Layers TV: Episode 14

CATEGORIES: Layers TV Archive | Web Editor | December 19, 2007

RC gets things started in Illustrator by building a business card using custom shapes from Photoshop. Special guest Bill Fortney from Nikon Professional Services stopped by to talk about the new D300 and the D3. Corey continues the fun in Illustrator demonstrating a cool Flash animation technique, without using Flash.

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RC gets things started in Illustrator by building a business card using custom shapes from Photoshop.

Set up the Illustrator document to the business card format.
Jump over to Photoshop and create a new document.
Access the custom shape menu via the Shape tool options. Locate the sound icon then hold the Shift key down to draw the shape out proportionately.
Select the shape and copy it to the clipboard. Then go back to the Illustrator file and paste the object pressing Command-V {PC:Ctrl-V}. In the paste options choose Compound Shape.
Right click or Control click the shape and select Release Compound Path
Select the individual shapes and color them
Lastly drag the last shape out and apply the 3D extrude to it to give the background a sort of dimensional look.
Finish it off by masking the shape within the boundaries of the image with a Clipping Mask.

Special guest Bill Fortney from Nikon Professional Services stopped by to talk about the new D300 and the D3.

Corey continues the fun in Illustrator demonstrating a cool Flash animation technique, without using Flash.

Start with a file that has a simple shape with some text in the middle.
Use the pen tool to draw a curved line around the inner edge of each side of the shape.
Select the blend tool in the toolbar and set the blend options to 20 Specified Steps.
Starting with the first line, click anywhere on the path with the blend tool. Click the next path, then the next, all the way around.
Now go to File>Export and choose Flash(swf) for the format. Give the file a name and click Export.
Set the Export As to AI Layers to SWF Frames.
In the Advanced tab, check on the Animate Blends option and choose In Build. Set the Frame rate to 25.
Finally check on Export Static Layers and lock the layer that contains the background art. Click Web Preview to preview the animation in your browser.