Objective

To learn the art of illustration with type. To learn Illustrator and Photoshop's type manipulation tools by recreating the following cover art:

Discussion

Commercial editoral covers need to be strong and bold in order to draw attention to itself. In this case, bright colors against a black background help evoke the neon effect which also conceptually ties in to eating out at night. The perspective helps make the neon art look 3-dimensional which also helps to make the cover art jump out at you.

Procedure

prepping for the exercise

1. download starter files
2. turn on Whitney and Helvetica Rounded using Font Explorer
3. launch Illustrator
4. file > new (cmyk; artboard = 11.5 x 12.25 inches)
5. practice Adobe navigation keyboard shortcuts: space=hand; space+cmd=zoom in; space+cmd+opt=zoom out; cmd+zero=fit in window
6. draw box 10.25 x 11.5 inches (this is the live area)
7. center on artboard (window > align; flyout: align to artboard)
8. rename "layer 1" as "guides"
9. view > guides > make guides
10. draw box 11.5 x 12.25 inches; fill=white, stroke=black (align-inside);
    align to artboard (this is the trim area)
11. save file as "masthead.ai"

recreating the masthead in Illustrator

1. file > place "dining.jpg" (as template)
2. reposition art (unlock layer temporarily)
3. new layer "masthead"
4. recreate the "buzz" logo (Whitney)
5. copy and paste text from "dining.txt"
6. recreate the masthead (10/12pt ITC Franklin Gothic Book/Demi);
   tip: use periods for dotted rules
7. spec "special issue" (14pt ITC Franklin Gothic Demi); tracking=?
8. new layer "box": draw box, fill 100K+50C (this is the art area)
9. save, save as "dining.ai"

creating the cover art in Illustrator

1. new layer "type" (lock others)
2. spec "spring dining guide" (Helvetica Rounded Bold, fill=white)
3. adjust size, leading, tracking
4. duplicate "type" layer, rename "type2"; hide previous layer
5. type > create outlines
6. object > path > offset path (2pt)
7. ungroup
8. delete original type objects
9. fill=none, stroke=white, weight=2, join=round
10. duplicate "type2" layer, rename "type10"; stroke weight=10
11. delete unneeded layers, delete unneeded art
12. save
13. file > export "dining.psd" (format=Photoshop, 150 DPI, CMYK, layers=yes, editable type=no)

creating the neon art in Photoshop

1. open "dining.psd" in Photoshop
2. go to "type10" layer
3. marquee "spring", change foreground color, fill (opt+shift+DELETE)
4. repeat with other words
5. duplicate "type10" layer, rename "type5"
6. go to "type2" layer: filter > blur > gaussian blur (1)
7. go to "type5" layer: filter > blur > gaussian blur (5)
8. go to "type10" layer: filter > blur > gaussian blur (10)
9. duplicate select blurred layers (to achieve brightness)
10. save, save as "dining2.psd"
11. merge all neon layers (cmd+E)
12. edit > transform > distort
13. save

finishing the page in Illustrator

1. open "dining.ai"
2. new layer "neon" (restack below "box" layer)
3. file > place "dining2.psd"; align to artboard
4. select art on "box" and "neon" layers
5. object > clipping path > make
6. delete unneeded layers

grading

1. file > adobe PDF presets > smallest file size (for web)
2. print a b&w laser proof (fit to page, centered on 11x17)
3. submit b&w laser proof with your name on it for grading
4. file graded proof in your 3-ring binder for individual review
5. file > save for web (preset=jpeg high, image size=800px wide max)
6. publish JPEG as a link from your projects page