60 amazing Adobe Illustrator tutorials

Rss Bot · January 18, 2018

In recent years, Adobe Illustrator CC’s position as the go-to tool for vector graphics has come under increasing pressure, with new competition from the likes of Affinity Designer and Sketch.

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But it remains the industry standard, and the web is packed full of tips, advice and tutorials to help you get to grips with it. So in this post, we bring together the best Illustrator tutorials in one handy place.

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced user, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for here. Make sure you bookmark this page right now.

The basics

01. Get to know Illustrator

This entry-level tutorial introduces you to the Illustrator workspace

If you’re totally new to Illustrator, here’s a great place to start. This tutorial, which includes sample files, introduces you to the Adobe Illustrator workspace and shows you how to open and save your images.

02. Set up a new document

This beginner-level tutorial will teach you how to set up a new document in Illustrator. You’ll discover how to set up the various options to configure variables such as width, height and colour mode.

03. Create and edit shapes

This tutorial introduces you to the process for creating and editing shapes in Adobe Illustrator CC using the Shape tools. Learn how to draw, combine, and trace shapes using the sample files provided.

04. Transform and edit artwork

In this tutorial you’re walked through the basics of transforming and editing artwork in Adobe Illustrator CC. Learn how to resize artwork, use groups, align objects and more using the Selection tool, Transform panel, and other transform tools in the software.

05. Change colour and strokes

Discover how to apply colours to your artwork in this Illustrator tutorial

Here’s a great introduction to how to work with colours in Illustrator CC. Discover how to apply colours to your artwork, change an object’s colour, create swatches, recolour artwork, and more.

06. Create with drawing tools

This tutorial walks you through the concepts of Paths and Curves in Illustration and introduces the tools you need to create and edit them, including the Pencil and Curvature tools.

07. Organise content with layers

Here’s a great beginner-level introduction to layers in Adobe Illustrator CC. You’ll discover how they work, what they’re for and how to use them to create, edit, and organise content.

08. Create and Edit Gradients

This introduction to working with gradients in Illustrator explains how to create different types of gradients and modify options such as colours, position, and opacity to get the look you’re aiming for.

09. Explore the Essentials workspace

Learn how to customise your workspace using the Properties panel

The Properties panel in Illustrator CC allows you to customise your workspace, allowing you to find and use the right controls when you need them. This tutorial explains how to use it.

10. Work with artboards

This tutorial explains the function of artboards in Illustrator CC, which are similar to pages in InDesign CC or Microsoft Word. Watch the three videos and you’ll soon learn how to create multiple artboards and edit them.

Next page: Tools and features

11. Draw and edit curves using the Curvature tool

The Curvature tool in Illustrator CC enables you to draw smooth, refined curves and straight lines easily. This tutorial offers you five simple exercises to help you understand how to use it.

12. Design more efficiently with Dynamic Symbols

Dynamic Symbols lets you create multiple instances of a master symbol

The Dynamic Symbols tool in Illustrator CC lets you dynamically change a symbol's attributes and streamline your artwork creation. This tutorial explains how to use it to create multiple instances of a master symbol, which then retain their link to the master symbol even when their shape and visual attributes are altered.

13. How to use the Color Picker

The Color Picker allows you to select and apply colours to your artwork in Illustrator. This six-step tutorial demonstrates how to do so.

14. Export high-quality, optimized SVG

Since 2015, Illustrator CC has offers an option to export higher quality SVG artwork for use in web and app projects. This tutorial explains how to use it in three simple steps.

15. Edit drawings with Image Trace

Anna Wray explains how to retain the hand-drawn quality of your artwork using Image Trace

The Image Trace tool is an excellent tool for illustrators who want to retain the integral hand-drawn linear quality of their artwork. In this tutorial, Anna Wray runs you through how to do it.

16. Illustrator shortcuts

If you’re not using shortcuts in Illustrator, you’re not maximising your potential productivity. Here’s a great list of shortcuts for handling layers, selections, text and more, along with some handy hints for brushes, saving and closing, and viewing options.

17. Share artwork

Learn the basics of sharing in Adobe Illustrator CC in this tutorial. Topics covered include how to share files, how to save them as PDFs, and how to export your images.

18. Export assets for web and app design

Once you’ve created your assets in Illustrator, it’s important to be able to share them with others in different formats. This tutorial explains how to export assets in multiple sizes and formats in one easy step.

19. Speed up your design with templates

Need to create a lot of designs in Illustrator quickly and easily? One way to speed up your process is by using high-quality templates built right into Illustrator CC, which you can download from Adobe Stock. This tutorial explains how to find the right template and customise it for your own use.

20. Use the Perspective Grid

Matthew Pizzi explains how to master the three-point perspective grid to create a 3D gift box

With Illustrator CC’s Perspective Grid, you can either place existing artwork in a perspective plane or draw directly on to the grid. This tutorial uses both methods to create a 3D gift box, and as an added bonus you’ll learn an easy way to create a reflection.

Next page: Illustration techniques

21. Add images and artistic effects

This tutorial begins by explaining the basics of adding images to your projects in Adobe Illustrator CC. It then goes on to walk you through how to add and edit effects, apply brush strokes, and more.

22. How to create colourful gradient orbs

These cool gradient effects can easily be translated into any shape

This tutorial demonstrates how to use the Gradient Mesh tool to create a colourful circular orb, which can also be modified into an abstract shape with the Warp tool, ready for use in all kinds of branding or art projects.

23. Add painterly effects with brushes

This step-by-step tutorial teaches you to build up a detailed and impactful illustration by applying painterly brush strokes to objects, to add texture, interest, and details. Sample files are included to help you practice the techniques.

24. Create seamless, Mexican-inspired patterns

In this step by step tutorial by Berlin-based artist Amrei Hofstätter you’ll learn how to create a complex, colourful Mexican-inspired pattern by using just two simple geometric objects in Illustrator.

25. Quickly manipulate shapes with effects

Here you’ll learn a quick way to manipulate shapes by applying non-destructive effects in Illustrator CC. This tutorial also encourages you to experiment with variations using the sample files.

26. How to create a card suits pattern

Andrei Marius explains how to create a simple but striking pattern in this Illustrator tutorial

In this step by step tutorial, you will discover how to create, save and use a card suits pattern in Illustrator. You’ll also learn how to apply your pattern and how to adjust it using the Transform effect.

27. How to create a paisley pattern

We all love a nice paisley pattern. In this tutorial you will learn how to create one using the Convert Anchor Point tools, Warp Effects and the Smooth tool.

Next page: Text effects

28. Add text to your designs

This beginner-level tutorial introduces you to the basics of using text in Illustrator CC. You’ll learn how to add text, apply formatting, reshape and style it, and place it on or inside a path.

29. Vectorise hand lettering with the Pen tool

Discover a speedy way to digitise hand-lettering and logotypes using Adobe Illustrator’s Pen tool. This tutorial explains how to save time by mastering anchor points and handles.

30. The easy way to roughen your typography

In this video tutorial you’ll discover a quick and easy way to roughen your typography in Illustrator. This grungy, roughened effect is a good way to add an old-fashioned print effect to your designs.

31. Create a peeled text effect

In this step by step tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a flat background and add some text to it. You’ll then use the Appearance panel to create a bold, peeled text effect.

32. How to create a retro long shadow text effect

Andrei Marius demonstrates how to create a retro long shadow text effect in Adobe Illustrator

This tutorial explains how to work with the Appearance panel and use a Transform effect to add a long shadow effect to your text without expanding it. Final touches are added using some basic blending techniques and a simple Gaussian Blur effect.

33. How to create a rainbow text effect

Here you’ll learn to create a simple square, multiply it using the Transform effect. You’ll then progress to turning a set of squares into a pattern brush. By combining this with the Width Tool, you will learn how to create a rainbow text effect.

34. Create a custom drop cap

Liven up your text with a vibrant drop cap

This step by step tutorial walks you through how to create a custom drop cap in Illustrator and then use it in an InDesign text layout.

35. Create a bones text effect

This tutorial walks you through setting up a simple grid and creating several shapes. Then, using the Rounded Corners effect and some basic vector shape-building techniques, you’ll learn how to create a bones text effect.

36. Set a beautiful title

Want to design an eye-catching title for your next project? This tutorial shows you how to choose a high-quality typeface, apply unique typesetting, and use an easy colour matching technique.

37. Design a monogram

A monogram is a type of personal branding made up of one or more letters, typically initials, that may be intertwined as part of a design. This tutorial demonstrates how to use a simple shape, a professional typeface and colour to create an impressive monogram.

Next page: Logo and icon design

38. Create a perfectly geometric logo design

This short tutorial walks you through how to create a perfectly geometric logo design in Illustrator. Begin by creating an initial pattern using smart guides, then remove areas from shapes using the Shape Builder tool or Pathfinder tool, and add gradients.

39. Create a faceted gemstone logo graphic

Chris Spooner walks you through the creation of a multi-faceted and polygonal logo graphic

Learn to create the multi-faceted and polygonal logo design style that’s popular right now in the tech and digital industries. This tutorial shows you how to use a range of tools to produce such a design in vector format.

40. Create a distressed vintage style logo design

This tutorial walks you through the creation of a vintage style logo design for a T-shirt. It’s based on a distressed type based logo design, which is then finished with texturing to achieve an aged look.

41. Design a logo

This tutorial shows you how to use vector shapes to create a logo that will look good on screen as it does in print, and which combines imagery with text.

42. How to create a set of icons

In this step by step tutorial you’ll learn how to create a simple set of icons using Illustrator. You’ll use vector shape building techniques, the Rounded Corners effect and the Rotate Tool to create the set of 10 icons.

43. Create a web icon

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to modify simple shapes to create standout icons: a camera icon to use as a social media profile image, and for a button linking to a portfolio on a digital resume.

44. Create an app icon

Create this cool calculator icon in Illustrator with this step-by-step tutorial by Matthew Pizzi

This tutorial outlines how to create a calculator app icon in Illustrator, using a variety of shape tools, the Pen tool, and the 3D features of Illustrator.

Next page: Advanced techniques

45. Warp, pose, and sculpt your artwork easily

This advanced tutorial teaches you how to make smooth adjustments to parts of your vector drawings. The technique involves placing pins using the Puppet Warp tool, and then manipulating specific areas of your artwork accordingly.

46. Merge basic shapes into editable objects

Shapes are the building blocks of an illustration, and Illustrator CC’s Shaper tool enables you to draw, edit, and merge them using intuitive gestures, as this video tutorial explains.

47. Bring harmonious colours to a vector artwork

Bring to a sense of positivity to your art with a restrained choice of shapes and colours

Illustrator Andrew Groves aims to recreate the feeling of discovering the unexpected, by using as few shapes and colours as possible. In this tutorial, he walks you through how to do the same in your own artwork, using Illustrator CC.

48. Quickly join and trim paths

Learning to join paths is a great way to clean up your line work in Illustrator CC. This tutorial explains how to trim excess line segments from intersecting paths and close gaps between two open paths.

49. Create pixel-perfect designs

Attention to detail can make or break a design

This tutorial walks you through three options for ensuring precision control over your designs as you draw them in Illustrator CC. You’ll learn how to create paths that automatically align to the pixel grid as you draw them; align art to the pixel; and customise the pixel-snapping feature.

50. Create a pearl brush from gradient meshes

Learning to create your own brushes is a great way to take your vector illustrations to the next level. This tutorial walks you through the creation of a brush that you can use to create an impressive pearl necklace.

Next page: Illustrator projects

51. The secrets of cute character art design

Learn how to design a character in Illustrator

In this Illustrator tutorial, Sascha Preuß reveals how to go about designing colourful cartoon characters and outlines how to make them super-cute, from initial sketch to final colouring.

52. How to create an editable bar chart

In this tutorial you’ll learn to create a fully editable chart in Illustrator using the Column Graph Tool. You’ll then use the Direct Selection Tool and the Graphic Styles panel to stylise the main components of your chart.

53. Create a busy city scene

Discover how to bring some dynamics and atmosphere to a graphic city scene

This tutorial explains how to put together a bustling street scene in Illustrator. You’ll be constructing architecture, adding figures, placing street furniture and signage and experimenting with colour to create a dynamic and atmospheric scene.

54. Create digital tattoo art

This tutorial explains how to progress from a simple sketch to a detailed, tattoo-inspired illustration using Illustrator CC. Royalty-free files are included so you can follow the tutorial from beginning to end, and even incorporate your designs into client work.

55. Create vinyl wall art

Here Ben O’Brien shows how to create and prepare artwork for making stylish vinyl wall stickers for decorating your home.

56. Create an elderly man illustration

This tutorial walks you through how to illustrate an elderly man, using some basic geometric shapes and some simple tools in Illustrator.

57. Create a piggy-bank illustration

Learn how to create a detailed piggy-bank illustration in Illustrator, using the Live Corners feature, basic blending techniques, Gaussian Blur effects and some Warp effects.

58. How to create a polar bear illustration

Illustrate a polar bear using simple shapes

Who doesn’t want to learn how to illustrate a polar bear? This great tutorial walks you through how to do so, using Warp effects, the Pen Tool and the Smart Guides.

59. Create an illustration of Scandinavian mittens

Discover how to create a pair of Scandinavian mitten using basic shapes, effects, and tools. This tutorial is broken down into parts to make it easier for beginners.

60. How to create a compass symbol

Andrei Marius explains how to create this elegant compass symbol in Illustrator

This step by step tutorial walks you through the creation of a wind rose compass symbol illustration in Illustrator. You’ll create the main object using the Appearance panel, then harness the Transform effect to multiply shapes and create a complex compass grid using only a few paths.

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