Learn Adobe Illustrator: All the Basics for Beginners
by Vandelay Website Design on March 28, 2010
A few weeks ago we published a post, Learn Photoshop, that included links to well over 100 resources for mastering the basics of Photoshop and the use of the various tools. In response to reader request, we’re publishing this post to help designers who want to get started with Adobe Illustrator, or maybe just sharpen their existing skills.
Illustrator is a powerful program, but it can be overwhelming or confusing at times, simply because of everything that is possible. If you’re new to Illustrator, taking the time to understand the basics and how to use the specific tools will go a long way towards setting you up for success. In this post we’ve categorized more than 100 resources that will teach you everything you need to learn.
Basic Intro to Illustrator and the User Interface:
Getting Started in Illustrator
Working with Illustrator’s Workspaces (video)
Fun with Illustrator’s Lessor Known, Yet Powerful Tools
How to Use Smart Guides in Illustrator (video)
Illustrator CS4 Appearance Panel (video)
- The Secrets of the Appearance Panel: Multiple Fills
- Adobe Illustrator: Appearance Palette
- 20 More Useful Adobe Illustrator Menu Tips
- Reset Your Rulers (video)
Magic Wand Tool:
Illustrator CS4 Quick Tips: Magic Wand (video)
Utilizing the Magic Wand’s Tolerance Levels
Brushes:
How to Open Illustrator Brush Sets
A Comprehensive Guide: Illustrator’s Paintbrush Tool and Brush Panel
How to Customize Your Default Illustrator Brush Settings (video)
Working with Illustrator “Art” Brushes: Options and Adjustments
How to Make a Custom Illustrator Brush
- Reverse Brush Strokes
- Load Brush Libraries Faster
- Illustrator Brush-Making Tip: Colorization Method
- Creating Simple Art Brushes in Illustrator
- Custom Art Brush in Illustrator (video)
Scribbles:
How to Use Scribble Effects in Illustrator
Create Your Own Scribbled, Scratchy Typeface in Illustrator
How to Use the Scribble Effect in Illustrator
Patterns:
The Power (and Ease) of Patterns in Illustrator
How to Import Pattern Swatches into Illustrator
Working with Pattern Swatches in Illustrator
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Creating Seamless Patterns in Illustrator
Creating Geometric Patterns in Illustrator
- How to Customize Your Default Illustrator Pattern Swatches
- How to: Create a Seamless Diagonal Pattern in Illustrator
- How to Make a Perfect Seamless Vector Pattern
- Create a Themed Repeating Pattern in Illustrator
- Illustrator Quick Tip: Editing a Pattern
Pen and Pencil Tools:
Illustrator’s Pen Tool: The Comprehensive Guide
Illustrator Pen Tool Exercises
- Adobe Illustrator Drawing Tools Part 1 and Part 2 (video)
- The Pen and Paths in Adobe Illustrator (video)
- Illustrator Tutorial: Pen Tool
Transform:
All About Transformation in Adobe Illustrator
Transform Again in Illustrator
Using Transform Again in Illustrator
Symbols:
Smarter Illustrator with Symbols
Spraying Symbols in Adobe Illustrator
Type Tool and Text Effects:
Illustrator 101: The Type Tool
Illustrator’s Type Tool: A Comprehensive Introduction
3 Ways to Apply a Line Pattern Effect on Text in Illustrator
- Using Text Wrap in Combination with the Area Type Tool (video)
- Copying Text Styles with Eyedropper
- Type on a Path in Illustrator (video)
Layers:
Improve Your Illustrator Workflow with Layer Masking
Editing Objects, Layers, and Groups
Blend Tool:
Illustrator’s Blend Tool: A Comprehensive Guide
Illustrator 101: Superfast Spacing with the Blend Tool
Fun with Illustrator’s Blend Tool
- Using the Blend Tool and Distort Zig Zag Effect in Illustrator
- Adobe Illustrator Blend Tips (video)
- Blend Tool Backgrounds (vide0)
3D:
Illustrator 3D: Bust Down the 2D Barrier
Creating 3D Shapes in Illustrator (video)
Illustrator Revolve Tool to Evolve You
Shapes:
Quickly Edit Shapes in Illustrator
4 Simple Shapes in Illustrator
Make a Perfect Triangle Path in Illustrator
- Simultaneously Expand When Creating Compound Shapes
- Rounded Rectangles in Illustrator
- Change the Size of a Rounded Rectangle After Drawn
- Patterns and Shapes in Adobe Illustrator (video)
Pathfinder:
A Comprehensive Guide to the Pathfinder Panel
Complex Symbols with Pathfinder
Using the Pathfinder and Align Tool in Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator: The Pathfinder Palette (video)
Live Trace:
A Comprehensive Guide to Illustrator’s Live Trace Tool and More
Perfect Silhouette with Live Trace
How to Make Pop Art with Live Trace (video)
Selections:
Working with the Group Selection Tool (video)
Adobe Illustrator CS4: Isolation Mode (video)
Gradient Mesh:
Intro to the Gradient Mesh Tool (video)
Tips for Working with the Gradient Mesh Tool in Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator Gradient Mesh Tool (video)
Clipping Paths, Clipping Masks, and Opacity Masks:
The Basics of Clipping Paths and Opacity Masks
How to Make a Clipping Mask in Illustrator
- Opacity Mask Basics
- Illustrator 101: Opacity Masks
- Clipping Masks
- How to Create a Clipping Mask in Adobe Illustrator
Colors:
How to Create a Wide Range of Custom Color Swatches in Adobe Illustrator
Live Color in Adobe Illustrator (video)
Recolor Artwork Using Illustrator’s Live Color
How to Create Your Own Color Separations
Productivity:
17 Tips that will Save You Time in Illustrator
7 Exceptionally Useful Text Shortcuts
Adobe Illustrator CS4 Keyboard Shortcuts
- Mastering Keyboard Shortcuts
- Increase Your Productivity: Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver Keyboard Shortcuts
- Automate Actions in Illustrator
- Illustrator Workflow: “Persistent” Brush Palettes
- Scale Objects via Keyboard
- 5 Ways to Customize Adobe Illustrator
Lines:
For more Illustrator tutorials please see:
- 30 Text Effect Tutorials for Adobe Illustrator
- 40 Tutorials for Working with Shapes in Illustrator
- The 50 Best Adobe Illustrator Tutorials from 2009
- Top 10 Sites for Illustrator Tutorials
- 27 New and Fresh Illustrator Tutorials