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Adobe Illustrator: first steps. Free mini-course "Adobe Illustrator for beginners" Teaching vector graphics from scratch

Most likely you know that there are two types of graphics − raster and vector.

A bitmap image consists of many small cells - pixels, where each pixel has its own color. A raster image is easy to recognize simply by increasing it by 200%, many small squares will quickly become noticeable - these are pixels.

The two most popular raster formats are: JPEG, PNG.

Raster graphics are useful for photorealistic images. Photography is also raster graphics. It is with her that we work with you in Adobe Photoshop.

Unlike raster images, vector images do not consist of pixels, but of many anchor points and curves connecting them. A vector image is described by formulas and does not require information about each pixel. Thanks to this, vector images do not lose quality when they are enlarged and take up less space.

Vector graphics are used for logos, illustrations, icons, and technical drawings. But it is not suitable for working with photorealistic images.

The most popular vector formats: SVG, AI, ac The most popular vector graphics editor - Adobe Illustrator.

As you can see, each format has its pros and cons, so if you work with graphics, then ideally you should be able to work with both raster and vector graphics.

For all the years of the existence of the Photoshop Master project, we have given you lessons only on raster graphics. But our subscribers and clients have often asked us to recommend quality vector graphics tutorials. And today we can safely recommend such materials to you, because a new training mini-course - Adobe Illustrator for beginners - has been released on the Videosmail project, which is friendly to us.

You can study the first three lessons of this mini-course today:

Lesson 1 - Introduction to the program

Lesson 2 - The Adobe Illustrator Interface

Lesson 3 - Stroke and Fill

Lesson 4 - Tools in Adobe Illustrator

Lesson 5 - Rendering an Image

Lesson 6 - Working with text

Practical lesson to reinforce

If you liked this course and want to further develop in the direction of vector graphics, then I have good news for you.

Already on Monday12th of FebruaryWithin the framework of the Videosmail project, which is friendly to us, a large course by Veronika Polyakova is being released, which is called"Super Illustrator".

In this course you will71 lessons, and during the training you will createover 25 own illustrationsand collect a full-fledged portfolio that will help you in finding your first clients.

Adobe Illustrator is one of the recognized leaders among vector graphics programs (its latest versions also have tools for working with raster images, as well as Photoshop now can work with vector objects) and is designed to create and edit illustrations for printing, multimedia applications and the Internet.

Vector graphics are based on the simplest geometric shapes called primitives - rectangles, circles, ellipses, etc.; on figures built from primitives, and on various curves. Hence the freedom of transformation: a vector image can be rotated and scaled with almost no loss of quality. Vector graphics programs are indispensable in those areas of graphics where maintaining clear and sharp outlines is important, such as creating graphic titles, logos, drawings, technical illustrations, diagrams, diagrams, etc.

The advantage of vector illustrations is that they take up less space than similar raster images, since it is not the image itself that is saved, but only some basic data, with the help of which the program creates the image anew each time. In addition, vector graphics work well with object outlines and groups of objects, allowing you to quickly make drastic changes.

The interface of the Illustrator program is very similar to the interfaces of other products from Adobe, primarily Photoshop, which simplifies the process of mastering it. There are similar tools here: magic wand(Magic wand) and Lasso(Lasso), Paintbrush(Normal brush) and Warp(Distort brush) and so on, and similar command menus, and many of the familiar palettes, and there is also a context menu. The program implements many of the features that can be found in other graphics packages - these are customizable grids, layers, alignment tools and gradient fills. But much of the above is done in a slightly different way, there are still many other features focused specifically on the creation and processing of vector images.

Fundamentals of working in Illustrator

Create a new document

Work on the picture begins with the creation of a new document, which occurs in the usual way on command File=>New(File=>New). At the same time, in the window New document(New document; Fig. 1) you need to immediately determine what the document is intended for - for publication on the Internet or for printing. In the first case, RGB mode is selected, and in the second, CMYK. Then a document will appear on the screen, bounded by a black frame (Fig. 2). Inside this frame, usually (that is, with a printer installed), there is an additional dotted frame that defines the working area of the document, inside which the drawing should be formed. Anything outside the dotted box will not be printed. Zooming in and out of the image, as in Photoshop, is done by pressing the key combination: ctrl+« + » to zoom in, ctrl+« – » to decrease.

Rice. 1. Create a new document for the Web

Rice. 2. New document

Toolbar

Illustrator's toolbar is very similar to Photoshop's, and tools are selected in the usual way. Under the currently visible tool, there may be several more hidden, which are easy to reach by holding down the key alt when choosing a tool (Fig. 3).

Rice. 3. A series of tools for drawing graphic primitives

Basic Palettes

Illustrator has a whole series of specialized palettes that can be opened or closed and are called from the list of palettes that opens when the command is activated. Window(Window). Among the main color palette color, color catalog palette Swatches and line palette Stroke.

In the palette color(Fig. 4) First of all, you should pay attention to two squares in the upper left corner of the palette: solid ( Fill) and hollow ( Stroke). Similar squares also appear in the lower part of the tool palette: the first is responsible for the fill color, and the second is for the stroke color of the object (Fig. 5). The square in front is considered active, and it is for it that the color will be determined if it is selected. Switching between squares is done with a simple mouse click. The fill or stroke color of an object can be selected from the palette color, as well as on the toolbar. This is done by double clicking on one of the squares and leads to the opening of the window Color Picker(Color selection), where you can select the desired color (Fig. 6).

Rice. 4. Color Palette

Rice. 5. An example of an object with a border of a different color

Rice. 6. Color selection in the Color Picker window

In addition, in the lower left corner of the palette color there is a crossed out square None, which, when clicked, removes the currently active color. For example, in the case of an active fill color, this will cause all objects created after that to have only borders.

Palette Swatches(Fig. 7) is a catalog of standard colors, gradients and patterns that can be edited, supplemented and customized. Here you can not only choose, but also store colors, gradients and patterns that you previously selected for specific images. This is very convenient, because, having chosen a color for a specific object, the user immediately forgets about it and switches to another color. In the future, to restore it, as a rule, you have to open the corresponding image and take a color sample with the tool eyedropper(Pipette). But you can do it easier by keeping the desired colors in the palette Swatches(for which, in fact, it is intended), - just drag the active square with the color from the palette color to the palette Swatches(Fig. 8).

Rice. 7. Palette Swatches

Rice. 8. Saving color in the Swatches palette

palette Swatches can be replenished in other ways, since when installing the program, a whole library of color palettes is automatically created, any of which can be added to the palette Swatches. To open a specific library, use the commands Window=>Swatch Libraries=>...(Window=>Library Collections=>...) or Window=>Swatch Libraries=>Other Library(Window=>Library Collections=>Other Libraries) and drag the desired color into the palette in the same way Swatches. The first command will open one of the default palettes, and the second one will open the color library of one of the *.ai files you created earlier. To remove an unwanted color from the palette, just drag it to the trash can icon in the lower right corner of the palette.

Palette Stroke(Figure 9) defines the appearance of the object's outline. Here you can change the width of the stroke in the box Weight(Width) note that fractional widths are entered separated by commas. Enable option Dashed Line(Dashed line) makes three pairs of fields active Dash(Dash length) and gap(Distance between strokes), the values in which determine the character of the dotted line (Fig. 10).

Three values of the Cap parameter of the Stroke palette define the line boundaries:

Choosing the first value causes the boundaries to match the anchor points;

Selecting the second value ensures the formation of rounded borders;

When choosing the third value, the line boundaries go beyond the boundaries of the control points (Fig. 11).

Parameter values Join determine the appearance of the internal points of the polyline: the first option provides the formation of sharp points, the second - rounded, the third - straight. Therefore, rounded vertices will be obtained only when choosing the average values of the parameters Cap And Join.

Rice. 9. Palette Stroke

Rice. 10. An example of an object with a dash-dotted line and a Stroke palette corresponding to the given stroke

Rice. 11. An example of lines with different settings for the Cap and Join parameters

Selecting objects

Tools are primarily used to select objects. Selection(Highlight), Direct Selection(Partial selection) and Group Selection(Group selection). Selection is responsible for selecting the entire object by enclosing it in a rectangular frame (in the so-called overall container) and is convenient for quickly selecting one or more adjacent or overlapping objects by forming a frame around them. When selecting one object, it is enough to click on the border of the object or inside the object if it has a fill. If we are talking about selecting several objects, then a rectangular frame should be formed around them (Fig. 12). In any case, the selection of an object will be indicated by its inclusion in a large container (Fig. 13).

Rice. 12. The process of selecting a group of objects with the Selection tool

Rice. 13. The result of selecting a group of objects with the Selection tool

Tool Direct Selection is responsible for selecting one object without forming a rectangular frame (Fig. 14) and is most often used to select individual anchor points or curve segments (but we will talk about this in one of the next lessons). Tool Group Selection is designed to select a group of objects (it can consist not only of graphic primitives, but also of individual control points and curve segments), but also without placing them in a large container (Fig. 15).

Rice. 14. The result of selecting a star with the Direct Selection tool

Rice. 15. The result of selecting a group of objects with the Group Selection tool

To some extent, tools Direct Selection And Group Selection duplicate each other, since you can select several objects using the tool Direct Selection if you hold down the key Shift in the process of extraction. The selection process itself is carried out by a simple mouse click inside the object or along its border. Using the above tools, you can also move the selected images with the mouse or using the appropriate arrow keys.

In addition to the mentioned selection tools, there are also magic wand(Magic wand) and Lasso(Lasso). Yes, and in relation to the above-mentioned tools, there are a number of nuances, but the immensity cannot be grasped, and we will dwell on the issues of selection in more detail another time.

Grouping objects

If it is necessary to perform the same transformations on several objects, then it is more convenient to combine them into a group (however, this is not necessary - you can simply select all objects each time while holding down the key Shift). The convenience of grouping is that after selecting several objects into a group, a single click with the tool Selection on any of these objects will lead to the selection of the entire group at once.

To create a group, select sequentially using the key Shift multiple tool objects Direct Selection and use the command Object=>Group(Object=>Group). You can split objects with the reverse command Object=>Ungroup(Object=>Not a group). However, even if the objects are grouped, it is possible to work with one of them without breaking the group. To do this, select the object with the tool Group Selection and perform the necessary transformations with it: moving, recoloring, rotating, applying effects, etc.

Creation and transformation of graphic objects

So that our lesson is not purely theoretical, let's move on to creating graphic primitives in order to use the information received and take the first steps.

Formation of graphic primitives

Drawing simple shapes such as rectangles ( Rectangle), rounded rectangles ( Rounded Rectangle), ellipses ( Ellipse), polygons ( Polygon), stars ( star) and glare ( Flare), is carried out in the program in the usual way - using the appropriate tools from the palette. Keystroke Shift in the process of drawing leads to the formation of a square instead of a rectangle, and a circle instead of an ellipse. In addition, the parameters of a geometric figure can be adjusted from the menu, for which you need to click on the sheet and change the parameters (this is done before the object is formed). And if in the case of, for example, a rectangle, you can only change its width ( Width) and height ( Height), then for polygons you can change the radius ( Radius) and the number of angles ( Sides), and for stars the number of vertices ( points), outer and inner radii.

The fill color of a geometric figure, as well as the stroke color, can be defined both beforehand and after its image - in the event that the figure is selected.

Let's create, for example, an image of a star. To do this, double-click on the square in the palette Fill and set the desired color to fill the shape. Then activate the square Stroke and define the color of the border. Select a tool from the palette star(by default it hides under the tool Rectangle, and it can be found by holding down the key alt) and form a star of the desired size (Fig. 16).

Rice. 16. Appearance stars

Activate palette Stroke, increase the border width (for example, to 30 pixels) and set the parameters to medium values Cap And Join the tops of the star will take a rounded shape (Fig. 17).

Rice. 17. Star after adjusting the border in the Stroke palette

Then open the palette Swatches and fill in the star with a suitable gradient or pattern, such as in fig. 18.

Rice. 18. The appearance of the star after filling with a gradient from the Swatches palette

It is possible that the range available in the palette Swatches gradients will not suit you, you can slightly adjust it. In this case, the command Window=>Gradient(Window=>Gradient) open palette Gradient and drag the gradient handles (they are placed in the form of squares under the gradient color change bar) as needed (Fig. 19). The presented option for setting the gradient turned out to be so easy and simple only because initially in the palette Swatches the gradient was well chosen. Full adjustment of the gradient is a longer task.

Rice. 19. Gradient Adjustment Result

Try now in a new document to create a star with big amount vertices and paint it with a hand-picked gradient. Set option None for both fill color and border color. Choose a tool star and click on the sheet the menu for setting the star parameters will appear, in which you need to define the desired settings, for example, as in fig. 20. You will get a star that has not yet been filled in (Fig. 21).

Rice. 20. Setting star parameters

Rice. 21. Initial view of the star

team Window=>Gradient(Window=>Gradient) open the gradient palette. By default, a linear black-and-white gradient is set up here, which can be easily replaced with a radial one (Fig. 22). After that, click on the white square in the lower left corner of the palette Gradient(fig. 23), then double-click on the Fill box in the tool palette and set the desired color. Then click on the black square in the lower right corner of the palette Gradient and set the second color in the same way. The result will be something like in Fig. 24.

Rice. 22. Replacing a Linear Gradient with a Radial Gradient

Rice. 23. Clicking on the bottom border of a color in the Gradient palette

Rice. 24. The appearance of the star after adjusting the gradient and the Gradient palette corresponding to the fill

It should be borne in mind that there are very convenient ways control over the process of drawing graphic primitives. For example, when creating a polygon, star, or flare, you can use the arrow keys to increase or decrease the number of vertices of the polygon and star, and the number of turns of the spiral right during the drawing. Key pressed Shift when drawing, it will allow you to align the created object horizontally and vertically. Pressing a key Space when drawing, you can immediately move the object to the right place, and the key ctrl allows you to change the degree of sharpness of the rays of the star.

The simplest actions on objects

Please note that any action is performed only in relation to one or several selected objects, and entire groups of objects can be simultaneously moved, resized, simultaneously repainted, and various filters applied to them. For example, repainting will be performed instantly for all selected objects when changing the fill color Fill(Fig. 25).

Rice. 25. Simultaneous repainting of two selected objects

Transforming an object with the Direct Selection tool

Draw a rectangle and make a second copy next to it (for reference) in the usual way via the clipboard (commands Edit=>Copy Editing=>Copying and Edit=>Paste Editing => Paste), then deselect the resulting copy with the command Select=>Deselect(Selection=>Nothing is selected) or simply by clicking on an empty spot on the workspace. Choose a tool Direct Selection, bring it to one of the corners of the rectangle and drag it, turning it into a trapezoid (Fig. 26).

Rice. 26. Transforming a rectangle with the Direct Selection tool

Scale and Rotate

Unlike Photoshop, Illustrator's scale and rotate tools are placed directly on the toolbar, so working with them is easy and simple. For example, let's make a copy of the asterisk shown in Fig. 27, teams Edit=>Copy(Editing=>Copy) and Edit=>Paste(Editing => Paste), reduce it in size and move it to the center big star. To reduce the size (given that the copied star is selected), select the tool from the toolbar Scale(Scale) by double-clicking on the tool, the zoom window will open. Let's turn it on in the window Scale checkbox Preview (Preview) to immediately see all the changes in the figure, and adjust the scale value appropriately (Fig. 28). Then select a smaller copy of the asterisk with the tool Direct Selection and drag it to the center of the big star. Ideally positioning objects relative to each other is quite difficult (although in practice such operations have to be performed all the time), so you need to select both stars. Let's open the palette Windows=>Align(Window => Alignment; Fig. 29) and center them relative to each other by successively clicking on the buttons Horizontal Align Center(Horizontal center alignment) and Vertical Align Center(Vertical alignment relative to the center). The result is shown in fig. thirty.

Rice. 27. Original image

Rice. 28. Change the scale of the selected object

Rice. 29. Palette Align

Rice. 30. Star centering result

Then, without removing the selection from the objects, double-click on the tool Rotate(Rotate), which will open the Rotate setting window. Enable checkbox preview(Preview) and begin to rotate the stars little by little, gradually bringing them to the desired position (Fig. 31). You can rotate objects in other ways by selecting the tool Rotate with one click (no settings window will open in this case, but the center of rotation will be indicated in the figure) and starting to rotate the object with the mouse (Fig. 32).

Rice. 31 Rotate Objects by Specifying Settings in the Rotate Window

Rice. 32. Rotate objects with the mouse

Scaling can be done in other ways: either by simply single-clicking on the tool Scale and moving one of the vertices of the object, or place the object in the bounding rectangle, selecting it with the tool Selection and moving the markers of the bounding rectangle. In this case, moving the side markers provides scaling only horizontally or vertically, while moving the corner markers - both horizontally and vertically (Fig. 33). To scale while maintaining proportions, hold down the key shift; key alt allows you to scale from the center of the object.

Rice. 33. Scaling a group of objects based on a bounding rectangle

Free transformation

There is another possibility of scaling and rotation, implemented with just one button on the tool palette - Free Transform(Free transformation). When this tool is selected, the selected objects are automatically enclosed in a container that can be scaled and rotated. In this case, the appearance of the marker should be guided by: if it is a curved arrow, then when the mouse moves, the objects will be rotated, and if the marker looks like a straight arrow, then the shape will change in size.

Using filters to form more complex objects

The initial number of graphic primitives, alas, is small, and it is impossible to manage only with them when creating the desired image. However, Illustrator provides a lot of options for modifying the original shapes, while the resulting images will be far from the usual rectangles, polygons and stars. Yes, filter Pucker & Bloat(Crinkle and Inflate) forms convex or concave curves based on the original image, which is very suitable for drawing flowers, heraldic signs, etc. Filter Twist(Bend) twists the object in the center more than at the edges, creating spectacular swirls from regular polygons, and so on.

Let's use the star created in the previous example (Fig. 34). Select it with the tool Direct Selection, and then apply one of the many deformation options to it with the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Pucker & Bloat(Effect=>Distort and Transform=>Crinkle and Inflate). Depending on the deformation settings, you can get a variety of shapes - starting from the sun (Fig. 35) and ending with a camomile (Fig. 36). Please note that the checkbox preview(Preview) must be enabled, otherwise you won't be able to see the image transform as you change the setting.

Rice. 34. Original image

Rice. 35. Sunshine (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

Rice. 36. Chamomile (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

No less original effects can be obtained if other graphic primitives are taken as a basis. In particular, from an octagon you can get spectacular color options (Fig. 37, 38), and from a circle - an interesting symbol that can be used, for example, when creating a logo (Fig. 39).

Rice. 37. First flower option (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

Rice. 38. Second flower option (Pucker & Bloat settings indicated)

Rice. 39. Possible logo fragment (Pucker & Bloat settings are indicated)

No less interesting effects are obtained when other filters from the group are applied to geometric primitives. Distort & Transform(Distortion and transformation). The original image looks like Fig. 40, and the result of applying the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Twist(Effect => Distort and Transform => Bend) can resemble a spectacular curl (Fig. 41).

Rice. 40. Original image

Rice. 41. Curl (Twist filter settings indicated)

Recolor the original star with a bluish gradient more suited to snowflakes and try out the filter ZigZag called by the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>ZigZag(Effect=>Distortion and Transformation=>Zigzag). In this case, an incredible variety of snowflakes can be obtained (Fig. 42).

Rice. 42. Snowflakes (ZigZag filter settings are indicated)

Now, in a new document, draw a series of circles, as shown in fig. 43, select them with the tool Direct Selection and turn into intricate ink blots with the team Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Roughen(Effect => Distortion and transformation => Thorns; Fig. 44, 45).

Rice. 43. Original image

Rice. 44. Adjusting the Roughen filter

Rice. 45. Inkblots

Creating complex objects by cutting out the constituent parts of graphic primitives

Consider one of the simplest examples of cutting objects to form a rather spectacular pattern. Create a polygon and a star lying on it filled with a gradient - something like in fig. 46. Place them symmetrically by clicking on the buttons Horizontal Align Center(Horizontal center alignment) and Vertical Align Center(Vertical center alignment) in palette Align(Alignment) by opening the last command Windows=>Align(Window=>Alignment). Select both objects with the tool Direct Selection when the key is pressed Shift. Open palette Pathfinder(Pathfinder) team Window=>Pathfinder(Window=>Pathfinder) and click on the button Divide(Cut; Fig. 47) as a result, cuts will be made at the intersections of the figures superimposed on each other. Refuse command selection Select=>Deselect(Select => Nothing is selected) and select only those fragments of the image that are shown in fig. 48.

Rice. 46. Original image

Rice. 47. Slicing the original image

Rice. 48. Selection of cut out parts of the image for the first scaling

Double click on the tool Scale and adjust the scaling parameters (fig. 49) - the result may resemble the image in fig. 50. After that, select the fragments (Fig. 51) and perform the same scaling option (Fig. 52).

Rice. 49. Adjust scaling options

Rice. 50. Appearance of the image after the first scaling

Rice. 51. Selection of cut out parts of the image for the second scaling

Rice. 52. Appearance of the image after the second scaling

For the finishing touch, select all parts of the image and apply a filter twist, using the command Effect=>Distort & Transform=>Twist(Effect => Distort and Transform => Bend) with a rotation angle of 150. The resulting image will resemble fig. 53.

Rice. 53. Final look of the image

An online course lasting 4 months, during which you will fully master the basic tools of the leading vector editors. Familiarize yourself with the processes for creating and working with vector graphics.

Vector graphics is a way of representing objects and images in computer graphics based on the use of elementary geometric objects such as points, lines, splines and polygons.
Vector graphics objects are graphic representations of mathematical functions. The term is used in contrast to raster graphics, which represent an image as a fixed-size matrix consisting of dots (pixels) with their own geometric parameters.

The course will introduce you to the main software packages for working with vector graphics, tools for its creation and editing, effects and techniques for working with vector objects. In the process of studying, you will master the basic principles and techniques of vector drawing and will be able to create your own vector objects and illustrations for use in various fields: from the gaming industry to printing.

Part 1

Introduction to vector graphics and basic editors. We will master the tools of the three most common vector graphics editors (CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash).

Introduction

What is vector graphics - concepts and features. Comparison of vector and raster graphics
Bezier curves and features of their creation and work with them
Familiarity with software packages and their tools
Considering formats and applying vector images
Creation of primitives, curves. Properties of vector objects

Working with color

Assigning area and outline color
Types of fills (uniform fill, gradient fill, mesh fill)
Types of gradient fills. Gradient Tools
Intelligent Fill
The importance and features of setting the color space of the program

Document structure organization

Objects, groups, layers
Guides, grid, measuring rulers. Bindings
Distribution and alignment, object order
Move, duplicate and clone
Working with symbols

effects

Transformations and distortions
Flow effect
Transparency effects
Other vector effects
Raster filters and effects

Mesh fill. Working with brushes

Ways to create a mesh
Working with a mesh fill
Creating a 3D effect with a mesh fill
Working with brushes
Creating custom brushes

Masking and crossing

Masks and types of masks
Masking features in CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash
Union and intersection of objects

Organization of graphics exchange between programs

Working with clipboard - Clipboard
Interaction of vector image formats
Features of export and import from application to application with maximum graphics editability

Part 2

Work on projects using the acquired skills.

Creating a seamless pattern (pattern/texture)

Drawing a vector app icon

Creating an inanimate object for a Flash game

Working on an illustration (or a scene for a Flash project)

The plot, composition, sketch, color scheme. Rough rendering
Perspective modeling (linear, aerial). Plans (front, middle, rear)
Volume, depth, atmosphere. light modeling
Integrating objects or characters into a scene

Stock Vector

What are microstocks?
Overview of the main microstocks.
EPS is the main vector image format for stocks.
Compliance with the basic requirements of stocks for vector images.
Preparation of EPS compatible with Adobe Illustrator v.8 or v.10.

The knowledge you gained in the Vector Graphics course is applicable and useful no matter what software package you use for work - Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash, CorelDRAW or others.

Program is an ideal tool for creating vector graphics. Its popularity is due to its enormous capabilities, thanks to which anyone can learn how to create icons, drawings, graphics, infographics, the basics of video or animation, character design, and much more.

Moreover, the developers of the program regularly add even more tools that give amazing features. Now you can create fantastic illustrations and design elements, and today's video lessons help you with this.

Be sure to save the article to your page so as not to lose these free lessons.

Visual step-by-step drawing instructions are designed for beginners and users with an intermediate level of knowledge. The demonstration uses the latest version of Illustrator CC.

In total, you will create a minimum of 28 graphic elements under the guidance of a designer with 8 years of experience from the Pixel school, thanks to which you can build and consolidate skills, work out new tricks and styles, and create and design a portfolio. In the process, the author of the videos also gives advice to novice designers and illustrators, including how to use the program and design their work.

How to draw a fox in Adobe Illustrator?

It may seem that working in Adobe Illustrator is a very complicated and lengthy process. From the very first lesson, you will learn that this is far from being the case. We will dispel this myth using the example of creating a character image. Thanks to the lesson, you will master the work with such a tool as a pen. Despite the apparent complexity, the pen is one of the most convenient tools of the program. Its capabilities are simply amazing!

You will learn how to create curved lines and draw sharp corners with this tool. In addition, you will also become familiar with fills and learn how to change or adjust paths. The topic of creating simple geometric shapes, working with a brush will also be touched upon. The instruction will allow you to work out the skills of creating volume and shadows, detailing the character - and all this without complex tools.

How to draw a girl in Adobe Illustrator?

The lesson is aimed at users of the program with an average level of knowledge, and offers an image of a person for consideration. You have to get acquainted with the possibilities of using a gradient, work out the poses of your character, silhouette. You will also learn how to raise and lower objects in a hierarchy, work with references from the Web, draw based on photos, drawings and sketches.

Detailed, step-by-step instructions with explanations, as well as answers to questions from the course author, for example, how to divide an object into several parts and much more. Particular attention is paid to the development of the details of the character.

How to draw a hipster in Adobe Illustrator?

If you do not know where to look for inspiration, what to do when you need to create an illustration from scratch, this lesson will allow you to find answers to many questions. In particular, the instructions discuss in detail the work with refs, that is, sources from the Internet. Based on several of these images, you will learn how to draw a human character, or rather, work out the face and hairstyle in detail. The image is based on simple geometric objects and conventional tools, and therefore it will be interesting for beginners.

The author does not use brushes and other complex tools, he starts from the basics and describes each action in detail, gradually applying colors and details. In addition, during the process, the author answers questions about the program, namely, how to display the panels on the right, customize the program to suit your needs, and more.

How to draw a fashionable dude in Adobe Illustrator?

In this lesson, we complicate the task - we use several refs and a sketch as a basis, which we previously sketched on paper and opened in Adobe Illustrator. We also use a sketch, which we make right in the program window based on the available materials. We break down the sketch step by step, which we then turn into an illustration using simple geometric shapes and a pen.

The author will show how to work with color schemes, including those found on the Internet. You will also work with a stroke and learn how to turn it into a fill, add highlights, volume, and play with detail.

How to draw icons and character in Adobe Illustrator?

This time, you'll learn about outline-style images using icons that require only lines and wrappers to draw. Depicting the Eiffel Tower and some other famous landmarks using refs. As a basis, you can use both photographs and drawings of other authors, and then work with sketches right in the program window using the "mouse".

We work with the selection tool (black arrow), stroke, geometric shapes, automate the process thanks to hot keys. We use the so-called solo mode. We add details and move on to the image of the character. As a result, you will get cute icons that can be used in animation or web design, as well as a colorful character for any purpose.

How to draw a Christmas illustration in Adobe Illustrator?

If you want more details and small traced elements, this lesson will definitely suit your taste! After completing the lesson, a new work will appear in your portfolio - a New Year's illustration with a chubby cat surrounded by Christmas tree decorations, garlands, lanterns and confetti. To make the cat as lively and bright as possible, the author recommends using several refs.

In the process, you'll practice the pen tool, learn how to rename a layer, group multiple parts to move or copy, how to add shadows, and more. Particular attention is paid to a more creative (compared to the usual construction of a drawing) component, namely, detailing.

How to draw a rabbit in Adobe Illustrator?

We draw a new funny animal - a rabbit - based on a sketch photo integrated in Illustrator. Thanks to the lesson, you will learn how and why to lock a layer, how to work with simple geometric objects and draw a perfect circle without violating proportions, how to change the colors of shapes, how to change the stroke and switch between stroke and fill modes.

In addition, the author will show how to draw sharp and obtuse angles with a pen, teach you how to use the Anchor Point tool in the Pen + menu (adjacent tools). With simple tips and step by step instructions, you will consolidate the basic skills, as well as add new work to your portfolio!

How to create a flat illustration in Adobe Illustrator?

Flat illustration is a variation of flat design. A characteristic difference between flat design is minimalism in the design of websites, printed publications, and applications. The goal of the approach is to create aesthetically pleasing and lightweight products. The scope of flat design is very diverse. They are used in the development of the site - for the design of landing pages, interface elements, visual designation of product properties or functions.

The lesson will allow you to create a character in a "flat style", which can then be used in animation. The instruction is designed for novice users, and to implement the idea, you only need a pen and simple geometric shapes! In the future, increasing your level of knowledge, you can easily improve the character, for example, by making it part of a gif or video.

We analyze DZ according to the video course

The video will be interesting for those who want to learn even more as part of the course and learn from other people's mistakes and examples. The author of the course looks at the homework of the course students (2 illustrations from each) and analyzes the typical mistakes of novice designers and illustrators using specific examples, points out inaccuracies in the images, and also gives advice on using tools and work.

How to draw a rocket in Adobe Illustrator?

A course with a bonus, thanks to which you will learn not only how to draw a rocket, but also stylish icons for the site menu. Don't worry - it's not difficult! The lesson is designed in such a way that it is designed for novice users of Adobe Illustrator.

You will learn how to create simple icons from scratch, without preparing and searching for refs, learn how to work with associations using the example of icons that characterize menu items on the site, and also understand the settings of the working panel in the program. To create icons, you need a pen and a little imagination. Then the author moves on to the image of the rocket, using the simplest and most understandable tools of Adobe Illustrator for this.

How to draw website icons in Adobe Illustrator (Part 1)?

If you have always been attracted to graphic design elements, and you dream of adding such elements to your portfolio, we recommend that you pay attention to this lesson, which is completely dedicated to the development and creation of icons for the site. The lesson consists of two parts and includes the most detailed, step-by-step instructions for creating them in Adobe Illustrator.

In the first part, you will learn how to create icons from scratch, what tools to use for this. After completing the lesson, you will have 10 examples of work done in the same style. To implement your plan, you only need geometric shapes as a basis and simple contours. We will work on the image with a pen.

How to draw website icons in Adobe Illustrator (Part 2)?

We create the second part of icons for the site, focusing on the terms of reference of a potential client. This time we depict the icons in the form of a palette, a brush, a pen, and some others. From the lesson, you will learn how to interact with a potential customer, what a technical task or brief might look like, and how ideas are generated for creating icons.

The author creates icons using simple but functional tools, comments on each stage, talks about the features of working with the toolkit. The lesson is based on working with a regular pen, as in the previous instructions. We also use geometric shapes as a basis.

How to draw an illustration for a sale?

Thanks to the previous lessons, you will learn how to create illustrations on a free subject. In this lesson, everyone who wants to get closer to such a field as commercial illustration. The author will show and tell you how to make a sale announcement - using the example of a message about sales in honor of Black Friday. Do not forget that the illustration must fully correspond to the information occasion and reflect its essence, so that at the first glance at the image it is clear what is being said. That is why it is worth carefully approaching the search and selection of refs. You can also use your own sketch or a combination of sketch and refs.

To create an illustration, we use the simplest tools, so the lesson will be interesting not only for experienced users, but also for beginners. As a result, you will get a stylish picture that can be used for announcements on the website or in social networks.

How to draw a cat on a cloud in Adobe Illustrator?

The peculiarity of this lesson is the lack of an outline. Through this approach, you will learn more about why it is important to use as many refs as possible, especially if you have to work with a complex drawing with many details. The author selects several drawings and illustrations from the Internet, one of which is the main one and helps to imagine in what position the cat will sit on the cloud.

A sketch will also be used to demonstrate with a specific example how exactly it is worth working with illustrations from scratch. To complete the work, you will need the simplest but most convenient tools, and therefore both a novice and an experienced user of the program can handle the process.

How to draw a house on an island in Adobe Illustrator?

Thanks to the lesson, you will get acquainted with isometry, and you will also be able to diversify your portfolio with new works made using the original technique. Isometric projection is often used to create technical illustrations. This technique allows the designer to quickly and accurately draw objects without using perspective. Now you'll learn how to work with projections in Illustrator by creating some simple yet vibrant objects on an isometric grid.

You will also learn some technical illustration techniques that are easy to apply in practice. The lesson is designed for beginners, but more advanced users will be interested. Once completed, you will have a complete isometric illustration of the house to add to your portfolio.

How to draw a cat in Adobe Illustrator?

For this tutorial, you'll need a freehand sketch on a tablet or paper, which you'll then transfer to your computer and open in Adobe Illustrator. The peculiarity of the course is to take the time to sketch, on the basis of which we will create an illustration, without searching and using refs.

The lesson will help you draw a fresh and beautiful illustration for your portfolio, as well as develop and strengthen various skills in working with the program and using tools. In parallel with this, the author gives advice on filling the portfolio and promotion of the designer.

How to draw a fashionable girl in Adobe Illustrator?

From the lesson, you will learn how to collect references (examples) from the Internet for posing a model and develop ideas used in illustration, and as a result you will get an illustration with a girl. The lesson will be useful for both beginners and advanced users of the graphics editor. In the process of working on an illustration, you will use the simplest tools of the program, and using the example of a pen, as well as adjust color, work with layers, and adjust contours.

The theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained will help you create your own drawings, icons and illustrations from scratch. In addition, after the end of the lesson, you will have a full-fledged work that you can add to your portfolio.

How to draw a tea picker in Adobe Illustrator?

To create an illustration with a girl picking tea, the author uses a vintage poster, as well as thematic illustrations and photographs. You will need several different examples and references, and therefore we recommend that you prepare materials in advance before starting work.

It is also worth looking through various drawings, art and sketches to determine the model's pose, various details, lights, shadows and more. The author will tell you step by step how to put all the refs together to turn them into an original illustration, unlike all the others. Thanks to the lesson, you will learn why details and improvisation are important in illustration - the author of the instruction will answer the questions.

How to draw a girl with a cat in Adobe Illustrator?

This lesson is a good example of the fact that you can use a wide variety of images, art and sketches to work with an illustration. For example, in order to draw a girl with a cat, the author suggests using retro pictures that resemble old postcards, as well as drawings in the original style. Thanks to this variety, with the help of the lesson, you will get an original and beautiful picture. The lesson is useful for both experienced users and beginners.

How to Draw a Noodle Boy in Adobe Illustrator?

Another example of a commercial illustration that you will learn to draw as part of the Adobe Illustrator course. The author will show how to portray a boy with noodles, carefully work out the character's poses, as well as details and other nuances. The illustration will be a great example of how to work with near-commercial drawings, and will also be a great help if you want to create designs for various entertainment or gastronomic establishments.

Similar works can be drawn for a website or social networks, used in a corporate identity concept, in menu design, and much more. The author will carefully work out the image, talk in detail about each stage, pay a lot of attention to detail (shadows, volume, drawing, etc.).

How to draw Matilda in Adobe Illustrator?

Let's portray the famous character of the cult film "Leon". We focus on the image of a person, and therefore we take several drawings of various designers and artists as a basis and as a guideline, paying special attention to poses and details. In addition, in order for the drawing to turn out to be of the highest quality, it is worth using a frame from the movie with the character. Based on it, we develop characteristic external features girls, her image, clothing details, objects around and much more.

A feature of the lesson will also be the use of the so-called "noise" in the image - one of the most trendy techniques. last year in design. The lesson is focused more on experienced users, as it involves the use of brushes, as well as work with the image of a person.

How to draw a cake in Adobe Illustrator?

The lesson combines two "chips", worked out separately and shown in detail in previous lessons. First, you will once again consolidate the material on the isometric illustration. Secondly, the image will be relevant for commercial projects, as it can be used on a website or in social networks as an icon, illustration, etc. Ideal for decorating cafes, restaurants, and other entertainment venues.

In this work, we will use the so-called SSR method (SSR-method) and more complex tools with a simple and step-by-step explanation. The lesson is more focused on advanced users, but for beginners, it allows you to evaluate the work with the toolkit and learn more about the program's capabilities.

How to draw a girl with cosmic hair in Adobe Illustrator?

The peculiarity of the lesson is the study of textures and small details that make up the model's hair. In addition, the character has a rather unusual object in his hands, which means that careful study of the drawing and preparation for drawing is required. This is exactly what you will do in class!

The author will start by choosing illustrations and photographs as a basis with girls and girls in various poses, with a telescope in their hands. You will then create the illustration step by step, working through each step in detail to make a decent portfolio work.

How to draw a girl with pink hair in Adobe Illustrator?

We draw a simple drawing, thanks to which we can work out the skills and abilities gained in all previous lessons. First of all, you will use the pen as before, as well as geometric shapes if necessary. In addition, thanks to the lesson, you will learn how to draw from scratch, without foundation and sketches, by training your imagination and using your ideas. A great way to get rid of the “fear of a white sheet”, as well as practice using the program tools.

How to draw a bored girl in Adobe Illustrator?

More advanced lesson. Firstly, you draw from scratch, without refs and preparation. Secondly, in the process you will use a brush. Thirdly, you will need to create the brush yourself. From the lesson you will learn how to create brushes in Adobe Illustrator, how to customize them for specific tasks, and how to apply noise using the created brush. Of course, everything will be clearly and in detail told, and therefore you will not miss anything.

Moreover, the author will show how to work with an illustration in Photoshop, and you can clearly see that for many tasks, including creating illustrations, this program can also be used. To outline the basics of the drawing, the author works with already familiar geometric shapes.

How to draw a sheep with noises in Adobe Illustrator?

The lesson is interesting because it will help you figure out and understand how to depict complex textures, for example, lamb's fur, how not to overload the object with unnecessary details and make the character light, weightless and harmonious. You will also work on the background, adding details to it.

In addition, in this lesson, the author will continue the topic of noise or the so-called grainy textures in Illustrator, point out errors and inaccuracies during work, and talk about ways to eliminate them. Pay attention to the light and shadows in the cartoon illustration.

How to draw a cat in a swimming pool in Adobe Illustrator?

A cool drawing that is created very simply - based on a geometric figure and very simple sketches based on lines. As a result, you will get a plump and cute cat. The peculiarity of the lesson is that you will learn how to work out textures and depict transparent water, as well as shadows, reflections and everything connected with this. You will pay a lot of attention to the volume and highlights on the cat from the imaginary sun outside of the illustration. And don't forget the glass and the fish swimming in the water!

How to draw a dull but fashionable guy in Adobe Illustrator?

The lesson is difficult, but it is perfect for practicing skills for all those who have completed previous lessons, as well as users with an average knowledge of the program. The author will once again tell in detail about the main tools of the program, their capabilities and functions and help build a human figure from scratch and without a preliminary sketch.

Over a hundred Adobe Illustrator lessons have accumulated on our blog. And looking at all this wealth, I somehow thought that a full-fledged course could turn out. You just need to select lessons from simple to complex with topics that cover the basic functionality of Illustrator as much as possible. That's how the free course for beginners "Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals" appeared.

The first enrollment for the course "Fundamentals of Adobe Illustrator" has already been successfully completed. You can find all classes, homework for them, as well as the results and feedback from students in the vk group - Fundamentals of Adobe Illustrator.

The course is now available for individual study. You can study without a group on your own at a pace that suits you. The Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals course is very easy to understand. Each lesson will take 30-60 minutes to complete. And you will master the basic functionality of Adobe Illustrator quickly and easily.

All lessons of the course "Fundamentals of Adobe Illustrator" are made for the English version of Illustrator. If you have a Russified version, then here you can download the translation of the menu and commands - press me. But in fact, it is better to learn from the English version of Ai, since most of the information on the web is laid out from the original Illustrator. According to the Russian-language version, there are fewer lessons and instructions.

The Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals course is free. But if you like the lessons, you can help in the development of our project - make reposts and tell your friends.

Below you can find the lesson plan. Follow the links to the lessons and good luck in your creative endeavors.

Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals - Course Outline:

In this tutorial, we'll get started with Adobe Illustrator. With the help of simple shapes and some tricks, we will draw a heart-shaped icon.

In this tutorial we will draw a character, a cute girl in Flat style. Rectangles, ellipses and triangles - this will be enough to complete the task. And at the end, add some text.

It's time to work with color. We will draw an owl icon and choose colors for the illustration. Adobe Illustrator has a lot of interesting gadgets for this.

In this tutorial we will work with gradient fills, transparency and blending modes. To do this, Illustrator uses the Gradient and Transparency panels.

Gradient Mesh is a very powerful tool in Adobe Illustrator. You can do a lot of cool visual effects with a mesh, and of course realism in the illustration.

In this tutorial, we will learn how 3d effects work in Adobe Illustrator. With the help of simple modeling, you can create a 3D image of a mug with a funny smiley.

In this tutorial, we'll take a look at the Appearance panel in Adobe Illustrator. Yes, yes, this is the same panel, thanks to which you can make graphic styles.

You can do a lot of cool stuff with symbols in Illustrator. In this tutorial we will create a winter background with snowflakes. And the symbols will help us a lot in this.

In this tutorial we will draw a mandala using the Pattern Brush. To be honest, you can’t call it drawing, because we will build the mandala on a circle using the capabilities of a brush.

10. Seamless patterns in Adobe Illustrator
This time, follow the link for a video tutorial on how to make a pattern in Ai. The topic of seamless textures in Illustrator is quite extensive, so I chose the video format for this tutorial.

It looks like you are ready to draw something cool. I propose to make an illustration of a drone from the movie Oblivion. The Flat style suits the theme well, and the oblique shadows add drama.

Course support

If you have any questions, then ask them in the comments to the lessons. I am happy to advise and help in difficult moments.

If you want me to check your illustrations for lessons, then the course provides paid support. As part of this support, you will be able to send your vector files to me by email. I will give feedback what turned out well, and where it is worth tightening up or even correcting technical errors in the vector. If your goal is to pass the exam on Shuttesrtock or other microstocks, then I will check your exam papers and help you pass the exam. So if you really need support on the course, then the button is below. On the payment page, select the currency that is convenient for you, the payment method and fill in the contact information.