How to Use Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is graphics software primarily used for creating vector graphics. This program, built alongside Adobe Photoshop, is used to create logos, images, cartoons, and fonts for Adobe Photoshop’s photo-realistic layouts. In its latest version, Adobe Illustrator CS to CS5 provides new features, such as adding three-dimensional brush applications and realistic brushes. If you are interested in learning the basic functions and usage of Adobe Illustrator, please read this article further.

Steps

We recommend that you start by designing a poster using Adobe Illustrator. Here, you can learn how to create scratch documents, basic text and color editing, and create masterpieces.

After that, try making a flyer using Adobe Illustrator to get a better understanding of height, width, sizing, and layout.

Learn how to use the most basic tools for drawing (one of which is the Pen Tool , aka the pen tool) if you plan to transfer your work to Photoshop. Use the Pen Tool to draw simple shapes from complex logos in Adobe Illustrator. Select white as the fill and black as the stroke . Leave effects, gradients, and colors for now and concentrate on drawing the graphics.

Try drawing something from start to finish, if you are skilled with the Pen Tool .

Learn how to use the Shape and Pathfinder tools . If you use the Pen Tool to draw and feel that the shape isn’t quite right, try using the Shape Tool . Use this tool to create ellipses, rectangles, obtuse rectangles, triangles, and stars.

Put your skills to the test with the Pathfinder Tool . This tool is useful for creating complex shapes and objects.

Learn how to use palettes and colors, if you are already skilled at drawing with Adobe Illustrator. Start by tweaking the fill or stroke colors of the image using the color swatches .

Try applying a gradient using the Mesh Tool . The basic idea is, if you want to create a two-dimensional image, use a color palette. Gradients will make your graphic appear more three-dimensional and then use the Mesh Tool to make the image more realistic.

Test your color skills by drawing a hamburger from start to finish.

Hurry up to create your personal logo and business card to apply all the knowledge you have learned. After practicing using the tools at each step, you can start creating logos and creating simple layouts.

Try directly tracing the image if you want a bit more of a challenge. This step is a great start towards the more advanced tools in Adobe Illustrator.