• Basic Tutorials - Adobe Illustrator 

    9) How to Add Images/Artistic Effects

    Adding images

    Watch the video below to discover the difference between vector and raster and see how to add images to your projects.

     
    What you learned: Adding images
    • In Illustrator, you can bring raster images — such as those taken with your phone — into your projects.
    • Choose File > Place to place an image into your document. In the Place dialog box, selecting the Link option creates a link to the original image. If the image is updated outside Illustrator, the image will be updated in your Illustrator document automatically. Deselecting the Link option when placing an image embeds the image in the Illustrator document.
    • Select the Selection tool in the Tools panel and Shift-drag a corner to resize the image. When finished, release the mouse button and then the Shift key.
    • Click the Crop Image button in the Properties panel on the right side of the document to crop parts of an image. Drag any handle around the image to remove an unwanted portion. Click Apply in the Properties panel.

    Understanding effects

    In this video you will learn what effects are, and how they are added and edited using the Appearance panel.

     
    What you learned: About effects
    • Under the Effect menu, see the various Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop CC effects. Illustrator effects are vector effects. Photoshop effects are raster effects.
    • To apply an effect, click Choose An Effect in the Properties panel.
    • To edit an effect, click the name of the effect in the Properties panel to open the effect options in a dialog box.
    • To open the Appearance panel, choose Window > Appearance or click More Options in the Appearance section of the Properties panel. The Appearance panel shows what is selected in your document and the appearance attributes applied to that artwork. To temporarily hide an effect applied to artwork, click the eye icon to the left of the effect name in the Appearance panel. To edit an effect, click the name of the effect in the Appearance panel.

    Adding effects

    This video shows how to add creative effects to your artwork using effects and the Appearance panel.

    What you learned: Adding effects
    • Click the Selection tool and click the artwork to select it.
    • To apply an effect, click Choose An Effect in the Properties panel. In the Effect menu that appears, choose an option such as Effect > Distort & Transform > Pucker & Bloat to apply the effect. In the dialog box that appears, edit the effect options and click OK.
    • To edit an effect, click the name of the effect in the Appearance panel. (To open the Appearance panel, choose Window > Appearance or click More Options in the Appearance section of the Properties panel.)

    Adding creative brush strokes

    Watch how to add creative brush strokes to artwork using the Brushes panel in the video below:

     
    What you learned: Adding creative brush strokes
    • Brushes are applied to the stroke of vector artwork in Illustrator.
    • Choose Window > Brushes to open the Brushes panel, which contains default brushes and any brushes created in the document.
    • Select the Selection tool and click to select vector artwork. In the Brushes panel, click a brush in the list to apply it.
    • Change the stroke weight in the Properties panel; the brush size changes with it.
    • Illustrator comes with a series of brush libraries. Click Brush Libraries Menu at the bottom of the Brushes panel to choose a brush library. With the library open as a panel, click to apply a brush to selected artwork.