This document provides instructions for creating various types of charts, graphs and icons using Adobe Illustrator. It begins with steps for making pie charts and bar charts using Excel data. It then provides directions for tracing images and photographs to create icons, converting typographic icons to vectors, and downloading icons under Creative Commons. The document demonstrates how to color, edit and integrate the visual elements in documents like PDFs and InDesign files.

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.
1
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
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. Let’s make two pie charts: one showing proportion of citywide population represented
by CD3 and another showing the proportion of CD3 represented by your census tract.
pop. data
Steps: 1) open template.
1
MENUS
CREATING A PIE CHART
WITH ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
2) Paste population data into table.
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
3
cd3 vs.
[city - cd3]
tract vs.
[cd3 - tract]

8. 4) Ungroup each chart three times.
object
menu
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
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.
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6
creating a pie chart
with adobe illustrator
5

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

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

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

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

14. Let’s generate some percentages for households
4) Hide extraneous columns; add a column; sum family and non-family
HH with non-relatives; 5) Divide new column by total HH.
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
where non-relatives are living.
4
5
5 formula

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

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

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

18. 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.
10
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator

19. 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.
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13
creating a bar graph
with adobe illustrator
14
11
stroke
palette

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

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

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

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

24. Creating an icon in adobe illustrator

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

26. Let’s first borrow an icon from the Internet
and convert a jpeg into vectors we can work with.
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
2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

35. 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

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

37. A third way to create an icon is to convert
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
typographic icons to vectors.
13

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

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

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

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