Illustrator Exam Objectives
Illustrator Exam Objectives
1.1.a
Determine whether content is relevant to the purpose, audience, audience needs, user experience, and has an appropriate design for target devices.
Key Terms: client goals, target audience, demographics, accessibility, etc.
1.1.b
Identify requirements based on how the designs and artwork will be used, including video, print, and web.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 1.1 HERE⭐
1.2.a
Demonstrate knowledge of techniques for communicating about design plans with peers and clients.
Key Terms: sketches, specifications, design process, wireframes, prototypes, iterations, change orders, drafts, feedback loop, etc.
1.2.b
Demonstrate knowledge of basic project management concepts.
Key Terms: project scope, scope creep, cloud collaboration and file management
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 1.2 HERE⭐
1.4.a
Demonstrate knowledge of digital graphics terminology.
Key Terms: image resolution, image size, file types, pixel, raster, bitmap, vector, path, object, type, rasterizing, rendering, resizing, image size measured in pixels vs. document size measured in inches/centimeters, etc.
1.4.b
Demonstrate knowledge of how color is created in digital graphics.
Key Terms: color mode, gamut, CMYK vs. RGB vs. HSB vs. grayscale, dithering, etc.
1.5.a
Communicate visually by using the elements and principles of design and common design techniques.
Key Terms: space, line, shape, form, color, texture, emphasis/focal point, unity/harmony, variety, balance, alignment, proximity, repetition, rhythm, scale, movement, negative space, gestalt, etc.
1.5.b
Identify and use common typographic adjustments to create contrast, hierarchy, and enhanced readability.
Key Terms: font, size, style, color, alignment, kerning, tracking, leading, horizontal and vertical scale, line length, etc.
1.5.c
Define common graphic design and illustration terms and principles.
Key Terms: aspect ratio, rule of thirds, foreground, background, color, tone, contrast, framing, etc.
2.1.a
Set appropriate document settings for printed and onscreen artwork.
Key Concepts: width/height, orientation, artboards, bleed, raster effects, resolution, color mode, etc.
2.1.b
Create document presets to reuse for specific project needs.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 2.1 HERE⭐
2.2.a
Identify and manipulate elements of the Illustrator interface.
Key Concepts: application bar, application header, control panel, menus, panels, toolbars, artboards, 100x canvas, etc.
2.2.b
Organize and customize the workspace.
Key Concepts: using and switching between default workspaces; tabbed documents; showing, hiding, grouping, and docking panels; shortcuts and menus; customizing, saving, and resetting workspaces; etc.
2.2.c
Configure application preferences.
Key Concepts: General, Type, Units, Guides & Grid, User Interface, File Handling & Clipboard, Appearance of Black
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 2.2 HERE⭐
2.3.a
Navigate documents.
Key Concepts: panning, zooming, pasteboard, etc.
2.3.b
Use rulers.
Key Concepts: showing and hiding rulers, changing the measurement unit on rulers, adjusting and resetting ruler origin
2.3.c
Use guides and grids.
Key Concepts: adding, removing, and locking/unlocking guides; hiding guides and grids; showing grids; using snap or align options; creating guide layouts
2.3.d
Use views and modes to work efficiently with vector graphics.
Key Concepts: Outline vs Overprint Preview/Pixel Preview/Trim View, Screen Mode, Presentation Mode, Isolation Mode, Drawing modes.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 2.3 HERE⭐
2.4.a
Open artwork.
2.4.b
Place assets in an Illustrator document.
Key Concepts: embedding, linking, replacing, copying and pasting, import options, etc.
2.4.c
Use the Links panel.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 2.4 HERE⭐
2.5.a
Set the active fill and stroke colors.
Key Concepts: Color Picker, swatches, Eyedropper tool, color values, etc.
2.5.b
Create and customize gradients.
Key Concepts: Gradient panel, editing color stops and opacity, gradient types, Gradient Mesh, etc.
2.5.c
Create, manage, and edit swatches and swatch libraries.
Key Concepts: color, global color, pattern, and gradient swatches; identifying color swatch type, including Process, Spot, and Global Spot; creating, managing, and loading swatch libraries; etc.
2.5.d
Use the Color Guide panel to select coordinated colors.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 2.5 HERE⭐
2.6.a
Open and browse libraries of included brushes, symbols, graphic styles, and patterns.
2.6.b
Edit preset brushes, symbols, graphic styles, and patterns.
Key Concepts: stroke, fill, brushes, brush types, width tool, etc
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 2.6 HERE⭐
3.1.a
Use the Layers panel to modify layers.
Key Concepts: adding, deleting, hiding/showing, locking/unlocking, duplicating, and renaming layers; layer options; etc.
3.1.b
Manage and work with multiple layers in a complex project.
Key Concepts: using sublayers, Paste Remembers Layers, hierarchy and stacking order, selecting and targeting objects using the Layers panel, etc
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 3.1 HERE⭐
3.2.a
Adjust the opacity of a layer.
Key Concepts: Transparency panel and Opacity masks
3.2.b
Create, apply, and manipulate clipping masks.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 3.2 HERE⭐
4.1.a
Create graphics or artwork using a variety of tools.
Key Tools: drawing tools, painting tools, Pencil tool, Paintbrush tool, Pen tool, Curvature tool, shapes, Blob Brush tool, etc.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 4.1 HERE⭐
4.2.a
Use type tools to add typography.
Key Tools: Point Type tool, Area Type tool, Type on a Path tool, Vertical Type tool, Vertical Area Type tool, Vertical Type on a Path tool, and Touch Type tool
Key Concepts: difference between area type, point type, and type on a path; placeholder text
4.2.b
Use appropriate character settings.
Key Settings: font, size, style, alignment, kerning, tracking, leading, horizontal and vertical scale, color used to enhance readability and hierarchy, enhanced type, etc.
4.2.c
Use appropriate paragraph settings.
Key Settings: indentation, alignment, paragraph spacing
4.2.d
Convert text to graphics.
Key Concepts: converting text to outlines, benefits/disadvantages
4.2.e
Manage text flow.
Key Concepts: multiple text areas, managing overflow text, threading text, wrapping text, etc
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 4.2 HERE⭐
4.3.a
Select objects using a variety of tools.
Key Concepts: targeting vs selecting, saving selections, selecting based on object attributes (color, stroke, opacity), etc.
4.3.b
Modify and refine selections using various methods.
Key Concepts: keyboard modifiers, selecting multiple objects with selection tools or Layers panel, moving and grouping objects, regular Selection tool vs Direct Selection tool vs Lasso tool vs Group Selection tool, etc.
4.3.c
Group or ungroup selections.
Concepts: grouped objects, Isolation Mode, etc.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 4.3 HERE⭐
4.4.a
Modify artboards.
Key Tools: Artboard tool; resizing, cropping, and copy and paste art and artboards within and between documents, etc.
Key Concept: understanding the relationship between the art and the artboard.
4.4.b
Rotate, flip, and transform individual layers, objects, selections, groups, or graphical elements.
Key Concepts: scaling, scale options, transforming, warping, distorting, skewing, using distortion tools or menu options, Repeat objects, etc.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 4.4 HERE⭐
4.5.a
Apply basic auto-correction methods and tools.
Key Tools: Simplify tool, Smooth tool, Join tool, etc.
4.5.b
Repair and reconstruct graphics.
Key Tools: eraser, scissors, knife, Shape Builder, pathfinder, Live Paint, etc.
4.5.c
Evaluate or adjust the appearance of objects, selections, or layers.
Key Concepts: fill and stroke, Appearance panel, brushes, Eyedropper tool, etc.
4.5.d
Use Image Trace to create vectors from bitmap images.
Key Concepts: Trace presets, tracing settings, expanding, etc.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 4.5 HERE⭐
4.6.a
Use effects to modify images.
Key Concepts: identifying the difference between raster and vector effects; drop shadows, feathers, and glows; editing applied effects, etc.
4.6.b
Create, edit, and save graphic styles.
Key Concepts: creating, deleting, and managing graphic styles; breaking links to graphic styles, etc.
4.6.c
Expand the appearance of objects.
Key Concepts: expanding transformations, stroke, effects
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 4.6 HERE⭐
5.1.a
Verify project specifications.
Key Concepts: print settings, document color mode, resolution (raster effects), pixel dimensions, metadata, etc
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 5.1 HERE⭐
5.2.a
Save in the native file format for Illustrator (.ai).
Key Concepts: compatibility, save options including Cloud documents
5.2.b
Save graphics in appropriate formats for print or screen.
Key Concepts: file formats (including vector vs. raster), CMYK vs RGB, resolution, pixel dimensions, etc.
5.2.c
Export project elements.
Key Concepts: exporting assets, exporting specific selections or artboards, exporting for screens, etc.
5.2.d
Package an Illustrator project.
Key Concepts: font and image management and troubleshooting, file packages, etc.
⭐LEARN DOMAIN 5.2 HERE⭐