Illustrator Practice P4: Trace a Photo

NOTE: Before you begin Practice Exercises 4 & 5 for Adobe Illustrator, you need to have completed the Video Tutorials on Paths and The Pen Tool (Chapter 5 of "Essential Training at Lynda.com) and the two pen tool exercises with the  downloadable AI files described in class: PEN TOOL EXERCISEs 1 & 2 (if you missed them download here)

• Pen Tool Exercise 1
• Pen Tool Exercise 2

 

Each color  shown above is a separately drawn object

Practice Four (P4):  Trace a Photo with the Pen Tool, Fill with Color 

• Download and follow the instructions below for tracing an object in Illustrator:

  • Download "How to trace a photo in AI" 

  Using the pen tool (in Illustrator), trace an object in a photo to create a representative image of an object of your choice (using closed paths). Remember to draw using closed vs. primitive paths, stacking shapes one atop the other to create the overall effect. Use the stroke and fill functions then to give parts of your image different values, weights, and color assignations. Load your finished work in the student drop box for a grade. (2 pts)

  
  Resources:

  • Pen Tool
  • Understanding Paths
  • Tracing
  • Tracing

  NOTE: IF you are having trouble understanding the closed path and stacked object process of drawing in Illustrator, check out the tutorial at http://vectorboom.com/load/tutorials/illustration/indiangirl/5-1-0-192 to see how one illustrator creates an image of a girl from India.

Below, student examples: