Objective:

From Adobe Stock, download a digital photograph (bitmap) of an animal, reptile, or insect, and remake the image with layered shapes in Illustrator as a vector illustration. Images must be real photographs from Adobe Stock, not AI generated or previous Illustrations.

To open Adobe Stock, use the Creative Cloud App and search for Stock. (entering Stock from the App will ensure that an SIU license is connected)

Animal Selection:

• Choose an animal that has a strong, directional light source. Low light and diffuse light that doesn't provide shadows won't work well
• Choose an animal with short fur, no fur, or smooth skin.
• Choose an animal with some type of form to its body (dont' use butterflies or small birds)
• Choose an animal that has light colored features (an all black animal will not work well)
• Choose an animal image that is framed well (the animal takes up the frame and we can see its whole body) and has some type of natural background (not on white or on transparent)
• Choose an animal image that has a sharp focus for the whole image.
• Choose an image with a high resolution (1200 px width or height at the very minimum). All photographs should be from Adobe Stock.
• Choose a photograph, not an image that is made with AI and an image that has a real background in the photograph.

Formal Approach:

• Pay special attention to the image as shapes rather than textures and lines.
• When looking at the image, break it down from the largest shapes to smallest shapes. (don't start with the feathers, spots, hair, bumps, etc.)
• Think of creating your animal as if it's a stack of cut pieces of colored paper.
• Think of creating your animal like a topographic map (topology). The biggest pieces will be at the bottom of the stack.
• Use the topology of your animal by breaking your shapes down based on cross-contour lines.
  (you won't be drawing the lines in your file, but visualize them as you look at your animal)

Guidelines:

• File size should be 7.5 inches by 10 inches.
• Original image must be placed and embedded into the Illustrator file for tracing.
• Color palette limited to 5 BASE COLORS. You can add tints (white) and shades (black) to each of these BASE COLORS.
• No Stroke Colors, Filters, Effects, Brushes, or Gradient, or Transparency are to be used.
• NO OPEN PATHS OR LINES
• Solid Color Only. ALL OF YOUR SHAPES WILL BE CLOSED PATHS (NO LINES)
• Save your file and name it firstname_lastname_animal.ai
• As an option, you may use a maximum of 3 shapes with a feathered edge.

Objectives: Adobe Illustrator

• Paths and Shapes (pen tool)
• Color Panel, Swatches Panel, Color Guide Panel
• Layers
• Composition
• Pen Tool
• Hand-Eye Coordination

Requirements:

• A minimum of 3 layers (all layers must be labeled)
• All paths must be closed.
• All colors in artwork must be saved in the Swatches Panel
• Simple background to describe the animal's environment.
• File named correctly and put into the Drop folder
• As mentioned in class, original source file must be embedded.

Criteria For Grading and Evaluation:

What to Turn in:

1. name your AI file:
2. firstname_lastname_animal.ai
3. Submit your file to SIU Desire to Learn