A woman drawing logos at a desktop computer

Illustrator ACP

Take advantage of the precision of sophisticated drawing tools, natural brushes, and a host of time-savers.

Key details

Location

Online

Course overview

Elevate your design skills with the Adobe Illustrator ACP course. This comprehensive programme provides participants with essential expertise in vector graphics, typography, and digital illustration.

On this Adobe Illustrator short course, you will explore the software’s powerful tools for creating logos, icons, and engaging social media content. Through hands-on projects and expert guidance, you will gain confidence and produce professional-quality designs suitable for a variety of platforms. Upon successfully passing the exam, you will be awarded Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) certification, enabling you to showcase your newly acquired skills to potential employers and clients.

Tuition fees per individual: £690*

Available online courses

07 January to 21 January*, 18:00 – 21:00 (*Every day except 10, 16, 17 Jan)
29 January to 19 March, weekly, Wednesdays, 13:00 – 16:00
10 February - 31 March, weekly, Monday evenings, 18:00 - 21:00
16 - 19 June, daily, 09:00 - 16:00
28 - 31 July, daily, 09:00 - 16:00

Book course

*If you're a student or staff different fees apply. Please visit our dedicated student and staff areas for specific information.

Course details

Build a solid foundation in Adobe Illustrator with this short course. Learn to create stunning vector illustrations and graphics while effectively communicating your ideas through visual design.

This Adobe Illustrator course provides the skills needed to produce professional-quality artwork, prepare designs for print and digital media, and create engaging visuals for various applications, including branding and marketing materials. By the end of the course, you will be ready to showcase your creativity and take your design projects to the next level.

How you'll learn

Our online short courses are delivered through Microsoft Teams, ensuring a seamless learning experience. Each session starts with a live broadcast from the tutor to introduce the topic and guide you through the resources. Our online short courses include various learning methods such as videos, quizzes and exercises. The tutor remains available online for real-time support, making learning effective and enjoyable. Our blended teaching approach combines live and pre-recorded content, providing flexibility to learn at your own pace.

What is Adobe Illustrator and what is it used for
Why use Adobe Illustrator instead of Photoshop – raster vs vector.
Creating a documents
Navigating the workspace and file naming/saving
Creating shapes with the tool bar
Transforming shapes: scale, rotate
Colour, learn about Illustrators impressive colour functions, including Adobe Color and Libraries.
Layers
Alignment panel
transparency

Grouping
Artboards
Curvature tool
The stroke
Width tool
Text
Gradients
Shape builder

Cutting tools
Pathfinder
Live corners
Selection tool
Free transform
Pen tool
Anchor point tool

Image trace
Patterns
Magic wand and the lasso tools for selecting (wolf & shells files)
Clipping masks with a knit pattern

Clipping masks generally
Appearance panel
Exporting
Further type tools
Brushes

Transparency masks
3D effects
Effects
Graphic styles
Effect tools - new video
Fox exercise
Blending tool

Perspective tools and grid
Symbols
Blending modes
Guides

Document bleed
Printing
Importing files
Stray points and smoothen tools
Recolouring

Key information

Engaging content
A variety of different ways to learn
Clear guidelines to work through the practice exercises
Constructive feedback from tutors on your submitted work
Technical assistance from your tutors

This course will be delivered online via Microsoft Teams.

After the end of the course will take the Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) exam. On passing the ACP exam will earn you the Adobe Certified Associate accreditation. You'll receive a digital badge for social media platforms like LinkedIn and a digital certificate.

The ACP certification validates expertise in Adobe Illustrator, enhancing career prospects and boosting professional credibility. It instils confidence, serves as tangible proof of skills, and provides a competitive edge in the job market. Overall, the ACP certification supports career advancement and professional growth in digital creativity.

You will need access to a laptop/desktop computer (Mac/PC) with Adobe Illustrator installed.

If you don't have an Adobe licence, consider the following options from Adobe:

Free one-week trial from Adobe.
One-month single application subscription for £32.98* per month, cancel anytime.
Annual application licence for £262.51* or monthly for £21.98* (early cancellation fees apply).
Subscribe to all Creative Cloud apps under the same types above but for all the Adobe Creative cloud apps.

Please visit the Adobe website to find out more.

*prices are correct as of 10 September 2024

There are no entry requirements for this Adobe Illustrator course and previous experience is not necessary, however, you should be confident in the use of IT generally.

Susannah Travis - Course Lead

Susannah is the Digital Skills Team Lead, delivering a range of courses. With over a decade of experience in teaching Adobe and Microsoft applications, she specialises in both individual training and tailored group sessions. Her aim is to enable students to achieve a high level of digital literacy, enhancing their work and everyday lives.

Find out more

Read our short course terms & conditions