Vector Illustration
PROJECT DIRECTIONS
Create a vector illustration from a photograph in Adobe Illustrator following the step by step instructions below.
Use your knowledge of the color wheel, color schemes for the last project and apply a specific color scheme (monochromatic, triad, etc.) to your illustration.
Please refer back to our exercise on Color Theory for help.
Art & Design Concepts in this lesson...
Focus on using Color Schemes in design. Illustration and Vector Art.
Create a vector illustration from a photograph in Adobe Illustrator following the step by step instructions below.
Use your knowledge of the color wheel, color schemes for the last project and apply a specific color scheme (monochromatic, triad, etc.) to your illustration.
Please refer back to our exercise on Color Theory for help.
Art & Design Concepts in this lesson...
Focus on using Color Schemes in design. Illustration and Vector Art.
Step 1
Open Photoshop CS6 Then open one of the photos I took of you in class. These are located on the V: drive. (I'll be using this photo of President Obama in the tutorial steps that follow) Step 2 Image > Adjustments > Posterize Step 3 Set a level around 3, 4, or 5 (your photo should look something like what you see below) Step 4 Image > Adjustments > Desaturate Step 5 This will be the result. Removes all the color from the photo. Step 6 Select the Paintbrush Tool with a Hardness setting around 85-90, and paint carefully around the object to hide the background. Just leave the photo of you. Step 7 Image > Adjustments > Threshold Step 8 This first Threshold should be set around 130. This number could be a little higher or lower. This 1st image will be the darkest and have the most Black. File > Save As... Save to your Z: drive folder as 1-darkest-color. Change the format to JPEG. Click OK Step 9 Go to Edit > Step Backward The image should look like this again. Step 10 The second Threshold should be set around 110. This number could be a little higher or lower. Your image should look like this one below. Not as black as the first one. File > Save As... Save to your Z drive folder as 2. Change the format to JPEG. Click OK Step 11 Go to Edit > Step Backward The image should look like this again.
Image > Adjustments > Threshold The third Threshold should be set around 75. This number could be a little higher or lower. Your image should look like this one below. Again, less black then before. File > Save As... Save to your Z drive folder as 3. Change the format to JPEG. Click OK Step 12 Go to Edit > Step Backward The image should look like this again.
Image > Adjustments > Threshold
The fourth Threshold should be set around 40. This number could be a little higher or lower. Your image should look like this one below. This image should contain the least amount of black. File > Save As... Save to your Z drive folder as 4. Change the format to JPEG. Click OK |
Project Goals KNOW (facts, dates, definitions, rules, people, places)
In this project students will know ... - Additional tools and techniques of Adobe Illustrator such as Image Trace. - Illustration is segment or area of Graphic Design. UNDERSTAND (big ideas, principles, generalizations, rules, the “point” of the discipline or topic within the discipline) Students should understand that... - Vector Art does not contain pixels. - Color Schemes are used to organize colors and let artists, designers and illustrators work with colors well in their work. BE ABLE TO DO (skills of literacy, numeracy, communication, thinking, planning, production, etc.; start with a verb such as: describe, explain, show, compare, synthesize, analyze, apply, construct, or solve) In this project students will ... - Create a self-portrait vector illustration using Adobe Illustrator utalizing a color scheme of their choice. - Self Evaluate their projects and answer questions about the project. Grading Rubric - Click here Visual Arts - Illinois Learning Standards Project - State Goals 25.A.4 - Analyze and evaluate the effective use of elements, principles and expressive qualities in a composition/performance in dance, drama, music and visual arts. 26.A.4e - Visual Arts: Analyze and evaluate how tools/technologies and processes combine to convey meaning. 27.B.4a - Analyze and classify the distinguishing characteristics of historical and contemporary art works by style, period and culture. |
Step 13
Open Adobe Illustrator CS6
Step 14
File Menu > New and click OK.
Place the 1st image
File Menu > Place. Place the image (1-darkest.jpg) that you saved to your student folder.
Click on the drop down arrow next to Image Trace button in the Options bar (see below.)
Select Tracing Options
Then click the check mark the Ignore White box and then click Trace
Step 17
Window > Extensions > Kuler
Step 18
Press the Expand Button
Step 19
Fill in the area just like you did with the Color Theory Design Project using the Live paintbucket.
The first layer will be filled with the lightest color
MAKE A NEW LAYER in the Layers Palette
Layer Menu > New Layer
Place the 2nd image
File Menu > Place. Place the image (2.jpg) that you saved to your student folder.
Follow the tracing steps, and live paint bucket, with a different color from your chosen color scheme.
Continue this process from above with your third and fourth images
Image 4 lightest color done in Photoshop will have the darkest color applied in Illustrator.
Final Image below
Step 20
File > save this as YOUR LAST NAME_ Vector Illustration.ai to the correct folder on the V: drive for Grading.
*Extension Activity - Do the same project steps above, but this time use a face of a celebrity. 50 Extra Points
Step 21
File > save this as YOUR LAST NAME_ Vector IllustrationCelebrity.ai to the correct folder on the V: drive for Grading.
Examples