Illustrator CS6 Fundamentals

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
1214 Students

Learn to design and draw vector art, work with shape gradients, and manipulate color images using Adobe Illustrator CS6.

If you want to get a job as a graphic artist, you need to learn Adobe Illustrator. In this course, you'll see how Adobe Illustrator CS6 can give you the power to design, draw, and color images quickly and easily.

From drawing objects with the shape tools to mastering the all-important Pen tool to working with shape gradients, you'll gain the techniques you need to produce stunning vector graphics. You'll learn to apply and work with color, create shading effects and painterly brushstrokes, and add special effects such as 3D to your drawings that will set your work apart. You can also easily move designs back and forth between Photoshop and Illustrator to take advantage of the strengths of both programs.

Each lesson contains an assignment that challenges both your creativity and your growing skill with the program. The course is designed to let you work at your own level, whether you're just getting started with Illustrator or looking to refresh your Illustrator skills. Come experience the fun of Adobe Illustrator!

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Even if you're an absolute beginner, you'll feel right at home after we spend this first lesson touring Adobe Illustrator CS6's work area, toolbox, and panels. We'll jump right into some of Illustrator's fun features by auto-tracing a drawing, turning parts of it into a Live Paint Object (think of a digital coloring book), and recoloring it. As you meet each new feature, you'll learn more about what it is and what it does.

Today you'll discover Illustrator's shape tools, which are the first step on your gentle journey toward using the all-important Pen tool. Get ready to draw shapes and combine them to form illustrations.

Now that you've learned to create shapes, it's time to start playing with color. In today's lesson, you'll discover how to create your own colors, save them, and apply them. You'll also learn about the fabulous Recolor Artwork command and see how you can create and save color harmonies. After this lesson, you'll have a consultant that's always there to advise you on what colors work together.

Illustrator's magic comes from the anchor points that control all the shapes in an image. Today you'll learn to alter the anchor points on geometric objects and previously created shapes, so you can mold the results into something new.

The Pen tool is the basic instrument for creating vector art, and today you'll learn to use it. You already know what corner points and smooth points are and how to edit them; now you'll learn how to create them with the Pen tool as you trace over a template. You can do all your editing with the Pen tool once you understand its features . . . and you'll discover all the tricks today.

Now that you know how to trace and flip symmetrical objects, it's time to try your new skills with more challenging images. Not all images are symmetrical, and not all images consist of only one object. You need to learn how to trace multiple objects in one image and manage the Layers panel as you lock and unlock layers. You'll also learn a suggested workflow for tracing and simplifying photographic content in Illustrator.

The Appearance panel is your central monitoring station for making changes to fills, strokes, and effects. Today you'll learn to create strokes that look hand-drawn or have varying widths—even when you're using a mouse. You'll apply multiple strokes and fills to objects and create Illustrator effects that you can change at any time.

Gradients are Illustrator's version of an airbrush that can lay down smooth blends of color. You can use gradients on objects (shapes) for backgrounds or for shading. Once you know how to create your own gradients, you can add realism to any image.

One of the key problems for Illustrator users is getting realistic shading into vector objects. The Gradient tool helps, but it has limitations. In the lesson, you'll create realistic blends, use a gradient mesh, and use gradients on strokes rather than on objects to create some amazing effects.

Did you know that you can change any set of objects (even an embedded raster image) into a symbol? And once you have a symbol, you can apply it to any drawing you want with a single click. This process makes your image reusable and saves storage space. Today you'll create stroke gradient curls to finish the work from Lesson 9, which will show you how turning the object into a symbol can speed up Illustrator's performance. You'll also use symbols to decorate 3-D objects.

Patterns are everywhere you look—from the tissue box on your desk to your favorite flannel pj's. And Illustrator CS6's pattern design engine is its most exciting new feature. Now Illustrator makes it easy to create complex patterns without detailed knowledge of pattern design. And even more important—it's incredibly fun! Just like when you're eating peanuts, you won't want to stop. You'll continue the fun by using the patterns as the basis for pattern brushes.

What font would you use to create type that looks like it belongs to Marilyn Monroe? Today you'll explore the basics of typography while you learn to use the Type tool. You'll discover how to fill a shape with text and how to flow text along paths and around shapes.

Sherry London

Sherry London is a noted Photoshop and Illustrator expert, an artist, a writer, and a teacher. Her fiber art has been featured in magazines and exhibitions. Her published works include Photoshop CS2 Gone Wild, Photoshop Magic, Photoshop Effects Ma... Read more

Read Sherry London's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Illustrator CS6 Fundamentals you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Illustrator CS6 Fundamentals

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PC Security Advanced

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
2594 Students

Use ethical hacking techniques to locate and close security holes in your own network.

When is hacking legal? When you use it to secure your own network. This new method of hacking, called ethical hacking or white-hat hacking, uses common and readily available hacking tools and techniques to audit your network so you can locate and close security holes. Whether you're running a small home network or you're an enterprise network administrator, this course will teach you how to better protect your system against those who wish to gain unauthorised access.

You'll gain an understanding of the complex method of electronic breaking and entering. You'll learn the terms and programming behind the interaction between hardware and software when communicating through a network. You'll follow packets of data from one point to another through an entire network, and find out where the flaws exist for data loss and security breaches. You'll discover the role of the seven layers of the OSI model, and the dependencies of hardware and software interaction through packet transmission. And you'll find out how private data can quickly become public knowledge.

Hackers are costing businesses around the globe several billions of dollars every year. Don't become part of that sad statistic. Sooner or later, you know that somebody is going to try and break into your network. Why not learn how hackers think so you can harden your defenses against them?

If you've ever wondered about the different types of hackers, what motivates them, and when hacking is considered ethical, this lesson answers these questions and more! You'll learn about the white-, black-, and gray-hat hackers, why they hack, the methods they use, and the ethics of computing and hacking. You'll also get your feet wet by learning how to conduct a security audit on your network by trying to penetrate it just as a hacker would!

This is the lesson where you'll learn about people hacking! Social engineering is the official term for the physical and psychological methods hackers use to gain entry to your system. Intrigued? Good. Get ready to learn the insider techniques of how hackers gain information about your networks through preying on the weakest link in any organization—its employees!

If you've ever used the Google search engine to find information on the Internet, you know how powerful it is. Hackers know this too, and they have found a way to use the built-in power of Google to gather information about your network! By learning how the search engine works, you'll see why and how Google stores so much public and private information. Then, you'll learn how hackers extract this wealth of information and how they use it against you.

In this lesson, you'll learn advanced Google hacking techniques so that you can perform a Google hack for your security audit. Get a full list of advanced hacking operators and discover—in depth—the advanced method of querying Google. Through a step-by-step example, you'll see how a search query is performed and what results look like. And of course, you'll learn how to incorporate this hacking method into your own security audit!

Have you ever wondered what really goes on within your network? The OSI 7 Layer Network Model is the standard on which networks are built, so in order to fully understand how networks are hacked, you need to understand this model. But have no fear! You'll learn the purpose, function, and communication methods of each layer within the model. And I assure you it will be painless!

Have you ever wanted to see what kind of information your network is sending out into cyberspace? Well, it's all in the packets. Once you understand the OSI 7 Layer Network Model, you can now understand packets that travel across a network. It's in those packets that hackers can gain the most information about your network. You'll learn how communication between two networks takes place—from the initial handshake to the termination of the connection—and how you can capture packets from your network just as a hacker would.

Now that you've learned how a hacker scouts out your network and gains information, it would be nice to know from what direction they'll attack you from, won't it? Learn how to look for signs that your network has been exposed or penetrated. By understanding the levels of security, from vulnerability through exposure, you'll view a hack through the eyes of a real hacker.

We all know that common ports connect printers, USB devices, and the like. But, did you know that there are also ports hidden inside your computer? And more importantly, do you know how these hidden ports can endanger you if they are left exposed on your network? In this lesson, we'll look at a PC from the inside out. This lavishly illustrated lesson will help you understand what ports are, where they are located, and what they do. Then, it's a short step to understanding how leaving these ports open can result in a hacker learning the services and software running on your network.

While the term necessary evil is a cliché, we do have a few necessary evils in the computing world. In order to make networks function, sometimes we need to run programs that might not be good for our security. You'll need to learn to manage the risk involved with running these services by understanding what they do, how they operate, and what you can do to keep them from exposing your network core.

Get ready to learn about rootkits in this information-packed lesson! A hacker's best friend, these malicious programs run undetected in the background of your system, launching malicious attacks, sometimes even without your knowledge. It's both hard to find and hard to get rid of rootkits, so for the sake of your PC's security, get ready to apply this lesson today!

Have you ever analyzed your risk? In this lesson, you'll learn how to conduct a risk analysis in order to determine the most vulnerable points within your network. Hand in hand with the analysis is your audit plan, where you can probe your computer or network for the weakest links. And then, we'll talk about what to do once you've found them.

If you like forensics television shows like CSI, this lesson is for you. No PC security course could be complete without an introduction to computer forensics, which is a precise science used to contain security breaches and minimize loss in the event of an attack. Learn how to become a computer investigator so that you'll be prepared if a hacker ever violates your system.

Debbie Mahler

Debbie Mahler teaches students at college and university level on a wide range of business-related topics. She worked for nearly 15 years in the PC repair business, has a successful online IT business, has written six books, and writes for s... Read more

Read Debbie Mahler's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

As with Introduction to PC Security, Debbie Mahler has written another marvelous course in Advanced PC Security. She writes beautifully and the use of analogies is wonderful and makes tough stuff easy to understand. This is a comprehensive and challenging course and very worthwhile; but made easier because of Debbie's great style and manner.

Verified Student

Debbie Mahler is a great instructor. Her courses are the most informative courses I have taken online. The information covered in the course continues to help me long after the courses are completed.

Verified Student

Excellent course and perfect follow-up to the introductory PC security course.

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the PC Security Advanced you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.