Objective

To learn the art of creating wordmarks. To learn Adobe Illustrator's type manipulation tools by recreating the above wordmark.

Discussion

Straight lines are fairly easy to master in Illustrator. The art of drawing curves takes a little more practice. But to master the pen tool is to master the most powerful tool in Illustrator.

Procedure

1. download starter file
2. open downloaded file in Illustrator, examine layers
3. practice Adobe navigation keyboard shortcuts: space=hand; space+cmd=zoom in; space+cmd+opt=zoom out; cmd+zero=fit in window
4. go to "curve" layer, lock others
5. set fill=none, stroke=black (swap default colors)
6. pen tool: start tracing over the art (watch the mouse carefully)
7. make adjustments as needed (tip: temporarily access the direct select tool with the CMD key)
8. make stroke 2pts, choose round caps
9. hide "anchor points" and "handle" layers
10. width tool: add width points to increase/decrease stroke widths
11. select > objects > stray points; delete
12. go to "type" layer, lock others
13. type tool (point type): type "SEAFOOD." (Adobe Garamond)
14. make type large; kern, track, distort (match template)
15. select tool: copy type object (move with option)
16. type > convert to outlines; view outlines (cmd+Y)
17. align outlines with template, remove horizontal stroke of "A"
18. fine-tune art until it matches template, save
19. clean-up your printable area; add your name to the bottom of the page

grading

1. clean-up your printable area and add credit: in 10pt Helvetica, 1/2" from bottom and right side of the page add:
   • Exercise 0: Wordmark (Seafood)
   • your name
2. print a proof for grading
3. file your graded proof in your Process Book for individual review