Now change the angle direction as shown above.. try it.

Radial Gradient

Simply change the Type to Radial as shown in the image below

See your object fill color now is Radial Gradient.

There are some more extra things we can add to this Gradient Fill, but what we have learn here are just the basic of Gradient in Illustrator. We can add more colors to the gradient's object by adding more than 2 Sliders, such as rainbow colors. We can also make the gradient in different styles than this 2 basic types, but that would be more complicated for newbie.. we can try it later hopefully ☺


Note:
This tutorial is based on Adobe Illustrator CS5. Legacy version (CS4 and below), newer version (CS6 and CC) might be differ than images shown and methods in this post. I'm trying to make it as compatible as possible for any version. Therefore some new & extra features or technics that not available in previous versions might not be shown here to avoid some users confusing.

The difference in vector graphic or vector images compared to pixel type of images or raster images (jpeg, png, bmp, gif, psd, etc.) are the rendering method used by the graphic applications itself such as Adobe Illustrator. Normally any vector graphic editor used Fill & Stroke, to render and shaped the graphic art. There will be no pixel created, rendering done by mathematical value of the software engine. Therefore vector graphics are always high resolution and scalable to any size at the same time remain the byte size.

After you master the Pen Tool and Shape Tools tutorial, you should know the core of vector graphic - Fill & Stroke, because this is the main element that will inspire you on how to create vector illustrations, how to fill colors, gradients and playing with stroke.

Fill

• The Color inside the compound of a graphic shape.
• 2 types of Fill colors, Solid and Gradient Fill.

Fill Color using Swatches

To fill an object, open up your Swatches Palette. Select your object and pick any color from the swatches.

Fill Color using Color Picker


Another way to fill color is by double clicking on the Fill in your Tool Palette. A Color Picker window will appear and you can pick your color.

Stroke

• Path or the outline created (using Pen Tool or other drawing tool) that formed the graphic shape.
• Stroke is actually the value of path when it applied with color & thickness value.

Adding Stroke & Fill using Control Palette

You can also easily change fill, stroke color and stroke weight by accessing your Control Palette at the top of your artboard.

Stroke Styles - Caps

The Stroke Caps determine the start and end points of a stroke. This applies to open paths only. You can choose between a Butt, Round, or Projecting cap.

Stroke Styles - Miter Limit

The stroke’s Miter Limit specifies the appearance for the joins in a shape. Notice how the joins look after we applied different miter settings to the stars.

These are some very basic knowledge to know about Fill & Stroke. On the next post later we will come back to show more on how to make Fill Gradient for your artworks.

The less popular drawing tools in vector graphic editor, Adobe Illustrator in this case is the Pencil Tools. Unlike the Pen Tools as we describe previously, the Pencil tool normally used to draw some free hand lines, irregular shapes which precision does not matter. Though it is good to see what and how the Pencil Tools in Adobe Illustrator can do.

Pencil tool - Drawing A Line

Select the Pencil tool from Tool icon, note that your mouse cursor indicates the pencil tool ready to draw. Now draw by click your mouse (or stylus pen if you're using it), hold and drag to make line shape.


As you can see the line created will have anchor points & stroke - the basic of vector drawing. The anchor points are automatically created by the software engine depends on where the curves you make.

Closing Paths with Pencil Tool

To close a path, hold Alt as your Pencil Tool reaches the start point. A circle icon will appear next to the Pencil Tool to indicate path closure.


From a line, close the path (join back to the first point) and it becomes a compound of a shape.

Smoothing Jaggy Lines

Smooth Tool is used when lines you draw with Pencil Tool looks jaggy. To smoothen the parts that are jaggy, select Smooth Tool or simply hold Alt (Option for Mac) to turn the Pencil Tool to Smooth Tool. Then draw over the area of the lines which you would like to smoothen.

Reshaping Path

The Pencil tool is also possible to reshape a path line, make sure your path is selected and use the Pencil Tool to redraw the parts you would like to reshape.


Note that the start and end path (show in dotted line, left image above) must be close to the original path to make it work.

Customizing Pencil Tools

You can turn on the Pencil Tool Preferences by double clicking on the Pencil Tool. You can change the fidelity and smoothness to find a combination that works for you.

Fidelity: Determines how close the path is drawn to your mouse movement. Set it at a higher fidelity if you’re not good at drawing with your mouse.

Smoothness: The higher you set for smoothness, the less anchor point it produces. Thus, producing a smoother line.


Double click on the Pencil Tool to open the Pencil Tool Preference to make some adjustment.

Eraser Tool

Use to delete paths, and most of vector objects. You can experiment the use of Eraser tool with the shape you have been draw.

• The Eraser tool works based on selection. It will erase only that object selected. If there is no object selected it will erase any valid object it comes in contact with (object type that is erasable). Objects can be on any layer, or in a group, but they must be unlocked.
• Objects that are not erased by the Eraser tool are: Images, Text, symbols, Graphs, and Gradient Meshes. The preview works on all objects, so it looks like these objects will erase, but on mouse up, they are not changed.

Find out more on Eraser tool here.

Transform Tools in this tutorials covering the very basic functions as to show how to use the Scale, Rotate, Reflect and Shear. These are most common tools in any vector graphic applications. There are some more advance tools in Transformation but we should explore it later once we master the basic transform.

Scale

To Free Scale objects

Select object, click Free Transform tool (shortcut E), cursor will change, drag corner to freely scale the size. 

Tips: Hold Shift to scale consistently (proportionate)

To Scale objects by Value %

Select objects, double click Scale tool (dialog box appear), set the % value.
or..
Select objects, (Menu) Object > Transform > Scale (dialog box appear), set % value.

Rotate

To Free Rotate objects

Select object, click Free Transform tool (shortcut E), cursor will change, click anywhere outside of the object to freely rotate.

Hold Shift to rotate consistently 45° or 90° to the left or right.

To Rotate objects by Value °

Select objects, double click Rotate tool (dialog box appear), set the ° value.
or..
Select objects, (Menu) Object > Transform > Rotate (dialog box appear), set the ° value.

Move & Duplicate

To Move objects by Coordinate Value

We can accurately move an object from one position to another position instead of dragging an object. Very useful when precision does matter.

Select object, double click Selection tool (dialog box appear), set Hor. & Ver. value, click OK.
or..
Select objects, (Menu) Object > Transform > Move, set the H&V value, OK.
or..
Select object, press Enter on your keyboard, set H&V value, OK. ← i prefer this method ☺



To Duplicate (Copy) objects by Coordinate Value

Note that there is a Copy button in the dialog box, simply click the Copy button to copy (duplicate) the object and the object will be paste onto the new position as the Horizontal & Vertical value set.

To duplicates more from the second copied objects, simply press keyboard Ctrl + D and repeat the action as many as you want.

Illustrator will record your last action - the Copy process with Hor. & Ver. value, so to repeat the last action use Ctrl + D (or in the Menu > Object > Transform > Transform Again').

Reflect

Select object, double click Reflect tool (dialog box appear), set the axis value.
or..
Select object, (Menu) Object > Transform > Reflect (dialog box appear), set axis value.

Shear

To Free Shear object

Select object, click Shear tool start shear by click & drag outside area of the object, the object will follow mouse direction.

Use your cursor direction where you want the Shear direction to follow.

To Shear object by Angle

Select object, double click Shear tool (dialog box appear), set the Shear Angle.
or..
Select object, (Menu) Object > Transform > Reflect (dialog box appear), set the Shear Angle.



Choose the Axis - Hor., Ver. or by Angle °.

Conclusion

These are most common use of transforming objects in Adobe Illustrator that user will use. Practice always made perfect. You will learn more tips & tricks in your own learning.. keep on sharing..

There are some basic shapes available in the Toolbox as shown in the image below. They call it Shape Tools. When you go to the Toolbox and hold the Rectangle Tool, a list of shape tools will expand out for you to pick. We will start with the default Rectangle Tool (the shortcut is M).

The name of the tools show the functions, so try do create some shapes; rectangle, ellipse,etc.

Before we go more on Shape Tools, we need to understand the basic of Vector Graphic that render the 'Shape' - the Fill & Stroke

Understanding Fill & Stroke

• Fill - color inside the compound shape
• Stroke - color of the outline shape

Draw a Rectangle as shown below. By default, it has a white fill and black stroke. (Stroke is the border of the shape)

Fill & Stroke color tool

As the image shown here, the Stroke Tool indicated by the square hollowed box (shown here with black color). Fill Tool indicated by solid square (shown here with white color).

As the image shown here, the Stroke is active, as it is on top of the Fill. To change the Fill color, click the Fill Tool first, to make it on top (active).
And the small doublehead arrow is to swap the colors between Fill & Stroke.

Changing Fill Color

Let’s start changing the Fill color for the rectangle. Double click the Fill from the Tool Palette. It will pop up the Color Picker. Drag the (small triangle) slider to blue and select a deep blue color, click Ok.

Removing Stroke

Click the Stroke in the Tool Palette once to swap it above Fill. Click the None icon boxed up in red to set the Stroke to None. The black stroke will disappear.


Now after we understand the basic element of vector graphic, that Shapes are rendered using Fill & Stroke.. now lets try more on Shape Tools ↓

Constrain Proportions

To draw a perfect square, we will select the Rectangle Tool. Hold Shift (keyboard) & drag (mouse) to draw a square. Same for the circle, we will select the Ellipse Tool and hold Shift & drag your mouse to get perfect circle.

Resizing Shapes

To resize shapes, select the shape using the Selection Tool and a bounding box will appear. Drag the corner anchor point to resize it. To constrain to proportion while resizing, hold Shift as you resize. Also hold Alt/Option if your want to resize from the same position.

Rotating Shapes

Select the shape with the Selection Tool and a bounding box will appear. Move your cursor near the anchor corner and a rotation icon will icon, click and turn it to rotate the square. To snap at 45 degrees increment, hold Shift and turn.

More Options for Shape Tools

Select the Star Tool. Click once on the artboard and an option will pop up. Enter the values as shown and click Ok. It will draw a star burst shape. This method can be used to create more options for star shape.

Conclusion

All of these basic shapes available in Adobe Illustrator are just basic symmetrical objects / shapes which were constructed with Fill & Stroke that shaped the object itself. This Fill & Stroke is the key in creating ‘vector image’ or ‘vector graphic’ (the shape / object itself). We will learn more on Fill & Stroke later as well as creating different objects and more complex shapes. This process will include the using of most popular drawing tools for vector graphic software - the Pen Tool.