Introduction to Infographics with Adobe Illustrator

Everything that happens in the world happens in a specific place. And to understand it, we need maps. One of the most complete infographics is the thematic map—a map that, in addition to indicating the where, also tells us the what and the how. In short, real illustrated stories.

In this 7-course Domestika Basics, learn how to use Adobe Illustrator to create spectacular infographic maps packed with information. Alongside Paadín, graphic designer, infographics creator, and teacher, see how to turn your map into a poster that becomes the focal point of any space.

Get started by opening Illustrator and familiarizing yourself with the software’s interface. Create work tables and inspect the tools available at your fingertips, including different action panels, and explore the options and preferences to generate your first “blank sheet.”

Next, create geometric shapes and learn how to move, transform, and modify their settings. Learn to play with the possibilities each offer, see how to combine them to generate more complex shapes, and prepare a sketch of your project.

In the third course, draw the grid for your map and import your reference images. Learn how to work in layers and use them to trace the terrain limits with drawing pens. See how to choose your color palette and create the background for your infographic.

Then it’s time to start drawing with a brush and pencils to give your map a look that really differentiates it. Use patterns to define terrain features, the Blend tool to create complex strokes, and different brushes to add details.

Using everything you have learned, create an illustrated layer in your infographic. Combine basic shapes and outlined drawings to build complex designs using the Pathfinder tool. In addition, learn a pro tip that helps save time with symbols.

Getting the most out of Adobe Illustrator's text editing tools is the focus of the next course. Write titles and words while discovering how to choose the most appropriate typeface. Explore the wide variety of options and learn how to use text as a graphic.

Finally, decide the export format of your map according to its end-use. In this last course, learn how to prepare a document for printing, how to prepare images for sharing on social media, and how to convert them to PDFs.

At the end of this Domestika Basics, you will know how to use Adobe Illustrator to create a variety of infographics and illustrations. Discover the vector drawing tools in depth and apply the techniques and concepts you have learned to start designing professional work.

[h] Technical Requirements [/ h]

⦁ A computer with Windows 7 (or higher) or macOS 10.12 (Sierra) ⦁ Adobe Illustrator CC (you can purchase it or download the 7-day free trial version on the Adobe website). ⦁ Previous knowledge about the software.