MEAL

For the chicken, I used ellipse to make an oval shape then used pen tool to draw the down part and unite from pathfinder to make them a compound shape. Filled with the colour of my choice from the colour pallet. Using the line segment tool, I drew three paths over the chicken then filled with colour of my choice. I chose black for the colour inside because it makes the chicken look defined to me.

To draw the tomato ketchup, I used ellipse tool and rectangle tool, put them on top of each other then used pathfinder to unite them. For the neck of the bottle I used direct selection tool to select then drag to shape it. for the zigzag line, I used line tool to draw line from one side to the other then clicked on effect > distort and transform > zigzag. I then set the size to 4px (absolute), Ridges per segment 14, points to smooth. I previewed to make sure I am satisfied then clicked okay after adding stroke colour as desired. Then copy the tomato and placed on the ketchup bottle then grouped them together.

To get the sausage, I used round rectangle tool, set the width to 60px, height to 127.1px and corner radius to 20px then filled with colour. I then used pen tool to draw the top and bottom tie and filled with colour. Drew 2 oval shapes using ellipse, insert them inside each other after filling them with different colours. Then arranged them together in the sausage and grouped.

  

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE

 For the tomato, I used pen tool to draw a round shape and filled with colour. Red was chosen because I wanted a ripe tomato. Used the same pen tool to draw the branches and filled it with green colour then arranged it on top of the tomato. After, I used group from object to group them together. 

For the watermelon I drew a circle using ellipse tool, using rectangle tool I drew a rectangle to cover half of the circle then selecting the circle and the rectangle and clicking on the subtract/minus front from the pathfinder I was able to remove half so as to get a semicircle needed. After, I made 3 copies of the semicircle, arranged them inside each other and filled each with the desired colour to make it look a bit real. For the seeds, I used ellipse and filled it with black to draw small oval shape and multiplied then arranged in the semicircle to complete the watermelon

COMPANY LOGO

With my company logo, I just added fruits to the App logo to make it a company logo.

Where do I start from? Apple or banana?
Okay, let me explain the Apple first.
For the Apple, I got the image from the internet, placed it on the adobe illustrator using place from file menu. I put that on layer 1 and used toggles lock to lock it. Then created another layer for my work of art.

To draw the apple, I used pen tool to trace out the edges of the image of the apple I got earlier (filled with white colour), then used direction selection tool to make adjustment where necessary. Which gives me new image shown on the right.

Then I used mesh tool to draw lines on the traced out to give me the idea of where to apply the colour on the apple. I did same for the tiny head of the apple to get the shape and placed on the main body separately and used group from the object to group them together. I then dragged the selected new shape out, ready for the filling of the colour of the apple.

Then I used eyedropper tool to select the main colour of the apple and dropped it on the new image of the apple. By clicking on the anchor points one after the other where necessary, I was able to fill in the 3D colour on the apple and the dark base colour.






Almost same process was used for the banana except that I used ruler guide to know where to put my rectangle shape to be able to get the real curve shape of the banana. After which the same process of mesh tool was applied.

For the text on the company logo, I used myriad pro using text tool. After writing the text I used expand from object and default fill and stroke. Selecting the text again, I clicked on object > path > offset path to change the setting to 8px and miter limit to 4 then click okay. Miter limit is used to control how pointy the segment look when they are joined. I tried to preview to see how my text was affected with the change of numbers before I finally decided to use 8px for offset path and 4 for miter limit.

After, I clicked on window menu > pathfinder > unite, to create a compound text. I then right clicked, clicked on arrange and chose send to back after which I filled the back with the colour of my choice. Finally I clicked on object > envelop distort > make with wrap and adjusted the bend to 50%, horizontal to 47% and the vertical to 10% to achieve my final text below:

I was able to do all this with the help I got from watching some illustrator videos on youtube and linda.com.

NEW LOGO/APP ICON

Hello, here I am again with new logo. I decided to change some things from the previous logo I made. Since the name of the logo is changed to Home Of Balanced Diet, I decided to add a house shape to my drawing and removed the chef hat.

For the house shape, I used rectangle tool for the base and  polygon tool for the top. The polygon shape was selected and with the selection button on my PC pressed down and down arrow button pressed at interval, I was able to reduce the shape of the polygon to triangle. After which I used pathfinder to unite the two together.

I was not able to unite the two shapes initially because the two shapes were not aligned properly. I had to reformat it to get a good aligned shapes to be able to unite them together.

For the name, I used Myriad style for the font and Bold condensed for the font style. Font size used was 34.54pt, then used gradient type linear (90 degrees) with colour of my choice to achieve the text I am having on my logo.

MIND MAP/BRAIN STORMING

In the process of thinking about what and what made up of food, I realised that food can be divided into food groups and the time of the day it is taking/eating which is named meal in my mapping. Food groups can be classified into fruits and vegetables, cereal, junk foods, meat and dairy. While meals is simply breakfast, lunch and dinner. Under each subgroups are the examples listed.

IDEA FORMATION

IDEA FORMATION

In the last few years, developers were able to develop many different types of apps with the increasing affordable smartphones across the globe. There are 7 major different types of Apps that others fit well into. These are:

1.       Utilities

2.       Entertainment

3.       Games

4.       News

5.       Productivity

6.       Lifestyle

7.       Social Networking

Each one of these App types is different from other and requires different programming style. Examples of each are given below:

1.       Utilities Apps: These are apps that help perform simple tasks. They are used frequently. Examples are calculator, note-pads, communication apps and weather apps.

2.       Entertainment Apps: they are designed to entertain. These are different from game apps because of their different goals. Examples are: Face Juggler, Ice Effex, Duolingo, DubSmash.

3.       Games Apps: Example include; Angry Birds, Sudoku, Trivia Crack, Word Search, Flip Diving, Candy Crush to mention but few.

4.       News Apps: This type of Apps helps to be aware of happenings in the community and world at large. Examples are: Flipboard, Twitter, BBC news, CNN, Fox and so on.

5.       Productivity Apps: These are Apps developed to help us to be more productive. Examples include: Microsoft Excel, Drobox, Microsoft Word, WPS Office, Calendar, Translator, To-Do-list and so on.

6.       Lifestyle Apps: This type of App is used to enhance our lifestyle and make everyday living easy. Examples are: Fitness Apps, Travel Apps, Food and Drink Apps, Dating and Music Apps.

7.       Social Networking Apps: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, 2go, YouTube, WhatsApp, Blogger and so on.

Similar Applications

This is the App used in replace of on that is either expensive or not as common as the other. Example of such is Fring. Fring is a VoIP application which allows one to make video calls and live chat for free. It also provides a FringOut service that allows users to call landline or mobile phones at cheaper rate while maintaining high audio quality. Alternative to Fring App are Skype, Hangout, Viber, Facebook Messenger, Face Time and so on.

Mind Map

The application of mind maps seems endless. Mind maps are used for strategic planning, collaboration and ideation. It is used to visualize complex problems. The most common use of mind maps is explained below:

Brainstorming: Mind mapping fosters a free flow of ideas and helps spark new thoughts.

Note taking: Wherever you are, note taking in a mind map is not only efficient but also easy to review and memorize.

Planning: Map can be used to outline project plans or create business strategies. Planning with mind map is simple, visual and does not even fill like work.

Meeting Management: Prepare and distribute the meeting agenda, create quick presentation, take minutes and assign actionable tasks all within one single mind map.

INTRODUCTION.

INTRODUCTION

Blogging generally help in promotion of product or service talking from business perspective. It also creates awareness about issues, information shearing about a subject or topic which is the aim of this blogging. Writing this blog will help to update, gather data, express and share passion and help to connect.

In this blog, the task to do is to use vector shapes to create logo, Application icons, using Adobe illustrator and also to learn how to use Photoshop for photographic correction. How do you go about achieving creating and designing all these? It can be done / achieved by the use of Adobe tools like:

1.      Zoom tool (Z): This allows one to reduce or enlarge artwork to view it or when editing is needed.

2.       Hand tool (H): Hand tool is use to scroll to different areas of the artwork after zooming in or out.

3.        Shape tools: These include the rectangle too, the rounded rectangle too, the ellipse tool, the polygon tool and the star tool

a)      The Rectangle tool: It is used when you want to draw a rectangle or square shape

b)      The remaining which are the Rounded Rectangle tool, the Ellipse tool, the Polygon tool and the Star tool are similar in use to rectangle tool. Rounded rectangle is used to change the corner radius, polygon tool used to change the radius and side and the star tool to change the vertex and radius of star.

4.       The pen tool (P): This is the most important of Adobe illustrator. It is used to draw and edit shapes. Part of the pen tools include;

a)      Pen tool itself which is used to make straight and curve lines

b)      Add Anchor Point tool (+) this allows you to add new anchor points.

c)       Delete Anchor Point tool (-) which is used to delete unwanted anchor point

d)      Convert Anchor Point tool which is used to adjust corner of a shape.

There are still lots and lots more tools to be used like colours, I just mentioned here very few.

To achieve a perfect drawing using vector shapes in Adobe illustrator, it is going to take a while, like some weeks of learning and practicing. Much practicing is involved if perfection is to be attained. As I have mentioned earlier, the software I will be using is Adobe Illustrator.

Thinking of what I will be making my designs on, the initial thought that came to my mind is something about food, mostly, fruits.