This document provides instructions for creating different types of charts and graphs in Adobe Illustrator, including pie charts, bar graphs, and icons. It outlines 19 steps for making a bar graph using Excel data on non-family households by census tract. It also provides 14 steps for tracing a photograph to create an icon, and 15 steps for converting a typographic icon into vectors that can be edited. The document demonstrates various Illustrator tools for manipulating and styling the visual elements.

1. session 2 demo:
charts, graphs, and icons
PLAN601E Verbal and visual: Information Graphics (session 2)
SESSION 2 DEMO:
CHARTS, GRAPHS, AND ICONS
PLAN601E VERBAL AND VISUAL: INFORMATION GRAPHICS (SESSION 2)

2. copy exercise files
make a local copy of folder: session 2 exercise files

3. charts in adobe illustrator
overview of tools and panels
creating pie charts and bar charts using excel data

4. More detail on Course Blog under ‘Resource Library’
introduction
to adobe illustrator

5. 1) Create a new document.
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
1
menus

6. 2) Use the Chart Tool to make 4” x 4” pie chart.
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
2
chart
tool

7. 2) Paste population data into table.
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
pop. data
3
study area vs.
[city - study area]
study area vs.
[study area - tract]
Let’s make two pie charts: one showing proportion of citywide population represented
by the study area and another showing the proportion of the study area represented
by a census tract.

8. 4) Ungroup each chart at least twice to separate the elements.
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
object
menu
4

9. 6) Create a palette. 5) Select part of chart you want to color with
select tool; Use eyedropper tool to color the polygon.
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
6
6
5

10. 1) Clean up data utilizing Find & Replace.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
Let’s use the sort functions in Excel in order to visually
organize census data by discrete zones.
1
find /
replace

11. creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
Let’s use the sort functions in Excel in order to visually
organize census data by discrete zones.
There are 29 census tracts in the study area.
They are displayed here in ascending order.
zone a
301
303
361
365.01
365.02
363
367
369
371
373
890
892
894
896
898
900
902
906
908
910
912
916
918
920
922
924
928
1098
1132
zone b zone c

12. 2) Insert a column and indicate the zone for each tract.creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
Let’s use the sort functions in Excel in order to visually
organize census data based on our own study area zones.
2

13. 3) Sort the data based on the new column.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
Use the sort function to organize census data based on the study area zones.
3
sort

14. 4) Hide extraneous columns; add a column; 5) Make new column
tabulating percentage of total HH that are non-family households.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
Let’s generate some percentages for households
where non-relatives live.
4
5
5 formula

15. creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
Let’s make a bar graph of this information.

16. 6) Use Chart Tool to create 6” x 4” Stacked Chart.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
6
6

17. 7) Paste non-family households in first column; total HH into
second column.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
7

18. 8) Build a color palette. Close table window for bar graph.
9) Ungroup graph 3 times; use the wand to select the non-family
bars; use eyedropper to color bars with your palette.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
9
8
8

19. s
10) Use the wand to select the horizontal tick marks along the
x-axis; holding down shift, deselect the other lines in the graph;
Delete the tick marks.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
10

20. 11) Add color to Total HH bars; 12) Ungroup all bars; use Selection
tool to create space between zones; 13) Add labels and use Rotate
tool to rotate them; 14) Extend and modify line weights of axes.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
13
14
11
12
stroke
palette

21. 15) Add labels for percentages. Where text overlaps with axes,
delete background lines using Scissors tool.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
15
15

22. 16) Use ‘Find Font’ to replace fonts with preferred; adjust boxes,
positions and point sizes accordingly.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
16

23. 17) Add labels for title, units, areas, key. 18) Use rectangle tool to
create background shading.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
18
18
17

24. creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
19) Remove any unnecessary lines.

25. Creating an icon in adobe illustrator

26. 1) Download a jpeg of an icon that has clean lines and few colors
and File>Place it in illustrator.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
Let’s first borrow an icon from the Internet
and convert a jpeg into vectors we can work with.
1

27. 2) Select Object >Live Trace>Make and Expand to have
Illustrator approximate a series of vectors of the jpeg
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
3
Let’s first borrow an icon from the Internet
and convert a jpeg into vectors we can work with.
2

28. 3) Ungroup; Use the Direct Selection Tool to delete extraneous
vectors.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
4
Let’s first borrow an icon from the Internet
and convert a jpeg into vectors we can work with.
3

29. 4) Edit colors, styles, etc. You can also copy/paste the icon into
InDesign.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
4
Let’s first borrow an icon from the Internet
and convert a jpeg into vectors we can work with.

30. 5) Place a jpeg of a photo with a clear figure in Illustrator. Lock its
layer.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
5
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.
5

31. 6) In a new layer, use the pen tool to trace the edges of the figure.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
6
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.
6

32. 7) Trace other important visual features.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
7
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.

33. 8) Add lines if needed to describe the figure.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
8
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.

34. 9) Use direct selection tool and color palette to color the icon.creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.
9
9

35. 10) Use direct selection tool and color palette to color the icon.creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.
10
10

36. 11) Select any secondary line or shape overlaid on your flat color
and use Object>Path>Divide Objects Below (or use the Pathfinder)
to punch through your shapes and create new polygons.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
Another approach is to create an icon
by tracing over a photograph.
11

37. 12) Find an icon in a font that you like.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
A third way to create an icon is to convert
typographic icons to vectors.
12
12

38. 13) Paste character into a new text box, select box with direct
selection tool, and use Type>Create Outlines.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
A third way to create an icon is to convert
typographic icons to vectors.
13

39. 14) Ungroup the vectors.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
A third way to create an icon is to convert
typographic icons to vectors.
14

40. 15) Edit colors, styles, etc. You can also copy/paste the icon into
InDesign.
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
A third way to create an icon is to convert
typographic icons to vectors.
15

41. www.thenounproject.org
www.iconmonstr.com
creating AN ICON
with adobe illustrator
You can also use icons that are available
for download under Creative Commons.

42. Message of this slide/ category
of data documented on this page
assignment 2
Title of your
presentation
Title slide; Previous slides (Assignment 1)
Assignment 2: Three sets of charts/graphs, integrating icon
PDF, 7.5”x10”
Intertitle; Sketches, notes, precedents and revisions for Assignment 2;
All previous sketches, notes, precedents and revisions.
Sketches, notes,
precedents
and revisions
From some part of Assignment 2
JPEG
Headline tells me the
message of this slide
Headline tells me the
message of this slide
Headline tells me the
message of this slide
Headline tells me the
message of this slide