101 Awesome Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
Expand your creative skills with this incredible set of Illustrator tutorials that cover a wide range of subjects, from simple icons to patterns and detailed illustrations. We've rounded up some of the best tutorials here to help get your creativity flowing and to polish up your skills.
If you want a comprehensive introduction, learn how to use Adobe Illustrator in our three-hour video course. It's completely free to watch and will take you through all the important features of the software.
Or if you want individual tutorials on different techniques, read on for some great options!
Best Illustrator Pattern Tutorials
Illustrator really excels when it comes to creating patterns. Whether you want to make something intricately detailed or a seamless looping pattern, these tutorials have you covered. Check them out!
How to Create a Tunisian-Inspired Motif in Adobe Illustrator
Ever wanted to know what it takes to design an intricate Tunisian motif? Well now's your chance since the talented Miss ChatZ will show you how to do just that, using some basic Illustrator tools combined with the power of the Live Paint tool and Symbols!
Learn to design a Tunisian-style motif and customize your own throw pillows or cushions using Adobe Illustrator CC! Global Influences
How to Create a Cute Playful School Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a colorful school pattern using the Shape Builder Tool, Warp Effects, and some other useful Illustrator functions, by following Yulia Sokolova in this step-by-step tutorial!
Follow this tutorial and let’s create a back to school seamless pattern with cute animals and school items, using simple tools in Adobe Illustrator. Patterns
How to Make a Colorful Pizza Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Love pizza as much as we do? Well, why not take a couple of minutes and learn how to create a colorful pattern with the help of the Pen Tool and a couple of geometric shapes. If that sounds good, then follow our talented vector chef Olga Davydova and you'll find out how!
In this quick tutorial we’ll learn how to make a tasty seamless pizza pattern using the Pen Tool, basic shapes, and the Pattern Tool in Adobe Illustrator. Patterns
How to Create a Tropical Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Create your very own tropical pattern using simple shapes combined with the power of the Pattern Tool. Follow Yulia Sokolova and you'll learn the ins and outs in no time.
Summer is the perfect time for the most vivid and colorful designs! Join me in this tutorial and let’s learn to create a stylish seamless pattern using... Summer
How to Create a Bold Fruit Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Put your pattern-building skills to the test with this juicy tutorial, where instructor Olga Davydova shows you how to design a colorful fruit pattern in a matter of minutes.
Learn how to create a juicy watermelon and orange fruits seamless pattern in Adobe Illustrator using basic shapes. Patterns
How to Create the Carpet Pattern From "The Shining" in Adobe Illustrator
Always wanted to recreate the carpet pattern from "The Shining" but never knew how? If that's the case then follow Andrei Stefan as he shares his process and shows you how to do just that using a few rectangles combined with the power of the Pattern panel.
In today’s tutorial we’re going to continue with the Horror Movie Special, and learn how to create the trippy carpet pattern from Stanley Kubrick’s “The... Patterns
How to Create a Geometric, Kaleidoscopic Design in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a Kaleidoscopic design using some simple geometric shapes. Illustrator Ivan Petrusevski shows you how to create each and every element and then use them to fill up the entire design.
I’ve always been amused by the designs on playing cards. They seem simple at first, but when you look closely you realize the image is a combination of... Geometric
How to Create a Winter Fair Isle Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your pattern-making skills by checking out this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Join Nataliya Dolotko as she teaches you how to set up a custom grid, onto which you will gradually build your elements using basic geometric shapes.
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create an ornamental traditional winter pattern (similar to the ones on your cozy sweaters) within the grid, using... Global Influences
Illustrator for Kids: How to Create a Seamless, Retro Polka-Dot Pattern
Create a cute polka-dot pattern by following this tutorial by Nataliya Dolotko. Watch as she shows you how to achieve the same result using nothing more than a couple of circles and the Pattern tool.
Creating a seamless polka-dot pattern. This is one of the easiest ways to create an adorable dotted background. For Kids
How to Create Animated Latvian Patterns in Adobe Illustrator and After Effects
Create an animated Latvian pattern using Adobe Illustrator and After Effects. Follow along as Marta Bērziņa shows you how to draw the main shapes using the Pen Tool, and then bring them to life by applying a subtle rotation movement to them.
Learn how to create Latvian patterns in Adobe Illustrator, using the grid, snap to point, snap to grid, and basic movement in Adobe After Effects. Global Influences
How to Create a Nature Inspired Arrow Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Develop your pattern building skills with this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Nataliya Dolotko shows you how to create a simple yet beautiful arrow pattern using the Pencil Tool.
Love everything vintage? Spend plenty of time drawing all of those Pinterest-inspired arrows, flowers and animals? Let me show you how to create an arrow... Illustration
How to Create a Holiday-Themed Vector Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Celebrate the New Year with this awesome holiday-themed pattern by Ivan Petrusevski. Learn how to draw each and every element using the Pen Tool, and then turn them into a complex pattern using the Pattern tool.
Having trouble finding the perfect gift-wrapping paper? Or you simply want your card to blend well with the wrapped gift? Relax, because in this simple... Patterns
Design a Spirit Day Seamless Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Celebrate Spirit Day with this cute detailed pattern. Follow instructor Yulia Sokolova as she breaks down the entire process and teaches you how to achieve the same result using a couple of simple shapes and the Pattern Tool.
Follow along with this tutorial and create a vivid seamless pattern with fancy flat elements, symbolizing love and friendship and dedicated to GLAAD’s Spirit... Spirit Day
Leapin' Lizards! Create a Chameleon Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Create a cute chameleon-themed pattern in a matter of minutes. Join Mary Winkler as she teaches you how to achieve the same result using simple geometric shapes and custom brushes.
Leapin' Lizards! Open up Adobe Illustrator and join me in creating a custom chameleon pattern as we put shape building, custom brushes, and textures to great... Patterns
How to Create a Children's Flat Animal Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
Create a cute flat animal pattern in Adobe Illustrator. The talented Mary Winkler teaches you how to create each and every element using basic geometric shapes, and then shows you how to turn them into a simple pattern using the Pattern tool.
In this tutorial we'll create a set of flat animals made from simple shapes in Adobe Illustrator CC. Using rectangles, triangles, circles, Live Corners, and... Patterns
Best Illustrator Text Effect Tutorials
Adobe Illustrator has a versatile set of tools when it comes to working with text. From subtle textures to stand-out effects for your logos, the only limit is your creativity. Check out these text effect tutorials and try some out for yourself!
How to Create a Retro Chrome Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
Always wondered how those beautiful retro text effects were created? Well, wonder no more, since style wizard Andrei Marius will teach you all you need to know to up your Illustrator game.
In the following steps you will learn how to create a retro chrome text effect in Adobe Illustrator. Text Effects
How to Create a Decorative Spring Floral Lettering Card in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to design a beautiful lettering card with the help of the Pen Tool, by following Nataliya Dolotko in this in-depth tutorial.
By following this inspirational tutorial, you’ll learn to create an elegant spring floral typography composition in Adobe Illustrator. Spring
How to Create a Cherry Pie Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
Join Diana Toma and expand your text effect skills by creating a detailed cherry pie effect using the power of the Appearance panel.
Follow this tutorial and learn how to create a delicious cherry pie text effect in Adobe Illustrator. Text Effects
How to Create a 3D See-Through Text Effect
Learn how to create a see-through text effect using Adobe Illustrator. Watch how you can achieve an interesting result using a step-by-step approach using the Extrude & Bevel effect.
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How to Create a Blueprint Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
Create a detailed technical blueprint text effect using Illustrator's Appearance panel. Follow Andrei Marius as he walks you through his creative process, from creating the detailed background to applying the chalk-like text effect.
Learn how to create a blueprint text effect in Illustrator. Also, explore some cool scribble text add-ons and scribble fonts from Envato Elements. Text Effects
How to Create a Watercolor Texture in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a beautiful watercolor texture with this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Instructor Mary Winkler shares with you her process, taking you from real-life brush strokes to digital ones all in a matter of minutes.
Get on trend with watercolor textures in Adobe Illustrator! In this tutorial, we'll create our very own watercolor textures with a simple watercolor set,... Textures
How to Create a Twisted Balloon Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
Create a funny twisted balloon text effect using Adobe Illustrator. Follow effects wizard Andrei Marius as he shows you how you can achieve the same result using some simple geometric shapes combined with the power of brushes.
In the following steps you will learn how to create a set of detailed balloon pattern brushes and how to use them to create a neat text effect in Adobe... Text Effects
Create an Isometric Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
Check out this wonderful isometric text effect. This effect really adds a sense of depth to your text. You can apply this idea to flyers, brochures, or any of your projects' needs.
An isometric text effect can be a great way to give your logo or title extra impact. Find out how to create one in our new course, Create an Isometric Text... Adobe Illustrator
How to Create a Stained Glass Text Effect in Illustrator
Create a visually stunning Stained Glass effect for your text, with this tutorial provided by Andrei Marius. The effect really grabs your attention and will make your text stand out.
In the following steps, you will learn how to create a stained glass text effect in Adobe Illustrator. Text Effects
How to Create a Coconut Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
This unique and eye-catching text effect can put a tropical spin on your design. In this detailed tutorial, Diana Toma guides us through the whole process from start to finish.
Learn to create a fun coconut text effect that will make you dream of a tropical vacation. Text Effects
How to Create a Cool Bubble Font Text Effect
Check out this Bubble effect, it really pops! Andrei Marius guides us through how to create this impressive text effect from start to finish.
In the following steps, you will learn how to create a bubble text design using a bubble letter font in Adobe Illustrator. Text Effects
Creating an Environmentally Friendly Green Type Treatment
Try out this nature inspired text effect by Ryan Putnam. This fresh and green effect is covered from the start of the leaves to the details in the water drops.
In the following Illustrator tutorial, I'll teach you how to create a Green type treatment. It works great for logos and other design elements. Text Effects
Best Illustrator Brush Tutorials
Adobe Illustrator comes with a lot of versatile brushes and even lets you import as many new brushes as you like. It doesn't end there, though! You can create your own custom brushes. You'll be amazed at just how flexible this can be—check out these tutorials to learn how to make your own!
How to Make a Watercolor Brush in Adobe Illustrator
In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create your own custom watercolor brushes. Follow along this tutorial with Andrei Stefan to learn all about the process. The tutorial also contains a list of watercolor brushes for you to try!
How to Use Brushes in Adobe Illustrator to Create a Colorful Flamingo
Follow along with this tutorial to create a delightful flamingo design by Nataliya Dolotko. In the process, you'll create custom brushes to bring this piece to life.
Learn how to create an illustration of a flamingo and tropical plants using Adobe Illustrator brushes. Illustrator Brushes
How to Vector Hair With Brushes in Adobe Illustrator
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create vector brushes for hair. Sharon Archer-Thomas will guide you through the whole process of creating a hair brush from scratch and then applying that brush to sculpt a full head of hair.
In this tutorial I'm going to show you how to create one set of brushes (four individual brushes) and then how to create a free flowing, detailed hair style... Illustrator Brushes
How to Make Halftone Effect Patterns and Brushes in Photoshop and Illustrator
In this joint Photoshop/Illustrator tutorial, Laura Keung guides us through the process of creating visually stunning halftone brushes in both Photoshop and Illustrator!
In this tutorial, I'll show you what halftone is and how to achieve a color halftone effect. I'll also show you how to make your own halftone brushes. Brushes
How to Make, Use, and Manipulate a Calligraphic Brush in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create and use Calligraphy brushes in Adobe Illustrator. In this tutorial by Mary Winkler, you'll learn all the tips and tricks to get you started in using Calligraphy brushes.
The Calligraphic brush in Adobe Illustrator mimics the look and feel of a calligraphy pen nib. Let's take its options for a spin to get everything you can... Illustrator Brushes
How to Make a Tentacle Art Brush in Adobe Illustrator
For this tutorial, you'll learn to create this fun tentacle-inspired brush by Diana Toma. This intermediate level guide will be sure to level up your Illustrator brush skills!
Learn how to make creative tentacle art brushes in Adobe Illustrator and use them to create a unique text effect. Illustrator Brushes
How to Make a Vintage Pattern Brush in Illustrator
Create a vector vintage brush which seamlessly patterns in this tutorial. Andrei Marius guides us through creating an intricate brush, then moves on to applying this to create a wonderful pattern.
Learn how to make a brush in Illustrator. For starters, you will learn how to set up a simple grid and how to prepare your document to create Illustrator... Brushes
How to Make a Texture Brush in Illustrator
Want to add a natural look to your designs? Try out this texture brush to add a rustic charm to your work. Nataliya Dolotko guides us through creating a textured brush and then how to implement it into our work.
Have you always liked to draw using texture or grunge brushes? Why not create your own vector Illustrator brush? What if I'll tell you that it's easy and... Illustrator Brushes
Use a Pattern Rope Brush to Create a Rope Text Effect in Illustrator
In this tutorial, Andrei Marius guides us through the process of creating a brush which creates a rope-like effect. This in-depth guide goes through all the intricate details to make this creative brush!
In the following steps, you will learn how to create a pretty simple rope brush in Illustrator and how to use it to create a nice text effect. Text Effects
How to Design a Naw-Rúz Floral Card in Adobe Illustrator
Follow this floral-themed tutorial to learn how to create natural foliage brushes. Yulia Sokolova guides us through making a variety of different brushes and then applying them in interesting ways.
In this tutorial we’ll create a festive postcard with floral wreath to celebrate a lovely Bahá'í spring holiday—Naw-Rúz! We’ll be using basic shapes and... Brushes
How to Create a Rainbow Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
This creative and stylish brush is a real eye-catcher! Andrei Marius guides us through how to create our own rainbow-themed brushes in this detailed tutorial.
In the following steps you will learn how to create a rainbow text effect in Adobe Illustrator. Pattern Brush
Create a Set of Art Brushes You Can Use to Make a Linocut Illustration
In this tutorial by Cheryl Graham, you'll learn how to create and use brushes, then apply them to create a linocut-style illustration.
Wondering about printing linocuts without a press? Learn how to make a linocut vector illustration that looks like a handmade woodcut design in Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator
Best Illustrator Icon and UI Design Tutorials
Illustrator is an amazing tool for creating vector assets that scale or for making icons that are easy to read. Whether you need icons for social media, emoticons, or assets for your digital products, you'll find a whole bunch of helpful tutorials here!
How to Create a Pack of Android Launcher Icons in Adobe Illustrator
Ever wondered what it takes to create your very own Android launcher icons? Well if that's the case, follow Andrei Stefan in this in-depth tutorial, where he gradually shows you how to build each and every asset using basic geometric shapes combined with the power of the Pen Tool.
In today’s tutorial we’re going to make some little changes to our regular program, and tackle a subject that I've wanted to do for a long time. If you... Icon Design
How to Create a Khaleeji Woman Emoji iMessage Stickers in Adobe Illustrator
Explore the process of creating a customized iMessage Sticker pack by following this in-depth tutorial, where Miss ChatZ will show you how to sketch, vectorize, and then import the assets into Xcode in order to bring them to life.
Learn to set up and create a custom set of Khaleeji Woman emojis to use and share on the iMessage keyboard. Emoticon Design
How to Create a Gradient Icon Inspired by Instagram in Adobe Illustrator
Freshen up your gradient skills by creating this Instagram-inspired icon. Mary Winkler shares with you her process, showing you how to achieve the same result using the Pen Tool in combination with the Gradient Tool.
Rebrand your logo in style with this quick tutorial on creating a gradient icon in Adobe Illustrator CC. We'll build our icon design from scratch with quick... Icon Design
How to Create a Wind Rose Compass Symbol Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Take a look at the process of creating a beautiful rose compass by following this in-depth tutorial. Designer Andrei Marius will gradually take you through each and every step, helping you expand your Illustrator skills!
In the following steps, you will learn how to create a wind rose compass symbol illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Illustration
How to Create a Vampire Hunter Icon Pack in Adobe Illustrator
Hate being scared by blood-sucking vampires? Well, why not join Andrei Stefan and create this cute vampire hunter icon pack, using simple geometric shapes combined with the power of Illustrator's Pen Tool.
Since the dawn of time, humans have had a burning fear of the unknown, which led their imagination to give birth to mythical creatures that have haunted them... Icon Design
How to Create a Map Infographic in Adobe Illustrator
Always wondered how to create a detailed infographic in Adobe Illustrator? Well if that's the case, join Andrei Marius as he teaches you how to do just that using the Pen Tool combined with the power of the Appearance panel.
In the following steps you will learn how to create a simple map design in Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator
How to Create a House Mockup Icon in Adobe Illustrator
Bring out your inner architect, by checking out this icon tutorial by Diana Toma. Watch as she uses simple geometric shapes to gradually construct a house mockup, applying subtle gradients to bring the design to life.
Learn how to create a blue folder and a house mock-up along with its architectural plan in Adobe Illustrator. Vector
How to Create a Flat Design Wedding Icon in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a personalized wedding icon with the help of Adobe Illustrator. Follow Marta Bērziņa as she walks you through the process and shows you how to achieve the same result using the Pen Tool and some simple shapes.
Learn how to create a wedding icon in Adobe Illustrator, using simple shapes, shadows and outlines. Icon Design
How to Create Isometric Gambling Assets in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create an isometric illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Instructor Yulia Sokolova teaches you how to build your own gambling assets and turn them into isometric elements using the Extrude & Bevel effect.
Isometric art is a very trendy style that has become widespread and is used by designers for advertisements, web design, games and in many other fields. In... Isometric
How to Create a Semi-Realistic Apple Watch Illustration in Illustrator
Get your geek out with this fun smartwatch illustration by Andrei Marius. Join him in this elaborate tutorial in which he breaks down the process of creating an Apple Watch using a custom grid and some basic shapes.
In the following steps you will learn how to create a semi-realistic Apple Watch illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Icon Design
How to Create an Abstract Icon Set in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create clean and crisp abstract icons in this tutorial by Jonathan Lam. This thorough tutorial takes you through every step involved in creating these refreshing icons.
Create a chess icon set in Adobe Illustrator that you can use in video games, graphic design and illustration projects. Icon Design
How to Make Social Media Icons in Vector
In this tutorial by Diana Toma, we'll be guided through the process of creating these fun social media icons. The clean but distinctive look could really give your projects some personality.
Learn to create a set of flat style social media icons and notification icons in vector form. Icon Design
Best Illustrator Flat Design Tutorials
Illustrator is great for creating artwork which heavily relies on iconography, allowing to keep the form simple but also able readable. These crisp, flat design illustrations are a blast to work on. Check out these tutorials!
How to Create Flat Design Headphones in Adobe Illustrator
Love listening to music? Well, why not take the time and design your very own pair of headphones in vector format? Follow Hector Heredia and learn just how simple it can be.
In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a headphones illustration using basic shapes in Adobe Illustrator. It's super easy! Flat Design
How to Create a Vintage Camera in Adobe Illustrator
Whether you love taking photos or being part of them, you'll love this tutorial where Hector Heredia shows you how to create your very own vintage camera using some simple shapes and flat colors.
In this tutorial we're going to create a fantastic vintage camera with simple shapes and flat colors, getting a very retro appearance inspired by the Leica... Flat Design
How to Create a Game Boy Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator
Go back in time, and let's recreate one of the most memorable gaming consoles of all time in vector format. Follow Andrei Stefan as he teaches you how to do just that using some simple geometric shapes, on top of which you'll add some subtle highlights and shadows.
Today we’re going to kick it old school, and create one of the most iconic handheld consoles of all time: the original Game Boy. We’ll be using basic shapes... Illustration
How to Design a Flat Sci-Fi Blaster in Adobe Illustrator
Are you a hardcore sci fi fan? Well if that's the case, you'll absolutely love this tutorial since Yulia Sokolova will help you design your very own space blaster using nothing more than some geometric shapes which you will adjust here and there.
Are you keen on sci-fi movies, games and fancy weapons? Follow this tutorial and try your hand at weapon design by creating a futuristic space blaster in... Flat Design
How to Create a Mountain Landscape in Flat Style in Adobe Illustrator
Create a detailed mountain landscape using a couple of basic geometric shapes combined with the power of the Pen Tool and Pathfinder panel. Designer Aliaksei Kruhlenia takes you on a step-by-step process showing you all you need to know.
In this tutorial we will create a mountain landscape in flat style using the most basic shapes and tools of Adobe Illustrator. Flat Design
How to Create a Retro-Style Airline Destination Travel Poster
Design an awesome retro travel poster by following instructor Ben Mounsey who takes you from simple sketches to fully fledged vector elements, with the help of the Pen Tool and a couple of other Illustrator tools.
This tutorial takes a look at the design and style of 1950s air travel tourism poster design. We'll take a look at the typographic qualities and composition... Global Influences
How to Create a Flat Winter Scene in Adobe Illustrator
Celebrate the cold season by creating a beautiful nature illustration. Join Yulia Sokolova as she shows you how to use basic geometric shapes to create complex scenes.
In this tutorial we’ll be creating a cozy winter forest scene in a trendy flat style, using various basic shapes and Pathfinder operations in Adobe Illustrator. Flat Design
10 Simple Steps to Make a Flat Wind Mill in Adobe Illustrator
Create a cute windmill illustration in Adobe Illustrator, all in ten simple steps. Learn how to use simple geometric shapes to achieve a detailed composition in a matter of minutes.
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How to Create a Stylized, Textured Flat Camera in Adobe Illustrator
Create a detailed camera illustration using Adobe Illustrator. Follow instructor Yulia Sokolova as she shows you how to gradually build your composition using geometric shapes and gradients.
Do you want to make your flat objects look more intricate and detailed? Follow this tutorial and learn how to create a stylish retro pocket camera, mastering... Vector
Create a Bootiful Haunted House Halloween Vector Background!
Learn how to create a haunted house background using Adobe Illustrator. Check out this Vectips tutorial and learn how to achieve the same result using a few geometric shapes and the Shape Builder Tool.
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How to Create a Children's Colorful Bicycle in Adobe Illustrator
Celebrate the sunny season by checking out this vector tutorial. Watch as Yulia Sokolova shares with you her process, showing you how to create your own bicycle using a couple of simple shapes and easy-to-use tools.
Summer is a great season to uncover your bike and go cycling down the road! There is still a whole summer month ahead, so let’s take a ride through the... Flat Design
How to Create a Flat Design Summer Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Check out this tutorial by Olga Davydova. These fun summer pieces are perfect practice for beginners, and there is a lot of variety here!
Learn how to create a catchy and stylish summer-themed flat illustration using basic shapes and tools in Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator
Best Illustrator Detailed Illustration Tutorials
Illustrator may be associated with icons and vector art, but as its name implies, it's also a powerful tool for Illustration. Check out these tutorials which add an impressive amount of detail and life to these pieces!
How to Use Gradient Mesh to Create Strawberries in a Milk Splash in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create realistic fruit using the Gradient Mesh tool by following along with the talented Vladimir Galantsev, who will help you expand your Illustrator skills.
Learn how to create a pair of realistic vector strawberries in a splash of milk using the Mesh Tool and the Warp effects in Adobe Illustrator! Gradient Mesh Tool
How to Create a Peach Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your drawing skills by learning how to create a peach illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Join Nataliya Dolotko as she breaks down the process into multiple steps, teaching you how to turn simple shapes into an illustration that looks hand-drawn.
In this tutorial you'll learn to create a beautiful peach illustration in Adobe Illustrator using just one basic shape: an ellipse. Illustration
Yum! How to Create a Stack of Pancakes With Syrup in Adobe Illustrator
Put your vector skills to the test with the help of this realistic pancake illustration. Join Diana Toma in this step-by-step tutorial, where she takes you from start to finish showing you how to achieve the same result using a few geometric shapes combined with the power of the Appearance panel and Pen Tool.
Follow this tutorial and learn how to draw a stack of delicious pancakes with syrup and blueberries in vector form. Illustration
How to Create a Traditional Chinese Bird and Flower Painting Using Gradient Mesh
Push your illustration skills to the max by following this detailed tutorial on how to create a traditional Chinese flower. Dao Lian breaks down the process and shows you to achieve the same result using the Pen Tool and Gradient Mesh Tool.
In today's tutorial, I'm going to show you how to create a peony—China's national flower—in Adobe Illustrator using the Gradient Mesh Tool. Global Influences
How to Create a Tortoise Shell Using the Appearance Panel in Adobe Illustrator
Follow Sharon Archer-Thomas and expand your vector skills as she teaches you how to create a tortoise shell using the power of Illustrator's Appearance panel.
Inspired by the cuteness of Tom the Tortoise, I've decided to create a tutorial on how to create a tortoise shell using the Appearance panel. If you've not... Appearance Panel
How to Create a Detailed Chocolate Chip Cookie in Adobe Illustrator
Love eating chocolate chip cookies? Well then why not learn how to create digital ones, by checking out this tutorial by Diana Toma, where she teaches you how to add realism to simple shapes using the Distort & Transform effect along with the power of the Appearance panel.
Learn how to draw a detailed chocolate chip cookie using brushes available in Adobe Illustrator. Icon Design
How to Create Delicious Cupcake Icons in Adobe Illustrator
Always wanted to create a set of cupcake icons but never knew where to start? Well, wonder no more since instructor Diana Toma will take you through her creative process and show you how to achieve the same result using a few simple shapes, textures, and gradients.
Learn how to create overhead cupcake icons in four delicious flavors in Adobe Illustrator. Icon Design
How to Create a Bird's-Eye View of Retro Cars in Adobe Illustrator
Build your very own Grease-inspired retro car by following this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Watch as Yulia Sokolova gradually turns basic shapes into a fully fledged vehicle, all with the help of the Pathfinder panel and a couple of gradients.
Everyone feels a certain passion for retro style! Those extraordinary clothes, those fancy hairdos, the music and, of course, the cars! In this tutorial... Game Art
How to Install and Use a Graphic Style in Adobe Illustrator
Always wondered how Graphic Styles are installed and used within Adobe Illustrator? Well, wonder no more since instructor Mary Winkler will teach you all you need to know in order to be able to take full advantage of them.
Graphic Styles can be a wonderful asset to any illustration or graphic creation in Adobe Illustrator. In this quick tip tutorial, we'll source and download a... Graphic Styles
Create a Detailed Glass of Milk and Cookies in Adobe Illustrator
Sweeten up your day by checking out this vector tutorial. Yulia Sokolova teaches you how to create a detailed milk and cookies illustration using simple geometric shapes and subtle gradients.
A glass of cold, fresh milk and a crispy cookie with chocolate chip—many of us have loved this yummy snack since childhood! Let’s refresh these sweet... Illustration
Create a Double-Decker Bus Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your illustrator skills by learning how to create a double-decker bus. Watch as Andrei Marius gradually builds a complex composition using simple geometric shapes combined with the power of the Appearance panel.
In the following steps you will learn how to create a detailed illustration of a double-decker bus in Adobe Illustrator. Global Influences
Create Peonies the Quick and Easy Way in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to draw peonies using Adobe Illustrator. Join Nataliya Dolotko as she breaks down her creative process and teaches you how to achieve the same result using some simple shapes combined with the power of the Warp Tool.
If you love flowers, why not try this tutorial! Learn an easy and quick way to draw peonies, and a useful tool to create flowers and leaves. Illustration
Create a Colorful Wooden Artist's Palette in Adobe Illustrator
Bring out your inner painter by checking out this colorful Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Watch Yulia Sokolova as she shows you how to create the assets using some simple shapes, onto which she applies a couple of gradients and textures.
In this tutorial we’ll be creating a semi-realistic wooden palette for painting. We’ll use some basic shapes along with a simple freehand drawing, and then... Illustration
How to Create Realistic Vector Leaves in Adobe Illustrator
Enhance your vector skills by checking out this Illustrator tutorial. Learn how to create realistic leaves using some simple shapes and subtle gradients.
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Best Illustrator Character and Portrait Tutorials
Illustrator is also a powerful tool for creating artwork of characters and portraits. With these tutorials you can bring your fantasy characters to life, or give yourself a creative portrait makeover!
How to Create a Watercolor Mermaid Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to draw a detailed mermaid illustration from sketch to vector using a set of custom brushes combined with the power of Illustrator's drawing tools. Maria Dimova takes you on a journey from start to finish showing you how to improve your vector drawing skills.
Get colorful under the sea in this tutorial! Together we'll create a vibrant watercolor mermaid illustration using Adobe Illustrator in a few steps. Character Design
How to Create a Spring-Themed Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Design a cute spring-inspired illustration using the mighty Pen Tool combined with Pathfinder's Shape Modes. Learn how by following the talented Ivan Petrusevski.
A great actor once said, “Spring is nature's way of saying let's party.” This is so true—we can all feel spring’s influence, especially if you are a visual... Character Design
How to Create a Fabulous Professor X Pin-Up in Adobe Illustrator
Are you a big comic book fan? If so, you should definitely check out this tutorial, where Mary Winkler shares with you her process of drawing and illustrating the one and only Professor X using the Pen Tool.
Comic book covers are basically pin-up illustrations. It's incredibly common for artists to tackle X-Men characters as a range of pin-ups, but one of my... Fan Art
How to Create a Beauty-Inspired Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Become a digital makeup artist with the help of this tutorial by instructor Mary Winkler. Learn how to create a custom beauty-inspired illustration, using a couple of geometric shapes combined with the power of the Pen Tool.
What can be more fun than helping Frenchy learn hair and makeup skills? In this tutorial we'll create icon assets and a cute portrait bust illustration... Illustration
Create the Wicked Witch of the West in Adobe Illustrator
Immerse yourself in the magical world of "The Wizard from Oz", by learning how to create a detailed Witch of the West. Watch as Asher Benson shares with you her creative process, taking a simple sketch and turning it into a vector illustration using the Pen and Width tools.
"I'll Get You My Pretty" has taken on a whole new meaning in this tutorial. The Wicked Witch of the West now dons a stylish collection of haute couture... Character Design
How to Ink a Comic Character in Adobe Illustrator
Improve your digital inking skills by checking out this Adobe Illustrator tutorial by Sara Berntsson. Learn how to bring your sketches to life using the Pen Tool, and achieve different width profiles using the Stroke panel.
Learn how to create custom brushes for digital inking and what methods to use for a quick and smooth workflow. Comics
Create a Cute Moldovan Chibi Character in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a cute Moldovan chibi character in Adobe Illustrator. Follow Maria Dimova as she shares with you her creative process, and gradually builds her composition using simple shapes, brushes, and subtle gradients.
In this tutorial you'll learn to create a cute chibi character. We'll use simple shapes, brushes, gradients, which are easy to apply in other illustrations. Global Influences
How to Enhance an Illustration by Adding Shadows
Enhance your illustration skills by checking out this tutorial by Ivan Petrusevski. Follow him as he teaches you how to bring your illustrations to life using shadows.
The Pathfinder panel is one of the most versatile features of Adobe Illustrator. It comes in handy on so many occasions, and in today’s quick tip I will show... Fan Art
Create a Summer Portrait From a Stock Image in Adobe Illustrator
Improve your Illustrator skills by checking out this portrait tutorial by Sharon Archer-Thomas. Watch as she takes a simple image and turns it into a beautiful illustration using the Pen Tool in combination with different blending modes.
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, it's coming towards summer! In celebration of the hopefully milder, warmer weather, I'm going to show you how to... Portrait
How to Color in a Traditionally Inked Comic in Adobe Illustrator
Eager to learn how to use traditional ink as a method of coloring in Adobe Illustrator? Well, Sara Berntsson shares with you her process, helping you achieve the same result using a couple of gradients and transparency layers.
Learn how to turn a traditionally inked comic page into a warmly lit night scene in vector. With live paint, global process colors, gradients and different... Comics
How to Create a Greyscale Monochrome Vector Portrait in Adobe Illustrator
Join Sharon Archer-Thomas as she shares her process of creating a vector portrait in Adobe Illustrator. Learn how to draw your subject using the Pen Tool, and then gradually bring it to life using the Appearance panel.
In today's tutorial, I'm going to show you how to create a monochrome portrait from a photograph. Today's subject is the inspiring Aydian Dowling, who has... Portrait
How to Create a 50s Fashion Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your drawing skills with the help of this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Watch Maria Dimova as she breaks down her creative process from sketch to finished illustration, teaching you how to achieve the same result using a couple of custom brushes combined with a beautiful color palette.
In this tutorial you’ll learn to create a vintage-style fashion illustration. The “Grease” movie with gorgeous costumes, wonderful music and a 50s atmosphere... Fashion
How to Create a Collage Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to put together a vector collage by following this tutorial by Ivan Petrusevski. Watch as he takes a couple of textured images and applies them to his vector drawing in order to bring it to life.
So far I’ve been making tutorials strictly by using vector shapes. But in this tutorial, I will show you how to create a fun digital collage in Adobe... Collage
How to Use Image Trace to Create a Surreal Portrait in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a surreal portrait in vector format. Follow Sharon Archer-Thomas as she shows you how to use Illustrator's Image Trace Tool to bring your subject to life.
In this tutorial, I'm going to show you how to use Illustrator's Image Trace (in legacy versions it's known as Live Trace) to create a quick and surreal... Image Trace
How to Create Halftone Effects in Adobe Illustrator
Want to develop your halftone skills? Then why not check out this tutorial, where Sara Berntsson teaches you how to draw a detailed portrait, creating and applying a complex halftone effect using the Color Halftone effect.
Add the look of comics and learn how you can make a gray illustration pop by converting it into halftones. We will look at different ways to create this... Comics
How to Create a Vibrant Day of the Dead Portrait in Adobe Illustrator
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with this detailed portrait by the talented Maria Dimova. Follow her as she takes you from a simple sketch to a beautiful colored vector illustration, using a custom art brush and some subtle highlights and shadows.
Day of the Dead is very beautiful and inspiring Mexican holiday. We’ll create a female portrait using different methods and techniques for a great result.... Global Influences
Best Illustrator Animal and Mascot Tutorials
If there's one thing people love to draw more than people, it's animals! Here is an extensive selection of animal and mascot-themed tutorials for you to dig into!
Create a Kawaii Farmer for the Harvest Season in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a cute farmer illustration, using Adobe Illustrator. Instructor Nataliya Dolotko shares with you her process, showing you how to achieve the same result using geometric shapes and the Pathfinder panel.
Let's create a harvest scene with a cute farmer and his pig using basic shapes. You will use basic shapes and Warp Effects, and will cut out a few shapes... Character Design
How to Create a Mascot
Learn how to design your very own mascot in Adobe Illustrator. Follow artist Miss ChatZ as she walks you through the entire process from initial sketch to the final design, all with the help of the Pen Tool and a couple of other easy-to-use tools.
Learn to create an appealing vector mascot for kids, from client brief to final artwork, in a few easy steps. Character Design
How to Create a Cute Spring Rabbit in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your animal drawing skills with this Illustrator tutorial. Nataliya Dolotko explains her process and shows how you can achieve the same result using simple geometric shapes combined with the power of the Direct Selection Tool.
Believe it or not, spring is almost upon us! In this tutorial, you will learn how to create an adorable rabbit delivering a bouquet of tulips just using... Spring
How to Create a Unicorn Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a cute unicorn illustration, using a couple of basic geometric shapes combined with the power of Illustrator's Warp Tool. Follow Nataliya Dolotko as she takes you from simple shapes to the final result.
Learn how to create a unicorn illustration using basic shapes in Adobe Illustrator. The result is so amazing that it actually looks as if you used the Pen... Fantasy
How to Create the Hello Kitty Character in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create your very own Hello Kitty character in Adobe Illustrator. Join Nataliya Dolotko as she takes you through her creative process and shows you how to build your composition using nothing more than some simple shapes and the Warp Tool.
Love Hello Kitty? Let's try this tutorial, which is made for fans of this cute little kitten. Fan Art
How to Create a Quirky Birthday Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Birthdays are some of the most important celebrations that we as humans experience, so why not learn how to create a personalized illustration that you can use to surprise your loved ones? Follow the talented Ivan Petrusevski and you'll find out how!
Why not create a personalized birthday card instead of using a generic one? Learn how to do that step by step in this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. Character Design
Create a Slam Dunk Cat with Textured Background in Illustrator
Learn how to create an intricate illustration complete with a custom textured background, by following this tutorial by digital artist Masha Goubar.
In this tutorial I'm going to show you how to create a unique background texture for my slam dunking cat, as well as some great tips along the way to improve... Illustration
Illustrator for Kids: How to Create a Cute Cactus Character
Who said design is just for grown-ups? Today we have a cute character tutorial aimed at the young ones who want to enter the wonderful world of design. Watch Nataliya Dolotko as she shows you how to use the Pen Tool in combination with some simple shapes to draw this little cactus.
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial for kids, you'll learn how to create an easy and cute cartoon character. You'll use basic shapes, the Line Segment Tool... For Kids
Create a Cute Deer Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a deer illustration in vector format. Join Ioana Șopov as she takes you from a simple sketch to a detailed illustration using nothing more than the Pen Tool and a custom art brush.
In this tutorial we're going to take a cute character from starting sketch to finished product using Adobe Illustrator. We'll be focusing on how to achieve... Animals
How to Create a Koala Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Push your drawing skills to the test by checking out this cute koala illustration by Nataliya Dolotko. Learn how to draw your very own cuddly bear using some simple geometric shapes and a few brushes.
Today I'm going to show you how to create a koala climbing on a tree. It's easy and fun tutorial for those who just started to learn Adobe Illustrator. Character Design
How to Draw a Fox Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your drawing skills by learning how to draw a cute fox in Adobe Illustrator. Follow artist Nataliya Dolotko as she shares her process and teaches you how to use the Brush Tool to bring your sketch to life.
Learn how to draw a fox illustration using the Brush Tool and some of my personal tips and tricks in Adobe Illustrator. Animals
How to Create a Maneki Neko Lucky Charm in Adobe Illustrator
Love illustrating cats? Well Yulia Sokolova does, and she's got a cute Maneki-Neko tutorial that will help you expand your vector skills using some of Illustrator's basic geometric shapes and tools.
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In this tutorial we’ll be creating a cute Japanese lucky charm, Maneki-neko. We’ll be using geometric shapes and working with gradients to make our... Global Influences
How to Create a Sleeping Cat on a Pile of Books and Indoor Plants in Adobe Illustrator
Follow along with Nataliya Dolotko as she teaches you how to create this cute cat illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Learn how to build each element using basic shapes, adjusting them as needed using the Warp Tool.
Learn how to create a pile of books and a cat using basic shapes and make a custom brush from scratch to draw different plants. Illustration
How to Create a Cute Gingerbread Man in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your character drawing skills with this cute vector tutorial. Watch as Diana Toma breaks down the entire process and shows you how to achieve the same result using a couple of simple shapes combined with the power of the Appearance panel.
Yay! More character design! Learn how to draw a cute gingerbread man character in Adobe Illustrator. Vector
How to Create an Autumn Composition With a Sparrow in Adobe Illustrator
Celebrate autumn by creating this beautiful sparrow illustration, all within Adobe Illustrator. Instructor Nataliya Dolotko teaches you how to use simple geometric shapes combined with the power of the Warp Tool to achieve the same result.
The sparrow is a perky little bird, resident of cities around the world. Let’s create this adorable little feathery creature together. Autumn
How to Vector a Cartoon Hunting Dog in Adobe Illustrator
Expand your drawing skills by learning how to draw a cute hunting dog in Adobe Illustrator. Follow the talented Yulia Sokolova as she teaches you how to achieve the same result using the Pen Tool and some basic geometric shapes.
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In this tutorial we’ll go through the process of drawing a simple autumn scene with a cartoon-style hunting dog. We’ll be using the versatile drawing tools... Animals
How to Create an Owl Character Using a Circular Grid in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to use a circular grid to compose a simple owl character. Marta Bērziņa shares with you her process of setting up the grid, and then gradually building your composition on top of it using simple circles.
In this tutorial you`ll learn how to create an owl character using Grid, Circular grid and Align panel. Grids
Create a Cute Raccoon Character in Adobe Illustrator
Improve your animal drawing skills by checking out this cute tutorial by Nataliya Dolotko. Watch as she creates her composition using simple geometric shapes, which she gradually adjusts using the Warp Tool and Pathfinder panel.
In this tutorial you'll learn to create a cute raccoon character using basic shapes and borrowing some elements from a previous tutorial. Autumn
How to Design a Quick Quirky Character in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create a cute character in Adobe Illustrator. Designer Ivan Petrusevski teaches you how to take a simple sketch and bring it to life using the Pen Tool.
Character design sounds like a difficult process at first, but it really can be simple and fun. In this small tutorial I will show you how to create a simple... Character Design
Advanced Illustrator Courses
Want to learn more? Then why not give these courses a go and push your vector skills to the max with the help of our experts. Envato Tuts+ courses give you access to in-depth video lessons on a wide range of subjects. Master Illustrator in no time!
Learn how to create 3D text in this wonderful text effect course with Matt Withers.
Learn how to master logo design by checking out this in-depth course by Daniel White.
Always wondered what it takes to design game UI assets? Well wonder no more since concept artist Jonathan Lam has a detailed course on how to do just that, showing you how to take simple shapes and mold them into beautiful textured assets using simple techniques.
Want to master Illustrator's Gradient Mesh but don't know where to start? Then join Simona Pfreundner and learn how to do to just that by creating a beautiful cake illustration.
Dreaming of making a career out of cartoon design? Then why not check out this course by Yulia Sokolova, where she breaks down the process of creating a cute set of creatures using basic geometric shapes, which you will then bring to life using colorful gradients.
Interested in learning how to create expressive line art but don't know where to start? Ioana Șopov has created a course that teaches you the ins and outs of this popular style, showing you how to achieve beautiful compositions with the help of Width Tool and custom art brushes.
Conclusion
Whether you're an experienced digital artist or an up-and-coming icon designer, I really hope the list inspired you to up your Illustrator game by exploring new styles and techniques that can come in useful in future projects.
That being said, you can find awesome vector assets for all your projects' needs over at GraphicRiver.
Oh, and before I forget, if you want to be featured within our Created by You Community Challenge, share your results with us!
LEARN: Cool Adobe Illustrator Tutorials [Top 100 Examples]
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Looking for Adobe Illustrator tutorials? This article has 100 of them. 100 of the best and most comprehensive Adobe Illustrator tutorials, not just random ones.
So, what is Adobe Illustrator? Adobe Illustrator has been the go-to program for graphic designers for a while and although some alternatives have appeared, it is still the best option.
If you haven’t managed to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator and want to, this article offers great Adobe tutorials for beginners. If you are looking at how to use illustrator, this article is a great starting point.
In this article, you will find a range of recent Adobe Illustrator tutorials as well as some old ones. You can learn adobe illustrator, find out about illustrator art or learn about drawing in Illustrator.
I’m not saying anything else, I’m just going to leave you here with these Illustrator tutorials, tips,, and techniques that will help you improve your Adobe Illustrator skills.
Adobe Illustrator tutorials to check out
So, what are the best Adobe Illustrator tutorials? That’s a question that we’d all like to have answered. Finding cool Illustrator tutorials online isn’t an easy task. Preferences vary from one person to another. Also, each of us might be looking for an illustrator tutorial for various levels of difficulty.
While most people are looking for tutorials to teach them Adobe Illustrator basics, there are others who have completed many Abobe Illustrator projects and are searching for the most advanced tutorials.
There is a bit of everything in this article. There are Adobe Illustrator tutorials for beginners and for advanced users.
Follow these and you will learn how to use Illustrator and you’ll end up creating cool digital art in no time at all.
The Complete Beginners Guide To Adobe Illustrator
On this course I will be introducing you to the program and covering some essential practice exercises. Then I will be demonstrating how to create a small project in Adobe Illustrator from start to finish.
Pen Tool Beginner’s Guide
Create stylish vector portraits
If you want to create cool illustrations, you’ll enjoy this guide. In this great vector tutorial, tutorial, Eelco van den Berg lets you behind the curtain to see how he creates his incredible vector portraits by turning a photo into a ‘poppy’ vector illustration.
You will learn quick and easy Photoshop adjustments that prepare artwork for translation into vector shapes. He shows you how to trace the basic shapes using the main tools in Illustrator, and how to use layers to organize the photos and your new vector artwork. A great choice to pick if you are interested in creating vector drawings in illustrator.
How To Add & Create Texture In Illustrator (Plus Tips)
Create a cityscape in Adobe Illustrator
Design vinyl wall stickers
Fun, affordable and an easy way to brighten a space – it’s simple to see why wall decals are so popular at the moment. From a designer’s point of view, taking your artwork from Adobe Illustrator into a room or other space is hugely exciting.
In this AI tutorial, Ben the Illustrator shows how to go from an initial idea to installing a printed vinyl decal on the wall of your choice. You can learn how to create illustrator designs for children’s rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, or even your living room.
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You’ll learn how to design for a specific wall and how to make sure that your finished piece works beautifully in its environment. There’s also advice on how to get your artwork printed, and everything you need to know to make sure your hard work doesn’t go to waste when it comes to installing your new design. An excellent choice if you want to add stickers to your collection of Adobe artworks.
How to design a logo with golden Ratio | Adobe Illustrator Tutorial
How to Create a Desk Scenery Illustration Using Adobe Illustrator
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, I’m going to show you how to create a simple working space environment using Adobe Illustrator. The process is pretty simple as most of the steps will rely on using some of the basic shapes that come with Illustrator, with the help of which we will create almost all our illustration’s elements. A fun way of learning Adobe Illustrator.
Create a Death Goddess inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead
Want to produce clean and detailed line work but with a hand-drawn edge? Not sure whether to use the pen tool in Illustrator or a tablet in Photoshop?
With his stunning tattoo-style Illustrator designs, digital illustrator and ‘part-time thrasher’ Chris Parks has all the answers and more in this tutorial. One of the best illustrator tutorials for learning fantasy art and design.
How to Create a Set of Productivity Icons in Adobe Illustrator
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, I’m going to show you how to create a set of flat productivity icons that might come in handy in future Adobe Illustrator projects.
We’ll be using Adobe Illustrator, and the process of recreating them will be based mostly on the Rectangle Tool used in combination with Pathfinder and a dash of the Direct Selection Tool here and there. A great way of learning to use easy Illustrator tutorials.
Create colorful vector character art
This tutorial will teach you how to create digital illustrations from an initial sketch. You will learn how to control vector paths to create smooth angles and view the necessary stages to complete a piece of work in Adobe Illustrator. This tutorial demonstrates the stages taken from sketch to vector, covering color adjustments, depth, and composition. Certainly one of the best illustrators tuts when it comes to vector drawing.
How To Create Vector Smoke in Illustrator
Today you’ll find out how to create vector smoke with the help of gradient meshes, Transparency panel, and Warp Tool. This is a very simple technique that every beginner can master, but you will still need to work hard to get a good result. A great way to learn Illustrator for beginners.
Design retro isometric artwork
Vector illustration can produce beautifully clean, precise artwork, but the results can also be a bit soulless. Here Mark Oliver creates those clean, precise shapes and then ‘grubbies’ them up for a more organic retro look. He also gives you a recipe for transforming shapes to fit a predefined isometric projection without having to do any calculations.
You can modify this tutorial to work on an illustration of your own as long as it conforms with the projection used. Import a 150dpi greyscale scan of your drawing and then follow the steps outlined below. A great Adobe tutorial if you’re interested in learning new digital art ideas.
How to Create a Pencil Pattern Brush in Adobe Illustrator
In the following steps of this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, you will learn how to create a pencil pattern brush in Adobe Illustrator. For starters, you will learn how to set up a simple grid and how to create the main shapes using basic tools and shapes. Next, you will learn how to save two simple patterns and how to create your own pattern brush. Finally, you will learn how to create a simple text effect with this brush. An excellent tutorial if you’re interested in how to draw with Illustrator.
Create lush, glossy vector images
It’s easy to associate vectors with flat shapes – but creating Illustrator images with real depth needn’t be a headache. In this tutorial, Thomas Burden (who works under the name …There Will Be Unicorns) shows how you can create striking, vibrant work in Illustrator using a simple color palette and basic blur effects – particularly Illustrator’s built-in Gaussian Blur effects.
Along the way, you’ll also learn how to bring simple shapes to life, and how to create charming characters and elements, using only basic Illustrator and Photoshop. One of the most effective digital illustration tutorials for drawing with Illustrator.
Cup of Tea
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a quick and enjoyable cup of tea with a tea bag using Adobe Illustrator. I’ll mostly be drawing shapes and using the Gradient Tool to accomplish the desired effect. If you’re familiar with Illustrator, you should be able to follow along relatively easily. A great tutorial for exploring cool illustrator effects.
Faux 3D finishes in Illustrator
Karan Singh shows you a clever and ridiculously quick way of giving your flat illustrations a faux 3D finish – without leaving the confines of Illustrator.
Karan finds Photoshop’s 3D lighting tools to be cumbersome and says that Illustrator is more than capable of creating depth and dimension, using such effects as the inner and outer glows and the Gaussian blur. This is a great tutorial if you wish to learn Illustrator graphic design techniques.
How to Create a Surreal Poster Design in Adobe Illustrator
Master dynamic gradient techniques
Many works that look complicated are really made from simple elements. In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, Russian artist Alexandra Zutto shows how to build up complex, beautiful images by patiently layering and building up small, straightforward segments, always varying them to prevent monotony.
For this piece, which Zutto created for the Blood Sweat Vector exhibition in Berlin, she says: “I tried to reproduce the tundra’s atmosphere, with its pale sun and soft lighting. It required looking closely at a lot of references to understand how I can achieve these kinds of effects.” If you are looking at creating sophisticated Adobe Illustrator art, this is the tutorial for you.
Create a Detailed Cheese Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
If you are looking for interesting Illustrator ideas, this tutorial will be great for you. In the following steps, you will learn how to create a detailed cheese text effect and a cheese wedge illustration. For starters, you will need a simple piece of text, the 3D Extrude & Bevel effect, and a simple Rounded Corners effect.
You’ll learn how to easily name and organize your shapes, how to create compound paths, how to cleverly use blending, masking, and vector shape building techniques, and how to take full advantage of the Appearance panel. Lastly, you will learn how to create a simple blend and how to use the Live Corners feature. An excellent Adobe tutorial choice.
Add depth to your vector art
With all the tools and effects that Adobe Illustrator has to offer, it can sometimes be hard to achieve a sense of depth and atmosphere within your images. Often they can come out looking flat and very two-dimensional. In this vector illustration tutorial, Bristol-based artist Ben Steers will show you how he uses gradient effects and opacity masks to overcome this, as he takes you through how he created his piece, Gone Karting. One of the best vector tutorials available.
How to Create a Stylised Strawberry Icon in Adobe Illustrator
Hi, there fellow icon lovers, today’s quick tip sheds light on the process of creating convincing icons in Adobe Illustrator. As a subject for our little case study, I’ve chosen a fruit, more precisely a strawberry, which we will have dipped in chocolate. If you are going to be using Illustrator to create icons, you will learn a lot from this fun tutorial.
Texture tricks with vector artwork
Texture can really add depth and a tangible quality to vector illustrations. In this tutorial, illustrator Jeffrey Bowman discloses the techniques he uses in his illustrator artwork to create texture and then explains how he adds this to his work.
You’ll learn how to take scanned textures and turn them into vectors using image trace, then effectively apply them to your illustration using clipping masks. Jeffrey will also explain how to add brush strokes to hard vector edges, so as to give a hand-drawn feel to your artwork. A great tutorial for any curious art illustrator.
Creating an Adorable Strawberry Tiger in Adobe Illustrator
Are you a fan of tigers as much as I am? If so, you might have heard of the rare and appropriately named Golden Tabby Tiger, also known as a Strawberry Tiger. In this tutorial, we’ll go through the step-by-step process to make our own cute little bundle of golden fur. If you are interested in creating Illustrator drawings, this is a great tutorial to try out.
Use the Kuler iPhone app to develop a color scheme for use in Illustrator CC
Learn techniques for Photoshop across art, illustration, graphics, and photography in these cool Illustrator tutorials from the world’s best practitioners.
Photoshop is a very versatile software tool, as flexible for seamlessly compositing disparate elements into a beautiful photo montage as it is making your photos look even more stunning. It also provides an effortless platform for creating dynamic graphics for both web and print – and let’s not forget its pragmatic usefulness as a day-to-day tool for transforming graphics and photos into the perfect format for your output requirements. A top tutorial to help you in your design career.
How to Create a Fun Wiener Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
In this Adobe Illustrator how-to guide, you will learn how to create a wiener pattern brush and how to use it to create a nice text illustration.
For starters, you will learn how to create the main shapes using basic tools and effects, a simple blend, and some blending and vector shape building techniques. Moving on you will learn how to save two simple patterns and how to create your own pattern brush.
Finally, you will learn how to to use your brush and how to add some subtle shading and highlights using several Drop Shadow effects and a bunch of tiny compound paths.
Create symmetrical vector character art
Jonny Wan’s distinctive, fresh illustrations manage to seem both mechanical and handmade: their characters are composed of intricate, symmetrical vector shapes so that they seem almost clockwork, yet he finishes he applies to remind us of woodcuts.
In this vector art Illustrator tutorial you’ll learn how to combine, merge, and manipulate ships in Illustrator to create an intricate illustration based on a Russian doll.
How to Create a Hand Whisk using Gradients and Blends
Today we’re going to use this digital illustrations tutorial to create a vector hand whisk using Adobe Illustrator. We’ll be using Gradients and Blends, as well as some clever Clipping Masks to create a semi-realistic illustration you could use in a variety of Adobe Illustrator projects.
T-shirt design in Illustrator using owl and skull vector art
Joshua Smith, aka maverick illustrator Hydro74, has a style that’s instantly recognizable – combining the thick, clean lines of graffiti with the iconography of tattoos and the symmetry and patterns of vector art. Here he takes you through how he created his latest work, based around his regular motifs of skulls and swirls mixed with this spring/summer’s illustration icon, the owl.
As you follow this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, you’ll discover lots of tricks to help you create better art and work faster in Illustrator. You’ll learn how to improve your skills with line art, shading using flat fills and color techniques for limited palettes (to keep printing costs down). Use this tutorial to create great illustrations.
Create a Baseball-Inspired Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
For all of you sports fans out there, this Adobe Illustrator tutorial will teach you how to create a baseball-inspired text effect. You’ll start by preparing the text, then with the help of the Bas Relief effect and the Inner Glow effect you’ll easily add some dimension to it.
Next, you’ll create a vector texture and a Pattern Brush with which you’ll add the characteristic baseball stitches. Next on the to-do list is the worn out and dirty look, for which you will use a built-in Art Brush. You’ll finish with the grass background and the additional tufts of grass around the letters. Great Illustrator lessons for sports lovers.
Design an isometric infographic
The isometric projection does not exist in nature, it is a unique view without perspective. Unlike, in reality, everything in the distance is at just the same scale as everything in the foreground, creating the characteristic unique to an isometric piece.
Here, illustrator Tim Smith details some of the intriguing yet surprisingly simple theory behind the isometric projection. He provides insightful tips and tricks to help pull off detailed isometric illustrations with ease as he offers up his experience in using this technique to create illustrations with witty narrative A great tutorial on how to use Adobe Illustrator cc to maximum effect.
How to Create a Punk Nouveau Mermaid in Adobe Illustrator
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, we’ll walk through the step by step procedure of making a mermaid with an affinity for all things punk rock and sold at your local Hot Topic or Spencer’s. From her Hello Kitty belly button ring to her wild and untamable quaff of blue-green hair, you’ll be exploring the mind-blowing world of color and form in this vector Illustrator tutorial.
Create 3D type art in Illustrator
For some reason, many graphic designers shy away from using 3D, perhaps thinking that it is more relevant to architects, animators, and product designers.
In fact, Illustrator features some basic 3D effects, which, as Jing Zhang shows in this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, can be combined to create surprisingly detailed, technical-looking images. This tutorial will assist you with creating cool illustrator designs.
Using the Blend Tool to Create a Halftone Effect Portrait in Adobe Illustrator
The Blend Tool has been part of Adobe Illustrator for a long time and it’s very simple to work with. The tool creates objects that fill the space between two key objects. Let’s say we have a square as object A and a circle as object B; the Blend Tool will create intermediate figure shapes between these two objects.
You can add how many steps you want and it remains editable until you expand it. We can use this tool to create many effects. In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, I’ll show you how to use the Blend Tool to create semi-realistic halftones with lines. A step closer to learn Illustrator and be a pro, able to create amazing Abobe Illustrator art.
Design a vector animal mascot
Vector illustration can produce beautifully clean, precise artwork, but the results can also be a bit soulless. Here Mark Oliver creates those clean, precise shapes and then ‘grubbies’ them up for a more organic retro look. He also gives you a recipe for transforming shapes to fit a predefined isometric projection without having to do any calculations.
You can modify this tutorial to work on an illustration of your own as long as it conforms with the projection used to create amazing Illustrator art.
How to Create a Conceptual Portrait Using the Scribble Effect in Adobe Illustrator
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, I will show you how to create a vector illustration with a sketchy style in Adobe Illustrator. A few techniques will be discussed to achieve the results, including Gradient, Roughen, and Scribble. A great choice to make from a selection of Adobe Illustrator vector tutorials.
Create cool infographics
Infographics, such as the one opposite, are great visual tools for communicating large amounts of data. Breaking down large amounts of abstract data, they place the information in context and transform it into tangible and useful knowledge.
With a bit of personality and fun, an infographic can become a distinctive and charming way for the viewer to learn and access data. The most important aspect is the underlying message – the primary information that is being illustrated. All other elements should complement and reinforce the primary meaning to the viewer. Find out how to make exciting infographics with these fun illustrator tutorials.
How to Create a Stylish Deer with Brushes and Graphic Styles in Adobe Illustrator
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, we are going to draw a deer with custom Art Brushes, Graphic Styles and Blends in Adobe Illustrator, all of them created by us. This is a neat example from this article with Adobe Illustrator tutorials. This is a great tutorial to select if you are interested in creating cool Adobe Illustrator projects.
Create quirky repeating patterns
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, Imakethings (known to his mum as Andrew Groves) shows you how to make a repeat pattern based on map-like imagery. He uses simple shapes and icons to illustrate geographical features from a birds-eye point of view similar to those used in OS maps.
However, unlike in an official map, Imakethings uses bright colors and adds a few creatures here and there to create a whimsical, magical landscape. The map tiles to make a recurring image that could be applied to any number of surfaces. This simple Illustrator tutorial will help you to create interesting designs.
How to Make an Icy Cocktail
Do you desire to drink an icy refreshing cocktail on a sunny day? I know I am, so in this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, I will explain how I draw a refreshing cocktail drink in illustrator. Hope you will find this useful and inspiring to make other kinds of drinks or cocktails. An interesting way to learn illustrator techniques.
Create a Candy Inspired Vector Snowboard Design
Learn how to put together a sweet candy inspired design in Illustrator by cutting, splitting and joining vector paths to produce an intricate weave of shapes. We’ll then add some finishing touches with subtle shading and a coolly striped overlay to add depth to the design. The final concept will them be ready for being mocked up as a custom snowboard design. A popular illustrator tutorial choice for graphic designers.
Create a Simple Storefront Icon
In this Adobe Illustrator tutorial, I will show you how to create a simple storefront icon using some rectangles, Illustrator Effects, and gradients. This icon is great for use in e-commerce sites and the techniques in this Adobe Illustrator tutorial can easily be applied to other icons, illustrations, and logos. An excellent tutorial for Adobe Illustrator.
Design a Vector Pencil Cartoon Character
This is a step-by-step tutorial where I will show you how to create a character in Adobe Illustrator using a sketch template merely as a guide. The piece we are going to make is a crazy, and multicolored pen character. In this vector tutorial, you might be surprised that I only use fundamental shape tools, pathfinder commands, and transformation commands to come up with the illustration, showing off a method for easily converting a sketch into a vector piece. Learn a range of skills with these cool illustrator tutorials.
Create a Fun Print-Ready Doodled Business Card Design
There’s nothing more unique to your creative talent than a series of your own doodles and sketches. Let’s use the good old doodle to represent our design services by combining quick and fun doodles with a print ready business card design. We’ll be drawing our doodles directly in Illustrator, and using the application’s print abilities to set up our business card document with the correct margins and bleed to build a complete print-ready PDF document. A great choice for learning Illustrator.
Create A Briefcase Icon
In this vector tutorial, I will show you how to create a briefcase icon with rectangles, ellipses, and gradients. This briefcase icon is great for web designs and user interfaces. Moreover, you can easily apply these techniques to other icons, logos, and illustrations. A great chance to explore what you can do with Adobe Illustrator.
Do you want more Adobe Illustrator tutorials?
Read on.
Create a Cool Vector Panda Character in Illustrator
The character we’ll be building today started out as a mockup of a series of random shapes quickly put together in Illustrator. This provides the foundation upon which multiple gradients and colors can be overlaid to build up a recognizable character. Then, when everything is coming together and looking how it should, a few extra touches in the form of shadows can really help add that extra level of depth and realism. A great opportunity to try out new digital art styles.
Create An Editable Stitched Label Type Treatment
Like the previous tutorials, this one relies heavily on the Appearance panel, making it easy to edit the text and apply the treatment to other fonts and vector elements. A great tutorial for every computer illustrator to try out.
Realistic Orange
In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to make a photo-realistic orange using Adobe Illustrator CS3. A great way to explore some of the many Adobe Illustrator uses.
Create a Tasty Burger Icon
In this delicious tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a three-dimensional, scrumptious burger using Adobe Illustrator to create illustrations.
Create a 6-egg box
In this vector tutorial, you will learn how to create a 6-egg box (full of eggs). We will use 3D Rotate and Revolve Effects. We will also play a lot with masks. You may download the source file (created in Illustrator CS4, back-saved to CS2+). An excellent choice to add to your vector illustration tutorials.
How To Build a Vector Clock Graphic in Illustrator
If you’re looking to develop your Illustrator skills, here’s a tutorial for you! Follow this walkthrough to see the how adding layer after layer of vector shapes, along with a range of gradients and a spot of texture can quickly create a great looking icon-style clock graphic. A great tutorial for every Illustrator designer to explore.
Create Lady Birds Insect Tutorial Using Adobe Illustrator
Ladybirds, is there any other insect that symbolizes the prosperity and freshness of nature more? You can find these cute being almost anywhere and they won’t ever cause anything but cheers. In this vector tutorial, I will show you how to create a cool ladybird using Adobe Illustrator. One of the fun illustrator drawing tutorials to explore.
Create A Mouthwatering Chocolate Covered Strawberry
It’s almost Valentine’s day and rather than getting your loved one the same old cheap gifts you get every year, why not create a chocolate covered strawberry illustration for them? You can easily apply this illustration to your own greeting card, t-shirt, or anything else you can think of. Moreover, you can apply this tutorial to other illustrations and logos. A great tut illustrator for you to use.
How to Create a Cool Monkey Character in Illustrator
In this tutorial, we’re going to be creating a monkey character illustration using Adobe Illustrator. You’ll be using basic Shape Tools, the Pen Tool and various other Illustrator techniques to create the illustration. Learn a lot from this Adobe Illustrator draw tutorial.
Design a Fun Invoice Template
You’re a designer: your invoices need not be boring! Follow this tutorial to set up a fun yet professional-looking invoice template using Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. An exciting way to learn Illustrator graphics.
Seamless Pattern
For this beginner level tutorial, I will show you how to create a type of design I like to call “Sauce.” The design will be done in Illustrator and will be a vector so that we can scale the design up or down depending on where you want to use it, coming out with a vector image that will allow you to apply the design anywhere you’d like. An excellent way to learn Illustrator basics.
How to Make Abstract Typography Art
Flowers and leaves are an all-time favorite theme in design. Whether you’re designing for a website, a magazine or a fabric pattern, these simply never go out of trend! An excellent illustrator flower tutorial for every designer.
Flowers and leaves
Flowers and leaves are an all time favourite theme in design. Whether you’re designing for a website, a magazine or a fabric pattern, these simply never go out of trend!
Create a Google Phone Styled Background in 6 Easy Steps
The new rumored “Nexus One” Google Phone has a pretty cool (and probably animated) background image. Today I’ll show you how to create that style with a few simple steps that powerfully integrate transparency modes to create cool lighting effects. You can learn a range of new Adobe Illustrator ideas from this tutorial.
How to Create a Crafts Inspired Vector Kids Illustration
Another one of these Adobe Illustrator tutorials is the following. Learn how to create a couple of cute and simple kids illustrations of a car and airplane using Adobe Illustrator’s basic shapes. Take inspiration from hand crafted artwork to give each graphic a plaid effect fabric texture and stitching effect.
Create a Valentine’s card in Illustrator
Another one of these Adobe Illustrator tutorials is the following. Learn how to create a couple of cute and simple kids illustrations of a car and airplane using Adobe Illustrator’s basic shapes. Take inspiration from handcrafted artwork to give each graphic a plaid effect fabric texture and stitching effect. This is one of the great Adobe Illustrator practice projects for developing artists.
Gradient Mesh Flower
Gradient Mesh can be a wonderful tool to master but the learning curve can bring a bit of frustration to the beginner, I myself found it confusing at first but with a little practice and a simple plan I was able to get around a few of the tools weaknesses and avoid snapping Wacom pens in anguish. If you are interested in cool Illustrator projects, this is the tutorial for you.
Create A Grisly Zombie Illustration With A Pen Tablet
Halloween is almost here, and I’m sure some of you need to do some last minute graphics for a client project or maybe so graphics for your Halloween party. So in this intermediate tutorial you will learn how to create a zombie illustration with a pen tablet from a photo. Have fun utilizing the Blob Brush and Eraser tool in recreating this tutorial or apply these techniques to other ghoulish illustrations!
Still a lot more Adobe Illustrator tutorials in this article.
You can also bookmark the link and check it later when you have more time.
Create a Rolling Stones Inspired Tongue Illustration
The bright red Rolling Stones tongue and lips logo is a graphic design icon, and has been a pop culture fav for years! I don’t think you can beat it, so we’ll not create a direct copy of the original in this tut. Instead, let’s take a look at drawing our own Stones inspired tongue graphic, starting with a quick pencil sketch and finishing with a vector-based graphics in Adobe Illustrator. One of the best graphic design tutorials available.
Make Watercolor and Marker Style Portraits with Illustrator
With this tutorial, we are going to work through ways of creating digital portrait illustrations that have a unique and somewhat tactile feel of marker and watercolor. This tutorial will focus on using a drawing tablet and Adobe Illustrator. There will be a focus on technique and technical settings, but the overall product will rely on your own personal style and taste. Try this tutorial for Illustrator if you would like to advance your painting or illustration skills.
Create a Happy Sun Character
This intermediate tutorial is great for logos, children illustrations, and other Adobe Illustrator projects relating to climate change. Moreover, you can easily apply this tutorial to other illustrations, logos, and projects! Learn more about Adobe Illustrator graphics with this great tutorial.
Design a Cute Hamster Avatar
Going through my sketchbook I noticed I’ve been drawing cute characters lately. Where is all this cuteness coming from? Probably from an exciting job I’m doing right now. Anyways I picked one of the characters for a tutorial so here it goes. Learn illustrations with this cute illustrator tutorial.
Create a Penguins Illustration Tutorial
Global Warming is one of the biggest problems of the 21st century. Global Warming is changing our world and the way we live, it destroying habitats of animals. In this vector graphic tutorial, I will show you how to create an illustration of penguins whose habitat is being destroyed by global warming.
Create a yummy vector cupcake
How to reduce EPS file size
Sometimes it happens to everyone – you create a really cool vector illustration and want it to submit and sell on microstock, but you found, that the exported EPS file is too big. What can you do, to make the EPS file smaller? Here you will find several tips and tricks for reducing the EPS file size. A great Illustrator tut to learn simple tips and techniques.
Create a colorful cocktail icon
The cocktails are probably the only drink that can get any color in this world. The variety of colors, shapes, and ingredients of these drinks is just amazing. In this simple tutorial, I will show you how to create a colorful cocktail icon inside Illustrator. Create easy illustrator projects using this tutorial.
Illustrator type technique using shapes
One of the questions I often get from readers is if I could write a tutorial on how to create a certain logo. It’s something that I think is not very good material for a tutorial because it’s so very specific. The hard part is not the execution in Illustrator, it’s the design itself, the creative process.
Then again I think certain parts are explanatory e.g. a logo made of letters you draw yourself using circles, simple shapes and lines of equal thickness. The technique I have in mind is something that only works for logo’s that contain only a few characters, ideally not more than 5. It also stands or falls with the characters at hand e.g. if o’s and other circular shapes are involved, then it can get interesting to try this technique out…if you’re interested in Adobe Illustrator logo tutorials for beginners, this tutorial will be a great choice for you.
Create the face of a greedy monkey
This tutorial will help you create a simple illustration of a monkey face. It uses the Ellipse Tool, the Pen Tool, the Rectangle Tool, the Crystallize Tool or the Gradient Tool. For the shadow effects, you’ll use some classic effects like the Inner Glow or the Gaussian Blur. A fun and effective illustration tutorial.
Playing with Vectors in Illustrator
Last week I decided to spend some time playing with Illustrator and trying to come up with a cool black and white artwork. My inspiration came from some skateboard deck designs which have this sort of 3D effect without using gradients or anything, and not exactly a woodcut effect either. After a few hours I was able to come up with a really nice design, but the most important thing, the whole process was an excellent way to improve my Illustrator techniques. If you are looking for effective illustrator vector tutorials, look no further.
How to Design a Cheeky Koala Mascot Head
We’re going to put those vector eyes you learned how to make not long ago to some good use! This tutorial will show you how to combine basic shapes with some clever coloring and blending to make a fantastic looking koala character.
We’ll use some opacity masks, brushes, gradients, and effects, in addition to an easy shading technique you’ll find yourself using in plenty of other Adobe Illustrator projects. Great for those wishing to learn Adobe Illustrator graphic design techniques.
Create an arrow through a heart icon
In the next one of these Adobe Illustrator tutorials, we are going to create a vector/icon heart with an arrow going through it, using Adobe Illustrator. This tutorial will teach you to take simple shapes and use them to create more complex objects, as well as several other techniques. If you’re looking to great simple images using vector illustrator tutorials, try this effective tutorial.
How to Make a Flat Screen HDTV in Adobe Illustrator
This tutorial is going to walk you through the process of making a nice flat-screen HDTV. This could be great for showing off images or videos or just honing your Illustrator skills. We will cover a variety of tools including the Gradient Palette and the Pathfinder Palette. Let’s get started with creating some great Adobe Illustrator illustrations!
Create a Stylized Avocado in Illustrator
In this vector illustrations tutorial, we’ll explain how to create a cut avocado with simple shapes, blends, and textures. We’ll design both the outer skin, yummy light green avocado filling, and the inner core.
Grass text effect in Illustrator
In the following one of these Adobe Illustrator tutorials, I will show you how to create grass text effect in Illustrator. This lesson is made for beginner illustrator artists so that nothing difficult about it.
Create a Stunning Retro Futuristic Typography
If you’re looking for illustrator practice in creating retro designs, look no further. Retro-futuristic design is a return to, and an enthusiasm for, the depictions of the future produced in the past, both in science fiction and in nonfiction futurism of the time, which often seem dated by modern standards. We always strive towards creating a better future. Whats more compelling than envisioning one.
How to Create Perfect Radial Shapes in Illustrator
One of our latest design packs that we just released contained 50 different styles of radial shapes. We received a good amount of feedback and questions on how we created them. In this vector graphics tutorial, I will walk you through the creation process on how to effectively recreate some perfect radial shapes. Once you have completed this tutorial. I am sure you will be creating some amazing radial shapes to include in your Adobe Illustrator designs.
Tips for Working with the Gradient Mesh Tool In Illustrator
One of the most amazing and confounding tools in Adobe Illustrator is probably the Gradient Mesh tool. Working with this feature allows the user to divide almost any shape into a mesh. Each intersection of two lines (horizontal/vertical) can be colored with a solid color. This tutorial takes a different format than some of our other tuts and will help you work with the Mesh tool better. This will make a massive impact on your Adobe Illustrator work.
In this vector art tutorial, we’ll show you some tips that will improve your Meshwork. We’ll also show you a proper workflow to get outstanding results with this tool. We’ll take a close look at creating a layer within the detailed file of a meshed boot.
Rad Pattern in Illustrator that Makes you Dizzy
Yesterday I was checking a book I have about skateboard decks design called New Skateboard Graphics. It’s a super cool book and we have even given a copy away here on Abduzeedo. So while I was flipping through the pages I found this beautiful design that was a crazy pattern. It was a deck from Element, and I decided to try to do that in Illustrator. Have a look at my illustrator samples to learn more.
Geometric Flower Effect Logo in Illustrator
In this next Illustrator logo tutorial, I will show you how I made this nice logo for one of my clients in the Czech Republic. Feel free to use it as inspiration, but please do not copy it in any form. All copyrights belong to the owner whom I made it for. Last but not least, please excuse Czech language appearing in the dialog boxes on pictures; I use a localized version of illustrator. I hope my Adobe Illustrator samples inspire you.
Create a Fun Icon for Frozen People on Ice – Part I
In this Adobe Illustrator works tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a fun, vector icon of a people symbol, frozen in an ice cube, from scratch. We’ll explore the usefulness of Adobe Illustrator’s 3D tools. The whole creation can be divided into two different parts. Part I: The ice cube, and Part II: The people icon. We’ll start with the ice cube in Part I. Then we’ll create the people icon and integrate them together in Part II
Create a Fun Icon of Frozen People on Ice – Part II
How to Draw a Vector Kiwi
Ever wonder how to make a vector kiwi in illustrator? Well, I did and here is what I came up with. In this vector art tutorial illustrator, I will teach you how to do it using effects like Texturizer, Pointillize, Grain and Film Grain. Hope you can learn some new stuff in this tutorial.
How to Create a Rocketing, Vector Aircraft Shuttle
In this Illustrator illustration tutorial, we’ll be creating an illustration of a speeding aircraft shuttle. It’s going to be all vector, but along the way, we’ll use blends, and other techniques that give this rocketing aircraft an interesting look.
Create An Awesome Space Rocket Avatar in Illustrator
What? You still don’t have your own avatar? Remedy this situation immediately with this tutorial. We’ll draw a shiny, awesome-looking space rocket in Adobe Illustrator using advanced techniques such as gradient meshes, pattern brushes, and opacity masks. We will then add a flare, smoke, clouds, and sky to complete a fun illustration. Ready to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator? Learn advanced illustrator techniques with this great tutorial.
Create a Realistic, Vector Building Illustration
This is a massive AI tutorial that documents the creation of a realistic vector, building illustration, which is based on a photo reference. There are numerous techniques covered, each section is very well detailed with documentation on each step and process used to create this best Adobe Illustrator artwork.
Create a Realistic Candy Bar in Illustrator
Realistic renderings can be done easily in Adobe Illustrator.
With vector shapes, the objects can be preserved and edited infinitely which is a great advantage over raster objects.
A few simple tweaks from the Effects menu and an understanding of basic object rendering can create a bold and stunning finish.
In this AI tutorial, created exclusively for WDD by Wendy Ding, she’ll be guiding you step by step through the stages required to create a realistic candy bar using Illustrator. If you’re interested in how to make illustrations more effective, this great tutorial will help you.
How to Create a Rainy Window Vector Background
Using the Symbolism Tools, plus a bit of Gradient Mesh, learn to make a realistic window covered with raindrops. This is an advanced tutorial that assumes a fair amount of Illustrator experience, but everyone should be able to follow along. It can be done with earlier versions of Illustrator but takes full advantage of newer features in CS4 with some Adobe Illustrator lessons.
Create an old TDK cassette
Do you have any of those at home? Even if they are considered retroelements, there are probably still a lot of people that continue to use them. Because retro style is very popular right now and besides that, they are just so nice! In this tutorial, I’ll show you to create a standard D-C60 TDk cassette in just some minutes. One of the best Adobe tutorials you will find online.
Blend and Mask Yourself a Great Poster
In this AI tutorial, we’ll be creating a poster with a strong geometric central design, which utilizes flowing blends, masks shapes, and subtle gradients, to create a sophisticated final work. Learn each detailed step in creating this poster and find Adobe Illustrator inspiration for your own graphic design posters.
Illustrator full spectrum spirograph
First of all, I should point out to you that this is one of the ways of how you can create this kind of shapes. Also, this shape is not a 100% exact copy of Andy’s creation, but it’s close. I just tried to find a way so I can explain things in an easily understandable manner. Learn best illustrator techniques in this handy tutorial.
How to Create an Energy Saving Bulb in Illustrator
Here we’re showing how to create an energy saving bulb with the help of the Illustrator’s Mesh Tool. In the beginning, it could be quiet hard to work with, but if you get used to it, it’s fairly simple. Using Adobe Illustrator will feel intuitive once you have mastered these tips and techniques.
Elegant gradient ribbon in Illustrator
One of the Duoh! dot com illustrations called Grafiek Grafik Grafico has this special shape which I thought would be ideal for an AI tutorial. A great way to learn how to create Adobe Illustrator designs.
How to Create Seamless Watermark Patterns
Watermarks play an important role in protecting your artwork. Generally, we do not give much attention towards a watermark’s appearance and use a text or a Logo to get the job done. A well designed and properly executed watermark can really protect the artwork without actually affecting its appearance. The best way to do this is pattern making. In this tutorial, we will cover two different watermark designs using the same pattern making technique.
Create a Vintage TV Set Icon in Illustrator
I have been living without a TV set for exactly three years and 8 months now. It’s great and I don’t miss a thing. Don’t get me wrong. I loved every awful program, every commercial, every useless newscast, but it was time for me to get on with my life. Like many other people, though, I love vintage appliances and cherish the memories associated with the old TV set we had when I was a kid. To celebrate that I decided to create a fun little icon in Adobe Illustrator. I hope you feel inspired by my Adobe Illustrator examples.
Craft a Vector Collegiate Notebook Design
Learn how to create a vector collegiate notebook design, which consists of a realistic vector notebook and accessories. It’s also the perfect base for creating a cool website header theme! Advanced knowledge of Adobe Illustrator is required to complete this tutorial. Try this if you have a lot of experience with Illustrator work.
Bling Bling Text Effect
In this graphic design Illustrator tutorial, I’ll be teaching you how to create this eye-catching bling effect. You will learn how to create the texture and apply it to any text.
Create a Cute Baby Seal with Illustrator
Thus recites Frank Zappa’s “Nanook Rubs It” from the album Apostrophe (‘). Inspired by that line I put together in one of these cool Illustrator tutorials to teach you how to create a super cute baby seal.
Make an Eye-Popping Vector Eyeball
Need to improve your Illustrator skills? Learn to make an eye-popping vector eyeball with this intermediate Illustrator tutorial. We’ll use numerous Illustrator tools, including 3D tools, to create this illustration.
Just a few more Adobe Illustrator tutorials to check out.
How To Design A Hand-Drawn Vector Pattern Using Pencils, Photoshop And Illustrator
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about seamless patterns. Specifically, I’ve been working on various techniques for creating them. Obviously, there are a number of different ways you can go about this, and in this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to take a single hand drawn element and transform it into a highly flexible and editable seamless vector pattern.
Before really getting into the details, though, just be aware that the actual process can be pretty intensive. In addition to the time I spent writing this tutorial, I also invested several hours just in sketching and drawing. If you are interested in illustrator background tutorials, this is a great option for you.
Craft a Delicious Chinese Food Icon
This AI tutorial will demonstrate how to craft a delicious Chinese food icon set. This tutorial requires a generous command of Adobe Illustrator’s tools. Let’s dig into this yummy icon design tutorial, which includes numerous vector illustration techniques.
Still unsure about what Adobe Illustrator can do? Check out this page from Adobe that shows exactly what you can do. Or these inspiring Illustrator artworks from various designers.
Still hungry for Adobe Illustrator tutorials? How about some inspiration or related tips? Check out these articles:
Also, if you have a few great Adobe Illustrator tutorials that haven’t been featured in this article, let me know on Twitter. We should never have a shortage of cool Illustrator tutorials.
6 Adobe Illustrator Tips & Tricks for Beginners
6 Helpful Adobe Illustrator Tips for Beginners Learn the shortcuts and use them wisely Use the handy Bezier Tool Set up your workspace Take advantage of Adobe’s resources Export your work as a .PNG or .PDF file Become familiar with Adobe’s Align Tool
When we think of Adobe design programs, the term “user-friendly” is probably one of the last that would come to mind. It seems every designer has their own unique way of utilizing Illustrator’s endless features and solving its hidden mysteries.
Although there is no single way to use the program correctly, I’ve put together a list of some of the most crucial tips and tricks for making the most of your copy of Illustrator.
#1: Learn Your Shortcuts Backwards and Forwards
There are hundreds of shortcuts in Illustrator, many of which will make your time spent using the program much more pleasant. Shortcuts are usually advertised as a way to speed up your process, but even more importantly, they unlock hidden capabilities of the program’s tools. Think of shortcuts as your life jacket to keep you afloat in the vast ocean of this expansive program.
Feeling ready to memorize even more shortcuts? Print off this handy resource sheet and have fun:
Tip: The best way to get all the keyboard shortcuts memorized? Simply practice, practice, practice. Get used to these popular shortcuts in the table below provided by Adobe.
#2: Make the Bezier Tool Your BFF
This advice is undoubtably something that you will find on any Illustrator tips guide, but the importance of it just can’t be understated. One of the most used tools in your arsenal will be the Bezier Tool. This tool is akin to a pencil and is used to make shapes, draw lines, and create the foundations of your next Illustrator masterpiece.
This tool (also known as the Pen Tool) is often the bane of designers, especially those new to using Illustrator, but learning how to control the Bezier Tool will prove to be especially helpful on your journey to mastering this program!
Want some Bezier Tool practice? I recommend playing around on to really hone your skills. This website will help you get your practice in without having to worry about which shapes to draw. It offers problem-solving challenges and advice to improve your skills, even for seasoned Bezier pros.
Tip: Try getting used to using alt (option on mac) while drawing your curves to disconnect your control handles. This allows you to change shape and direction of your curves with ease and without having to click away or go back in to edit the shapes after.
#3: Set Up Your Workspace to Be Your Mind Palace
Next time you open up Illustrator, think about your ideal interface setup. Is your viewfinder open? Where is your OpenType window? Your Pathfinder window? Take some time to arrange your space by moving around panels and docks.
Using the “Window” dropdown menu, you can choose from some of Illustrator’s preset layouts in the Workspace category (Painting, Typography, Web). From these pre-made workspaces you might find exactly what will work for you. But, if not, it’s time to go down the list and find the panels you need to get your work done with ease.
Tip: You can now save and manage your workspaces with ease! Don’t miss out on using these tools that can be found under the workspace and toolbars categories in the Window dropdown.
#4: Make Use of Adobe’s Vast Virtual Garden of Resources
Although Adobe no longer prints hulking instruction books that harness all of their secrets, they do have guides available on their website along with a host of resources. The site also offers step-by-step tutorials, troubleshooting guides, forums, and a comprehensive guidebook on Illustrator’s features.
Another great Adobe tool available is their Color Tool (previously known as Kuler). This browser-based tool helps you pick color palettes according to color harmony rules, or to build your own however you like
If you have Adobe CC 2017 or newer, you can also access the “Adobe Color Guide” from your Illustrator’s “Window” dropdown menu. This panel allows you to access a very similar color wheel to build your palettes, an option to save them to your library, and a tab to explore palettes created by other users.
Tip: With your eyedropper tool selected in Illustrator, click down on your artboard and, while still holding down, drag your mouse off screen! This will allow you to sample colors from anywhere including your desktop and web browser.
#5: Export Wisely… You Have the Power!
You just finished your latest masterpiece and you’re about to save it out… as a .jpg?! Although that might fly in Illustrator’s sister program Photoshop, there are better ways to export your hard work in Illustrator to retain its quality.
One of your best options includes “Export for Web” (the handy yet somewhat cumbersome hotkey combo of Shift + Option + Command + S will take you there). Here you can freely edit the dimensions of your final image and effortlessly make the background transparent. If you need a sharp looking .png then this will do the job (you can also export as .gif or .jpg as needed from this menu). If your work needs to retain its vector qualities, then try saving as a .PDF!
Tip: Don’t forget the essentials when exporting your work! Here is a checklist to follow:
#1: Are all your strokes changed to paths?
Select your strokes and perform “Object> Path > Outline Stroke” from the Task Bar. This will make sure that the outline will scale with the rest of your image.
#2: Is all your text changed to shapes?
Right click on your text and select “Create Outlines” from the dropdown menu.
#3: Is your document in the correct color format for its purpose? If your work is going to be printed, CMYK is going to be preferred. RBG works best when your work will be viewed on monitors! Perform “File > Document Color Mode” from the Task Bar and select appropriately.
#6: Align Your Design Feng Shui
Illustrator’s Align tool is a special set of useful commands that help you adjust your artwork. This can be especially helpful when working within a pre-existing layout or when proper and even spacing is important to your finished project.
When accessing the Align tool, you can find it in the Window drop down menu as “Align.” This will open up a toolbar with a series of pictorial commands that you can use to align objects and distribute object.
Before jumping into what each individual button does, familiarize yourself with the icon in the bottom right of this toolbar, the “Align To:” button. This is a button that will affect how all the others receive their commands. You can select any of these three options based on your needs:
Align to Artboard – allows you to align or distribute selected objects based on their correlation to your live artboard
Align to Selection – allows you to align or distribute selected objects based on the bounding box all selected objects sit within
Align to Key Object – allows you to align or distribute selected objects in regard to the positioning of a chosen object
Once you decide on your frame of reference for object alignment, then it is your time to get into the many buttons the Align tool has to offer!
The most common buttons you will use in proofing are the Horizontal Center Align and Vertical Center Align buttons.
With the Horizontal and Vertical Center Align buttons, objects will be centered in relationship to each other as seen here:
Vertical
Horizontal
This can also be done in relationship to your Artboard. This is super useful if you need to find the vertical or horizontal centers of your Artboard or are lining up your selected objects.
Likewise, the Vertical Distribute Center button will allow you to space objects equal distances from each other. This often works to the best effect if you have already aligned your objects in one of the ways shown above. Select all of the items you want included and distribute accordingly, as shown below:
That’s all there is to it! Now you can officially feel like a design Rockstar. After all, learning Adobe Illustrator doesn’t have to leave you pulling your hair out. The six tips above will help you to make the most of the program’s features while streamlining your process. Happy designing from your friends at Quality Logo Products, Inc. ®!
If you still have questions, or want to know something else about Adobe Illustrator, feel free to reach out. The team here at Quality Logo Products® knows all the tools of the trade and are here to make your life easier.
