D2 Tutorial 3 Spears

This tutorial will include a few small things that might help in coming assignments.

(This tutorial was made using a low-grade free version of illustrator called Inkscape so it will be a bit different but it is close enough to translate decently)

How to create a simple coupon layout by hand:

1) Select the square shape tool

2) Make your rectangle along the canvas surface like a border. Make sure the fill is on none and change the stroke to a color of your choosing.

3) You can pretty much choose the thickness of the stroke as well but for this tutorial I chose to set it to 6.0.

You will want to set the dash setting on the stroke. Below is an example of where it is shown in Adobe Illustrator. Just click the square next to where it says "Dashed Line".

It should look like this:

4) To create the separating lines for the individual coupons for your customers, select the pen tool and create a straight like by holding down the shift key while making the line. Be sure to let go of the cursor first, otherwise the key's function will be cancelled.

A nice tool for precision is the grid tool.

5) For additional lines just copy and paste the line or hold down alt. key and drag down to duplicate easier.

6) To create the sub-dividers you could simply copy paste the same line and rotate 90 degrees either way or you could just create another line. Again, for additional lines, copy paste or use the alt. key.

And with this nice layout you may want to add a custom cut layer. Here is how:

Let's say you have a nice image of a platter that is very appetizing and would look great in your ad but you need to cut out a few things. "Google" an image (and yes it is now officially a verb)

1) Save any image you choose for your ad.

I chose a nice looking pita tray.

2) Open it with Adobe Photoshop (or in my case, Gimp)

3) Make a new layer from the background layer so you may save the image with transparent areas.

4) Edit the image how you want it.

I chose to saturate the colors a bit more and bump up the contrast for make the colors sand out a bit better.

5) Save the image as a PNG file.

6) Open the image with Adobe Illustrator (again, for me, Inkscape)

7) Remember to embed the image. In Illustrator, the embed setting should be in the center of the area directly above the work space.

8) Move and  scale the image freely to fir your composition.

Viola! You have the beginning to a nice, simple grocery ad.