FMX210_Blog1_02/27_SMiller

This week, I kept working on my calligram project in Adobe Illustrator. I focused on tracing different sections where I wanted to place words and learned how to use Envelope Distort – Make with Top Object to shape the text. By Tuesday, I had a black-and-white draft, but there is still a lot I need to improve before the final version is due next Tuesday. Adobe Illustrator is a program used to create illustrations and designs. This week, I used it to manipulate text and fit it into specific areas of my calligram. This process required a lot of precision and adjusting, which made it more challenging than other projects I’ve worked on. One of the main tools I learned was Envelope Distort – Made with Top Object. This tool allows text to take the shape of the object I created using the pen tool, which is the main part of my calligram design. My biggest struggle has been getting the text to fit exactly right within the shapes I created with the pen tool. It takes a lot of trial and error, and sometimes, I have to redo sections multiple times. I also practiced using layers to keep my design organized and make adjustments easier. I also learned how important each benchmark is to the rest of the project. I had to go back once before and retrace my design because of how it was going to affect the entire rest of my project. I feel like I am slowly progressing, but this has been my most difficult task so far. In previous projects, I mostly used the Pen Tool or adjusted shapes that already existed, like the Griswold car, instead of creating the object myself. But this time, I have to carefully place and adjust the text so it fits perfectly within my shape. Making the text fit just right is very time-consuming, and I haven’t fully figured it out yet. This project is harder than anything I’ve worked on before because it requires constant adjustments of spacing and the shape of the text in its natural form. The text doesn’t always fit smoothly, and I often have to redo sections. I plan to meet with Professor Brennan before the final project is due to get extra help and understand what I might be doing wrong. In the meantime, I have been using YouTube tutorials and Google to troubleshoot problems and learn better ways to adjust text in Illustrator. Even though this week was tough, I learned a lot. I now understand how important text placements are in design and more tools in Adobe Illustrator. I also learned that envelope distortion takes practice to use correctly. Additionally, I learned that keeping layers organized makes editing much easier, especially when making multiple adjustments. Overall, this week was challenging, but I am making progress. I still need to improve how I fit text into my calligram, but I am working on it by seeking help from my professor and using online resources. Even though this project is more difficult than my previous ones, learning these skills will be useful for future designs. I’m excited to keep improving and learn more tools in Illustrator.