How to Make Graphs in Adobe Illustrator Part 2: Pie Charts

Hey IS Artists! 

Here is a tutorial on how to make graphs in Illustrator just by inputting data. It'll save you tons of time not having to create point by point vector pie-charts, column graphs, etc. 


Where is the Graph Tool? 

The graph tool in Illustrator is in the right-hand column of your tool set. It may look like a small column graph if you haven't used another graph tool before. 



You can bring a palette of all of your graph tools by clicking on the tool and then clicking the side bar of the window that tool brings up. But you don't have to. It's just like any other! 


Pie Charts

Similar to the column charts, select the Pie Chart tool from the Graph Tool options. 
Then click and drag where you want the chart to be/how much room you want it to take up on your artboard. 

The little excel-data window will pop up and you can enter in your data manually. The top row is where you put what your pie chart is representing (ex. Macbooks, iPods, dogs, etc.) This will also create your Legend for the Pie Chart. 

The next row will be where your numbers go in. Remember you can import your data by clicking the icon next to your data input bar. 



You can also change the font of the words by the legend by selecting the words and going up to the font drop-down menu. 




Like shapes, each piece of the chart is like a shape (even though the whole chart is grouped together). Select the piece of the chart you want and you can then change the color. 
**You have to change the legend swatch independent of the pie piece. 



Ring Pie Chart

If you are trying to make a ring pie chart here are the steps you should follow: 

Step 1: You have to ungroup the pie chart. 
***This will make changing the data no longer possible! Do so with certainty that your data is accurate! 
-Select the whole graph
-Go to Object from the to menu
-Select "Ungroup"

**Don't hit Expand!! Even though it's a common method, don't use it for this. 



This will bring up a dialogue box letting you know about the data. Hit yes and now you're ready to move on! 



Step 2: Make a circle shape in the middle of the pie chart. 
-Get your ellipse tool and draw a circle in the middle of your chart. 

PRO TIP: Hold down Shift + Alt key to make a perfectly symmetrical circle in the middle of your pie chart.

Step 3: Select your graph again. Go to your Shape Builder tool and use it to cut out the shape by drawing a circle inside of the ellipse. 

PRO TIP: HOLD DOWN THE ALT KEY TO CUT OUT THE SHAPE!

It will cut the shape out automatically following the ellipse shape you created. 
**Avoid just putting an ellipse shape over the graph and then filling it to match the background. It's important to cut out the shape for future edits (3D, etc.) 



3D Pie-Chart

Your pie chart doesn't need a ring in it to become 3D but we are going to continue using the example above for this next tutorial on how to make your chart 3D. 

Step 1: REGROUP your graph. 
-Select it
-Use the hotkey marked in the image below. Or use the drop-down menu. 



Step 2: Make your 3D Shape
-Go up to Effect from the drop-down menu up at the top of your screen
-Go down to 3D
-Click "Extrude and Bevel"



Your shape is now 3D and you can mess around with the direction and the light-source with the cube in the window that just popped up. 

If you want to do more with your light-source then click the "More Options" Button at the bottom of the window. It'll bring up a sphere with a light source. You can also change the ambient lighting, the intensity and the shading color in the drop down menus next to the light source sphere. 

You can also change the shadow plane of the new 3D object by changing it on the "Shade Color" Drop-down menu. It can be "None" "Black" or "Custom" where you choose the color you want the shadow plane to be. 

**Make sure to check your colors that they fit with the new light-source of the graph. (You want to be able to see the planes) 

**Make sure your "preview" box is check on so you can see your shape change in real-time. 


Moving Pieces of your Pie Chart

If you want to move pieces of your pie chart then turn off the 3D effect on your graph (do this by clicking the visibility marker or the eye next to the layer that says "3D". This will make your graph appear flat again. 

Then take the individual pieces you want to move and move them. 

Now turn your 3D effect back on and voila! Your pie chart looks even cooler! 



You now know how to make a pie chart! 

How to Make Graphs in Adobe Illustrator Part 1: Column Graphs

Hey IS Artists! 

Here is a tutorial on how to make graphs in Illustrator just by inputting data. It'll save you tons of time not having to create point by point vector pie-charts, column graphs, etc. 


Where is the Graph Tool? 

The graph tool in Illustrator is in the right-hand column of your tool set. It may look like a small column graph if you haven't used another graph tool before. 



You can bring a palette of all of your graph tools by clicking on the tool and then clicking the side bar of the window that tool brings up. But you don't have to. It's just like any other! 


Column Graphs

Here is a tutorial of how to make a column graph by entering in data. 

Step 1: 
Select the column tool from your graph tool set. Now click and drag onto your artboard where you want the column to be. 

Step 2: 
Once you have a graph up a small "excel-like" window will automatically pop up. Here is where you can manually enter in the data. 



Enter in your data into the first row of the chart. The graph will automatically change as you put in the numbers. There! You're done making a graph! Simple right? 

Comparison Column Graphs

To make a comparison chart simply just plug the second set of data into the second row of the chart. The chart will then appear on the right of your original chart. 


If you need to IMPORT your data, click on the icon that is directly next to where you enter in your numbers. 
**Make sure you data is in the right file format (.txt, etc.) 

• If you accidentally enter graph data backward (that is, in rows instead of columns, or vice versa), click the Transpose button () to switch the columns and rows of data.

Adding Color

Now, if you want to give your chart some flare, just treat it like a normal shape! Each box is going to act like an individual shape. Use your select or Direct Select tool to highlight one of the columns and simply use a swatch to change the color. 
**Changing a color on one graph will not change the color in the other graph! 

You can also remove or edit the outline of the columns as well. 



Changing Fonts

You can also change the font of the numbers beside your chart. Select the numbers and change the font to what you want up at the top. 




If you want to add more flare you can add effects like you would to any shape like Graphic Styles which can be found on the right of your workshop. Choose an effect and apply it to one or all of your shapes. 


If you want to change the colors of the other Graphic Styled shapes, click the "Recolor" button at the top of your screen. This will bring up a window with all of the levels of your colors on your graph. Hit the "Edit" Button and a color disc will appear. 
CLICK THE LINK BUTTON at the bottom right of the color disc and then you can change the colors by clicking and dragging the arm on the disc. Do this for each individual column. 



If you need to change some data, don't worry, you don't have to start over. Simply right click the chart and select "Data". BOOM! You now have your excel box back and you can change any of the data below. Your graph will automatically adjust even if the numbers are higher than they originally were. Your graph will compensate. Your colors and font will stay the same as well!

 

That's how you make a Column Graph! 

Splash Banner Quality

Hello pals! If you're getting frustrated with professors or designers asking you to create unrealistically rendered and refined splash banners or content images in an insanely small amount of time, feel free to use this PDF (It's chilling in the N: drive under this filepath name: N:\IS\Production\Courses\(MMS-Splash Banner Quality Guide) ) to politely remind them that we are not, in fact, magicians.

I've broken it into a 5 hr category, 10 hr category, and a 12-18 hr category to show those who aren't familiar with the artistic process that the amount of quality of the final product is directly related to how much time we are able to spend illustrating them.

Good luck, homies.
-Amelia G

Canvas RESIZE

Hey peeps here is some info on splash package resizing. Use it and you will succeed.

Spaces in Filenames!

Hey guys,

Greg has just informed me that because we are converting to Canvas from BrainHoney, when the editors are linking images into the courses for the new platform, media with filenames that have any spaces in them will not link properly in the course.

So, for example, a file named: "amelia is cool.jpg" won't link, but if you named it "amelia_is_cool.jpg" with underscores, dashes, or something else in the place of where a space would be, they link fine. Just something to consider when you're making new media for the canvas conversion or when you're renaming things. It isn't life or death if you forget to do this, but the editors will probably just not be super thrilled to delete a bunch of spaces in all the files they need to link.

Stay spicy

Melinda Beck - 25 Tips for Illustrators

Lesson 1: Where you came from may be where you are going to.

• Take your environment and background and use it

Lesson 2: Be your own muse.

• What gets you excited?
• What influences you?
• What do you collect?

Lesson 3: How to steal without getting caught.

• Take bits and pieces from all over the places and make them one thing

Lesson 4: Sketch ‘til your head hurts.

• Thumbnail for hours! Work out the idea first THEN render!
• You are a thinker before you are a renderer.
• Figure out how to portray cliches in a non-cliche way

Lesson 5: Less is more.

• Find the essence, the best solution.
• What is the story about?

Lesson 6: Sometimes more is more.

• Pushing and exaggerating can embody the story more effectively.

Lesson 7: The sky is not blue and the grass is not green.

• Choose colors that explain the story.
• Dial back and find the essence via color communication.

Lesson 8: Put a little piece of yourself in other people’s stories.

• Be emotionally involved in your piece.
• Your emotions will ring true to your audience.

Lesson 9: Some of the best art supplies don’t come from the art store.

• Use your collections in your pieces.

Lesson 10: Be delusional.

• Follow your own personal delusions.
• Pretend that you ARE (a great Illustrator, a much-sought-after artist, etc.)

Lesson 11: What you do to get away from your work will get you work.

• Use you personal passions to fuel your art and do art for the things you like.

Lesson 12: Self-promotion

• Postcards, emails, mailers, anthologies, competitions, social media, etc.
• Set a yearly plan for your promotional material.

Lesson 13: Don’t let your website get in the way of your illustration.

• Let your art be the focal point of your website.
• Your art and your name should be the biggest/only thing on your sight.
• Minimize clicking and scrolling
• Font should accentuate the art
• Easy-to-update format
• Use smaller files that load faster
• Update every 3-6 months

Lesson 14: Fail spectacularly and you will succeed spectacularly.

• Failure is normal! Everyone fails. Remember that there is a balance, and that your favorite artists fail too.

Lesson 15: How to balance work and kids.

• Don’t expect yourself to do more than you can do.

Lesson 16: How to survive a kid-tastrophe and let a project done.

• If you can say that everything will get done in 48 hours, you break your work down into bite-size pieces.

Lesson 17: What a sleep-deprived child can teach you.

• Set boundaries in your contract. What will you and will you not do? 
• Include and estimate and itemize it.
• Make sure the client is fully aware of what will and will not happen.
• Set ground rules!
• Make sure you and the client both understand the finer details (file type/size, how many sketches they get for the amount you charge, rights for each party, etc.)

Lesson 18: Everything takes twice as long as you think it will.

• Set an hour limit for your week and break it down to billable hours and maintenance hours.

Lesson 19: Watch your time and the cost of that time.

• Figure out how much you’re actually making per hour, and make sure your price is set appropriately. 
• Balance jobs that don’t pay well with jobs that do pay well.
• Adjust your process if a project is wasting time and money.
• Reach out to others if you’re stuck.

Lesson 20: Great exposure!

• Find jobs that give you great exposure.
• Sometimes a crappy job is even worth it if it will win you great work.

Lesson 21: Taming the paperwork beast.

• ORGANIZATION!
• Be so organized that you can even do your taxes yourself.
• Find a system that works for you and stick to it!

Lesson 22: Your computer likes to do paperwork.

• Quickbooks (Quicken?)
• Utilize tools that will make your life easier

Lesson 23: Don’t know what to charge? Ask a friend!

• Ask people who know, people who also get paid. What are they getting charged so you know what you should be getting paid.

Lesson 24: Pricing

• Whatever they tell you, ask 10-20% more
• What is their budget? 
• If they say no, it’s up to you. If they say yes, you get the money you may not have gotten had you not asked.

Lesson 25: Have fun!

• Remember, this is the job you wanted to do. 
• If you’re not having fun, something is wrong!

Misc Tips:

• Be diverse
• Sell products online
• Find a market where your stuff works

SVG - What is it, and how to save it

Sounds like a bug that you can catch, but SVG is Scalable Vector Graphics. It does exactly what is says, allows for vector graphics to be scalable in an online environment, which is really nice when it comes to math or science images that need to be clear at any size.

So how to take your Adobe AI file and save out a SVG version of the file for courses. Daniel has written up an explanation of why and how to do so. Go David!

Most SVG saving processes will preserve design integrity (including fonts). This will not be the case if you use the “save as” function, select “svg” under “fonts” in the SVG Options box, and save. Using the aforementioned save option, the font title will be saved in the SVG coding under its’ postscript name. This postscript name will not match up with the accurate name of the font in the system, so the font will be replaced with a generic font like myriad pro or times when viewed. The only way to fix the file would be to access the SVG’s coding, and to change the postscript font name to the name in your computer system. 

This can be avoided and font edit-ability can be preserved by using the “export as” or “export for web”, and selecting “svg” rather than “convert to outlines” under “font” in the SVG Options box. Saving in this way will include the font’s real name in the SVG coding, rather than the postscript name. Converting to outlines in the SVG Options box when saving will also preserve font integrity, but the SVG file will lose font edit-ability. 

To avoid issues, use the suggested save path:

File>Export>ExportAs>SVG (Use Artboards)>Export>(SVG Options box- Font: SVG)> OK

This should work fine for everyone, but double checking to make sure your files are saving properly is always a good idea. 

More information can be found here if needed:

https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/27238/preserving-font-type-in-illustrator-svg-file