Hot Adobe Illustrator How-Tos « Adobe Illustrator

How To: Create diagrams and flowcharts in Adobe Illustrator 5

If you need to make some diagrams for a school project or a flowchart for a business proposal, you can easily use Adobe Illustrator 5, part of the Creative Suite package, to create them. This tutorial shows you a few ways to create your own customized diagrams.

How To: Create a brushed metal effect in Illustrator

Using Illustrator's Gradient Editor and Graphic Styles, you can create a brushed metal effect that you can apply to any shape or text. Create a brushed metal effect in Illustrator.

How To: Create a 3D sphere & reflection in Illustrator

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to create a 3D sphere and reflection in Adobe Illustrator. Begin by using the ellipse tool and create a circle. Select the black and white gradient, and drag the colors that you want into the gradient panel. Now hold the Alt key and draw a smaller circle inside. Fill it with white/transparent gradient. Select the sphere and go to Object/Group. Now go to Effect/Distort and Transform/Transform. Tick the Preview and Reflect Y, insert 1 copies box and sel...

How To: Redraw a pixelated image into a high quality vector image in Adobe Illustrator

If you're a graphic designer, you've probably dealt with clients who sent you the wrong files, like JPG and BMP "source" files. You need to the EPS vector files, but they don't know what that is, and they don't care. They want that image or logo they sent you blown up to poster size for a billboard or something.

How To: Create a lens flare in Illustrator

Ever wondered about the flare hitting your eyes from reflective surfaces (vehicle mirrors)? Let's create one. Open Adobe Illustrator with an image and embed it. Take the flare tool from tool palette. Draw the first shape and then second shape. To change settings, go to flare options. You can change the brightness, opacity and diameter of the flare which will add life to the image(open sky). This will help bring out some cool effects as well as realism to the image.

How To: Use vector smart objects in Illustrator

Using a Vector Smart Object made in Illustrator allows you to keep your type layer fully editable and updating automatically from Photoshop. Use vector smart objects in Illustrator.

How To: Place images inside text with Illustrator

Placing images inside text is nothing new. However, the old way involved converting the text to outlines first and thereby making the text uneditable. In this video you'll learn how to fill your text with an image while maintaining complete edit-ability of the text using Illustrator CS2.

How To: Create a cartoon cloud in Illustrator

A great free video training from tasktutorial on how to create a cartoon cloud in Adobe Illustrator. All the project files are available to download for free at the Adobe website. First create a background: select the rectangle tool then create a new layer and draw a rectangle across the canvas. Now select the path, go to gradient and edit the it a bit until it's a shade of blue. Lock the gradient and create a new layer. Select white fill color and 2 point black stroke and draw a few oval sha...

How To: Make a six pointed star using the tools in Adobe Illustrator 5

This tutorial shows you how to use the star took and a few other basic functions with Adobe Illustrator 5 to replicate the Star of David on the Israeli flag. Master a few basics of image manipulation with this tutorial.

How To: Use Adobe Illustrator with a Wacom tablet

Every good illustrator knows the advantage of using a Wacom tablet with Adobe Illustrator. When you plug in a Wacom tablet it doesn't automatically set your tools to be pressure sensitive. Terry White will show you how to set your brushes to really take advantage of your new tablet.

How To: Trace an image in Adobe Illustrator 5 without using live trace

This tutorial shows you how to use vector graphics to trace images in Adobe Illustrator 5 without using live trace. Do a manual trace, which will give you a little more creative control over the image you're working on in Creative Suite 5.

How To: Use Adobe Illustrator to make a croqui template

If you are looking for an easy way to make croquis, but don't have the skills to draw it by hand, then try the next best thing: the computer. Using the software program, Adobe Illustrator, you can make a great looking croqui template that can be used over and over again with no problems. This is perfect for making designs of clothing and usually when drawn, they feature a fully drawn and finished character, meaning next time you'll have to draw another one from scratch. So check out the tutor...

How To: Create 8-bit style pixel art using Adobe Illustrator

Copy the popular, retro-style 8-bit pixel art. You can use Adobe Illustrator to create this simple sort of art. This tutorial shows you how to set up your document and how to begin illustrating your project to get that old school feel for your artwork.

How To: Create a web 2.0 style badge in Illustrator

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to create a web 2.0 style badge using Adobe Illustrator. Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor. Viewers will learn how to manipulate the Star Tool in Adobe Illustrator, how to apply a custom radial gradient to that shape and how you can create, save, and open custom swatches. This video will benefit those viewers who design websites. These web badges can be used on a website to promote a product, announce a sale, or simply draw attention.

How To: Create sunbursts using symbols in Illustrator

This video is about creating sunbursts using symbols in Illustrator.

How To: Use the Gradient Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator for Vector Portraits

Illustrator's gradient mesh tool is a powerful one for vector artists... if you know how to use it. This tool can help create beautiful and vivid mesh-based vector portraits, as long as your skills are up to par. If not, try out some of the beginner tutorials on WonderHowTo for using the mesh gradient tool in Adobe Illustrator, then move onto mastery...

How To: Use the Pixel Preview mode in Adobe Illustrator CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to use the Pixel Preview feature when working in Adobe Illustrator CS5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector graphics editor or a seasoned graphic arts professional interested in better acquainting yourself with the new features and functions of Illustrator CS5, you're sure to benefit from this free software tutorial. For more information, and to get started using this trick in your own Illustrator projects, watch this video guide.

How To: Make swooshes & swirls in Illustrator

The first thing to do is open a new document with Adobe Illustrator. Inside the document, make a box, width 200 pt, height 20 pt. Click the bottom right corner with your mouse and hit delete. Then hold down the top right with shift, and tap the down arrow once. Then, click bottom left point, hold shift, join the objects by half. Go to brushes pallet and create a new brush. Click the spiral tool. Use the up and down with the mouse to select range you would like. Select the art brush, and click...

How To: Use the Eraser, Scissors and Knife tools in Adobe Illustrator

This is a quick little tutorial that will show you how to use these three versatile tools in Adobe Illustrator. They all involve getting rid of some part of the image you're working with, but each one goes about it in a different way. To get the most out of your Illustrator project, you'll need to be aware of the differences between these tools so you make sure that you always use the right one for the job at hand.

How To: Use the Perspective tool in Adobe illustrator CS4 or CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to use and work with the Perspective tool when doing design work in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector graphics editing software or a seasoned professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.

How To: Create a glossy vector logo or graphic in Illustrator

To create glossy or reflective vector image, you will need to know how to use the offset options in Adobe Illustrator and the basics for pathfinder. You will be creating a vector image that can be resized without hurting its quality. To start select you text style, which be glossy for this. You will have first a white layer, a shadow, a radiant layer, a white outline and a shadow going underneath. In this video the Oh Gizmo Logo! is being used as the template. Right click create outlines. You...

How To: Create a road in Illustrator

Illustrator denotes how to create a road. First select the pen and draw a path. Now go to stroke. It depend 130. Deselect dash line. Now move our path a little bit upper. Now select our path. Now duplicate of our path several times. Now turn off the new layers. Focus on our first path. Turn on the second path. Change the stroke weight value to 125 and change the color to gray. Now go to the next path. Select our path and change the stroke weight value to 115 and leave the black color. Now go ...

How To: Make a plus icon in Adobe Illustrator

Learn how to make a plus icon, using Adobe Illustrator

How To: Convert a sketch to a vector drawing with Illustrator

This video shows you how to convert a hand-drawn sketch to a vector drawing using the Live Trace Tool in Illustrator CS3. You learn how to manage tracing options, fill in gaps, and convert a Live Trace object to traditional Illustrator shapes or a Live Paint group. Check out this video by Matthew Richmond now! Convert a sketch to a vector drawing with Illustrator.

How To: Use the Hand tool in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5

This handy guide presents a complete overview of how to use the Hand tool to make your way around the Art Board when working in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector graphics editing software or a seasoned professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video ...

How To: Use Live Trace in Illustrator CS2

Live Trace is the hot new automated tracing capability of Adobe Illustrator CS2. In this Podcast Terry White will show you how to take a logo that was created in Photoshop CS2 and trace it using Live Trace. Because Live Traces are “Live" we’ll be able to tweak the settings to get better results.

How To: Create gradient editable text in Illustrator CS2

Adobe InDesign CS2 has a great feature in that you can fill text with a gradient. However, if you try to do that in Illustrator CS2 it might appear that you can't. In this video you'll see just how easy you can do it and keep the text editable.

How To: Change stroke and fill colors in Adobe Illustrator

This short tutorial presents a guide on how to change the stroke and fill colors in most versions of Adobe Illustrator. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector editor or a seasoned graphic arts professional just looking to better acquaint yourself with the program and its various features and filters, you're sure to be well served by this video tutorial. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this free video guide.

How To: Create custom 3D logos and text with Illustrator CS4

She how to use the 3D bevel and embossing tools in Adobe Illustrator CS4 to create 3D text-based logos. Whether you're new to Adobe's popular vector graphics editor program or a seasoned graphic arts professional looking to better acquaint yourself with the new features and functions of this particular iteration of the application, you're sure to benefit from this free software tutorial. For more information, watch this designer's guide.

How To: Draw in Illustrator with the pencil tool

Bert invites Morty Golding to offer a tutorial on drawing within Adobe Illustrator utilizing the pencil tool. Follow along and start using some of Illustrator's advanced features and draw in Illustrator!

How To: Use pathfinder to cut text in Illustrator CS2

In this Illustrator CS2 video tutorial you will learn to use pathfinder to remove text from the background. In a sense, we create shapes by cutting from others. All text must be changed to shape before we can use the pathfinder subtract command. Make sure to hit "play tutorial" in the top left corner of the video to start the video. There is no sound, so you'll need to watch the pop-up directions. Use pathfinder to cut text in Illustrator CS2.

How To: Use the blend tool in Adobe Illustrator 5

The blend tool will create a graphic for you where one graphic or image slowly blends into another one. Customize it using color, shapes and other more advanced techniques - this tutorial shows you everything you need to know about the Adobe Illustrator 5 blending tool.

How To: Draw a vector heart in Adobe Illustrator

Check out this video and learn how to draw a very cool graphic using Adobe Illustrator. This tutorial will show you how easy it is to draw a vector heart without having to download anything extra. All you need is Adobe Illustrator and some time!

How To: Blend shapes and colors in Illustrator

Learn how to blend shapes and colors in Illustrator with this tutorial. Open Illustrator and put the circle with color which you want. Put the square on the color you want. Select the object, go the title bar select the object and then select the blend. You will be shown the result on the screen. Select the square and circle where you place the object by click and drag method. Go to the object and select the blend and choose the blend options. Change in specific steps which you want in the sc...

How To: Create and set up a new document in Illustrator CS3

New to Illustrator CS3? This video takes you through the first step of using Illustrator: creating and setting up a new document. The video will also show you how to use various settings when setting up your file. Create and set up a new document in Illustrator CS3.

How To: Create sparkles in Illustrator

Want to create some cool effects in illustrator? Create a new layer. Draw the ellipse tool and add radial gradient, then go to transparency and select screen. Then create the star tool and deselect stroke. Drag and place the star shape on ellipse and group them. Then duplicate that layer to make multiple sparkles on different layers. Resize other sparkles by holding down shift key. One can change colors of other sparkles. This will help you in making a good background.

How To: Create a Helix in Adobe Illustrator

This is a 3 part tutorial. Be sure to click on Chapters 2 & 3 to get the full tutorial. In Part 1 of this 3 part Adobe Illustrator tutorial series, Vincent Rosati explains how to use the free transform tool to take the first step in creating a helix with AI.

How To: Make a leaf using vector graphics in Adobe Illustrator 5

This tutorial starts with a blank project and shows you how to use vector graphics to create a simple leaf in Adobe Illustrator 5. Master many of the basics, such as the pen tool, gradients and path finder, whth this easy tutorial.

How To: Vectorize graphics in Adobe Illustrator

Vectorizing your graphics will help improve the quality of your content. Task Tutorial helps you out in this Illustrator tutorial by showing you how to take a crappy jpeg image (a logo), clean it up and turn it into a vector graphic.

How To: Convert an image to mosaic in Illustrator

Illustrator is a great tool for creating individual artwork. Creative and clever, it has many functions, one of which is mosaic. If you want to make your illustration or design appear to have a myriad of tiny 'squares' like a Roman mosaic, this guy can help you do it. The short clip explains clearly how to bring the chosen effect to your design. You can see on screen exactly how to do it, so you're not left in the dark, searching every menu for the right tool.