Chapter 2. Vectors 101

You've heard people describe Adobe Illustrator as a vector graphics application, but what does that really mean? How do graphics created using vectors behave differently than, say, graphics that are made from Adobe Photoshop? When does it make sense to use Illustrator to perform a task instead of another program like Photoshop? Answers to these questions will become apparent in this chapter. More importantly, you'll learn how to create vector graphics and understand their attributes.

In addition to learning how to draw basic shapes using a variety of drawing tools, this chapter will also introduce you to the different types of fill and stroke attributes you can apply to objects. You'll learn how to create two kinds of type objects (called point text and area text) as well. To round out your introduction to the world of vector graphics, the chapter concludes with a task you'll be doing quite often in Illustratorselecting objects. Are you ready?