Hot Adobe Illustrator How-Tos « Adobe Illustrator

How To: Create a skewed checkerboard pattern in Illustrator

Check out this simple Adobe Illustrator CS4 tutorial to learn how to create a skewed checkerboard pattern. This technique will save you the trouble of having to use the Option and Drag method multiple times. Veerle Pieters expertly takes you through this easy pattern technique. For more Adobe Illustrator tutorials, search for Illustrator on WonderHowTo.

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: Create a falling leaf animation in Illustrator

Ah, falling leaves: They remind of the beauty of nature, fall, and the changing of seasons. And if you've ever walked alongside a row of oaks on the street it seems as if their leaves fall to some unknown, hidden perfect orchestration.

How To: Create a text based logo in Adobe Illustrator 5

Take a regular font, type the name of your business or website into a text box, and then follow along with this tutorial. Break it apart and manipulate the layers so you can end up with a classy and eye catching logo.

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: Use 9-slice scaling options in Adobe Illustrator CS5

Whether you're new to Adobe's Creative Suite or a seasoned graphic design professional after a general overview of Adobe Illustrator CS5's most vital new features, you're sure to be well served by this from the folks at Lynda, which presents a detailed, step-by-step overview of how to use Illustrator's 9-slice scaling options.

How To: Create a 3D pyramid in Illustrator CS3

Corey shows you how to create a 3D pyramid using Illustrator CS3. Create a 3D pyramid in Illustrator CS3.

How To: Slice and export an Illustrator file in Illustrator

In this Illustrator CS2 video tutorial you will learn to slice and export an Illustrator file for the web. You'll see it's the same procedure in Photoshop. Remember to select PNG or GIF file formats if you want to reserve transparency layers when exporting images. 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. Slice and export an Illustrator file in Illustrator.

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 Twisted Wire in Illustrator

This Illustrator tutorial shows you a way to make a double helix or twisted wire. Using Illustrator and the powerful pattern brush, Bert takes us through the steps from a wavy line to a realistic wire effect or double helix.

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: 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: 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: 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: Customize the interface in Illustrator CS3

New to Illustrator CS3? This video shows you how to use and customize the new features of the Illustrator interface. See how to group and dock multiple panels, change the layout of the Tools panel, and set the brightness of interface elements. Check out this cool video by Mordy Golding now! Customize the interface in Illustrator CS3.

How To: Use the Bristle Brush tool in Adobe Illustrator CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to make use of Illustrator's new Bristle Brush feature. 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: Saving a PDF-compatible AI file in Illustrator CS5

Need help figuring out how to save PDF-compatible AI files from Illustrator CS5. This clip will show you how it's done. 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: Create a paper scroll in Illustrator

If you aren't familiar with Illustrator software it is very similar to the photo-editing software Photo Shop. This video is a guide on how you can make a paper scroll by using Illustrator. You can follow along with the video and make the basic shapes and then re-size the pieces to look almost exactly like an ancient paper scroll. This would be something really neat to make if you needed a background for an old-timey looking photo or if you needed to make up invitations for a church function.

How To: Create a search bar in Illustrator

In this video tutorial by Tasktutorial ,shows you how to . Select the rectangle tool and set the corner radius to 15px and draw a rectangle. Select gray stroke color and the stoke weight as shown. Select the gradient fill and set the angle to 90 degrees as shown. Resize the rectangle as desired, select the rectangle tool with white fill color, 1px stroke weight and draw the rectangle as show. Select the rectangle tool again with the corner radius of 5px and draw a rectangle as shown. Apply th...

How To: Create a web button in Illustrator

In this online video training tutorial, Task Training shows us, how to create a web button using Adobe Illustrator. The 1st step is to select the rectangular tool in Illustrator and set the size you want your button to be. The 2nd step is holding the shift key you can re-size your shape. The 3rd step is to give the button some color such as a gradient. The 4th step is to add a drop shadow to the button by going to Styles and then selecting Drop Shadow. The 5th step is add text to the button t...

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: 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: Create a navigation bar in Illustrator

First thing you need to do this is to select rectangle tool and make a shape and select the gradient fill and change the angle of gradient to 90 degree. Now color and resize it as showing in the video. Now type your navigation texts like blog, contact, gallery etc. Now size your text for your rectangle shape. Now set the texts in the bar and resize your bar.

How To: Adjust the width of an object in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to make use of the Width 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: 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 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: Create a photo realistic mesh shape in Illustrator

This software tutorial shows you how to create a photorealistic mesh shape in Illustrator. You should have a good understanding of Adobe Illustrator since the tutorial is visual only with no text or verbal instruction. If you want to use the mesh shape tool in Illustrator to give your objects realism, this tutorial will help.

How To: Create a golden award badge in Illustrator

Did your child come home upset that they didn't get a gold star in class today? Well, now you can make them their own award. Watch and learn how to make a golden award badge. Be creative and make silver and bronze too! Perfect for teachers and parents.

How To: Place and crop images with Adobe Illustrator

If you're using Adobe Illustrator CS4, you know that cropping an image can be less than a simple task. This how-to walks you through the steps, not only showing how to place and move the image, but also how to crop it to the desired sized. Unlike Photoshop which allows you to work directly with pixels, Illustrator treats all images as whole objects. SO, watch this video and end the frustration that Adobe Illustrator can bring when you're cropping an image.

How To: Create anime or manga style eyes in Adobe Illustrator 5

This tutorial shows you an easy way to create anime or manga style eyes in Adobe Illustrator 5. Even if you're not into anime, following this tutorial will nevertheless show you how to master several of the basic tools in Adobe Creative Suite 5.

How To: Use the Recolor Artwork tool in Adobe Illustrator CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to use Recolor Artwork when working within 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: 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: Use the Warp tool in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to distort and otherwise distress an image with the Warp 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: Use the standard Brush tool in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5

In this clip, you'll learn how to make use of the regular Brush 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: Use the Artboard tool in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5

Looking for a quick guide on how to use the Artboard tool within Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5? This clip will teach you everything you'll need to know. 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: Use the Gradient Tool in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5

Scouring the web for a quick primer on how to create vector-based gradients within Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5? This clip will teach you what you need to know. 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 vid...

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

Looking for a quick guide on how to use the Auto Trace tool when working in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5? This clip will teach you what you need to know. 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: Apply clipping masks in Adobe Illustrator CS4

Learn how to interlace custom shapes in Adobe Illustrator CS4, an effect that's especially attractive when working with 3d perspective objects and shapes. 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: Make dynamic compound shapes in Adobe Illustrator CS5

Learn how to generate complex composite shapes when working in 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, watch this video guide.

How To: Use the Pathfinder tool in Adobe Illustrator CS5

Learn how to use the Pathfinder tool in 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, watch this video guide.