Lynda.COM Illustrator Insider Training series, Seeing Through Transparency

Author:
Mordy Golding

Duration:
02h 50m

Released on:
5/10/2011

Exercise files:
Yes


In this installment of the Illustrator Insider Training series, Seeing Through Transparency, Mordy Golding shows experienced Illustrator users how to create transparency effects and ensure reliable printing results. This course reviews the history of vector transparency and covers features such as knockout groups, opacity masks, and transparency flattening. Mordy also shows how to establish a safe workflow when placing Illustrator graphics containing transparency in PostScript, PDF, and InDesign files. Exercise files and a free worksheet are included with the course.
Topics include:

    Understanding how transparency works across the Adobe applications
    Deconstructing the Transparency panel
    Adding transparency to gradients
    Understanding how overprints and knockouts work
    Using a gradient or complex appearance as an opacity mask
    The rules of transparency flattening
    Working with complex regions
    Understanding the relationship between flattening and stacking order
    Creating and sharing flattener presets
    Saving PDF files and using the PDF/X standards




Introduction
Welcome           01m 06s
The history of vector transparency           04m 02s
Getting the most out of this training           01m 30s
Using the exercise files           00m 26s

1. Core Transparency Concepts
Transparency living in a world of PostScript           02m 56s
Transparency...it's everywhere           02m 13s
Transparency across Adobe applications           01m 12s

2. Applying Transparency
Deconstructing the Transparency panel           07m 48s
Adding transparency to gradients           04m 59s
Using the Isolate Blending setting           05m 20s
Understanding how overprints and knockouts work           06m 26s
Using the Knockout Group setting           06m 47s
Using the Knockout Group setting without a group           06m 02s
Understanding the Opacity & Mask Define Knockout Shape setting           04m 58s

3. Using Opacity Masks
What is an opacity mask?           03m 37s
Learning from channels in Photoshop           07m 20s
Creating an opacity mask           06m 44s
Editing an opacity mask           05m 31s
Using a gradient as an opacity mask           04m 44s
Using image pixels as an opacity mask           04m 04s
Using a complex appearance as an opacity mask           04m 26s

4. Transparency Flattening
Understanding transparency flattening           05m 58s
Learning the two rules of flattening           08m 01s
Understanding the concept of complex regions           07m 47s
Exploring the Transparency Flattener options           11m 44s
The relationship between flattening and stacking order           08m 22s
Using the Flattener Preview panel           08m 03s
Creating and sharing flattener presets           03m 35s

5. Establishing a Safe Workflow
Working with PostScript (EPS) files           07m 22s
Placing Illustrator files into InDesign layouts           03m 59s
Copying graphics from Illustrator           02m 41s
Saving PDF files           04m 41s
Using the PDF/X standards           04m 36s
Printing files from Illustrator           01m 18s

Conclusion
Next steps           00m 34s