Need to learn Illustrator

Might be an idea to say where you are located? =)

-Kim

lynda.com

I second lynda.com… their classes are very inexpensive but are great and include downloadable files to follow along with if you get the premium membership.

Hi csuebee,

Not sure if you still need any help learning illustrator but I have been working with the program for about 5 or 6 years now and would be more than happy to help you out! If you have any questions just contact me. I’m not sure where you are located but I am in upstate NY!

Parson’s New School of Design also offers some great online courses

I’ve got a quick question about AI, (CS5), when sending off files for polmers how can I automatically insert cross hairs in the corners for registration/trimming? Ive managed to get , crop marks 2 lines which dont cross, but was hoping to get something that crossed so when I cut one way I didnt lose the guide for the next cut. If that makes sense.

Thanks

Rich

Hi csuebee,

I understand where you are coming from its better to have someone besides you going through everything. I know this because I’ve just graduate with a BA hons first class in Graphic Information Design and have been taught to use the following.

Photoshop
Indesign
Illustrator
Dreamweaver
and so on..

I also feel even though tutorials are good it can take some time to get the hang of things especially when using the technical terms/phrases. If you have any problems or encounter anything no matter how big or small you can email me. As Jerpchap said.

Hope it helps

Alex

Hi Pressingtheadana,

When printing documents or sending work to be printed there are two set-ups I like to have on my files. One being the crop marks as you stated these can be added within the printing or saving stages of the document.

How are you cutting these designs?! If you doing what I think you are that is using a guillotine trimming one side at time and losing the mark up for the next cut. We were taught to either use a pencil to just outline the next mark. Or using a scalpel and ruler go over the crop marks but don’t completely trim it off just simply get an impression as to where the line sits. Once that is done you can then trim each side off knowing where the next mark-up is.

May I also recommend if you are printing anything with colours or images running off the document that you add a nice 3mm bleed line to help run those colours/images off the document fully! doing this stops you from having those annoying white perforation marks that are found around the document/design. These can be added at the start of setting your document up or can be added at anytime while working on your document and at the end for printing set-up.

But when these are added you need to drag the colour or image up to the red line guide around your document for it to function. You’ll probably see this anyway.

Hope that helps?!

Alex Auld.

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your help, that makes sense, happily do that, we have just been drawing the cross hairs on before sending to plate maker so far, we havent got a ‘working’ electric guillotine, so we are having to cut everything on our trusty supermarket piece of crud guillotine, 1 at a time.

The last 2 paragraphs I dont think I understand, are you saying carry the design past the ‘border’ and into the bleed (past crop marks)?

tbh its my wife who uses AI, (abode, not………), I haven’t a clue, i just dont have the stubborness not to ask for help.

Thanks again

Rich

Hey Rich,

Your welcome and I’m glad the first part makes sense with what you are doing.

Sorry I’m not the best at explaining everything through type its a lot easier to show and talk about aha. what I was saying is when you open a new document in Illustrator it gives you an option for a bleed line. It varies with different designs and people, but I always go with a nice 3mm bleed.
What you need to do (only if your colours/images/objects are running off the document) Is make sure you give a little extra and pull it up to your red bleed line. Again this will prevent those white perforation marks.

I’ve added two images below just so you can see visually as I’m a visual person. One is of a blank document so you can Identify the red line which is your bleed that goes around your document. Second image shows an example of the lovely blue cyan being carried up to the bleed line ready for print.

Hope this helps?!

Alex

Screen shot 2011-09-07 at 15.04.24.jpg

Screen shot 2011-09-07 at 15.04.34.jpg

I getcha, handy, i’ll pass on the knowledge to Mrs Richard.

might attempt AI one day, But I havent a good eye for design anyway so probably wont bother.

Thanks

rich

Hey Rich,

It was a pleasure to help really. Give it a try one day you’ll never know, you might end up liking it.

Alex