20 Exceptional Websites for Learning Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is the industry-standard when it comes to scalable vector artwork. As a designer, Illustrator is the right tool for graphics that need to be scaled. A prime example are logos which often need to be adapted for small mediums such as business cards, larger mediums like billboard signs, and converted to grayscale or black and white for mediums such as newspapers.
In this collection, you’ll find 20 excellent websites and blogs that provide high-quality tutorials and information on vector illustration and Adobe Illustrator.
1. Vectips
Vectips is a blog about Adobe Illustrator tips, tricks, and tutorials. It’s run by Ryan Putnam, a talented illustrator/designer, and an exclusive artist at iStockphoto. You can also find interviews of professional designers and excellent monthly roundups of Illustrator resources on Vectips.
Tutorial examples
- Create Sketchy-Style Vectors
- Create Abstract Backgrounds in Illustrator
- Creating Halftone Effects in Illustrator
2. Blog.SpoonGraphics
Blog.SpoonGraphics is the personal weblog of talented Graphic/Web Designer, Chris Spooner. He writes about design-related topics, and his tutorials are renowned as useful and top-notch. Check out the Tutorial section to quickly find Illustrator-related tutorials.
Tutorial examples
- Create a Cute Vector Monster from a Pencil Sketch
- Logo Design Project Step by Step Walkthrough
- How to Create a Vector Safari Compass in Illustrator
3. VECTORTUTS
VECTORTUTS is a blog and tutorial website on Illustrator and vector illustration. It’s one of the more recent additions to "TUTS" network which include NETTUTS, PSDTUTS, and AUDIOTUTS. You’ll find high-quality, detailed tutorials on vector illustration as well as excellent roundups.
Tutorial examples
- Create a Vibrant 3D Pixel Type Treatment
- Illustrator’s Type Tool: A Comprehensive Introduction
- Methods for Creating Random Vector Noise
4. Veerle’s blog
Veerle’s blog, written by Veerle Pieters, a reknowned Belgian graphic/web designer, posts top-notch tutorials on Illustrator. Check out her Tutorials category archive and Photoshop-Illustrator category archive to quickly find Adobe Illustrator-related posts.
Tutorial examples
- Creating simple Art Brushes in Illustrator
- Command shape in Illustrator
- Recolor artwork using Illustrator’s LiveColor
5. GoMediaZine
GoMediaZine is a website by art and graphic design professionals. They have a growing section of top-notch Adobe Illustator tutorials. Besides quality Illustrator tutorials, they also have a Freebie section where you can obtain free vector artwork.
Tutorial examples
- A Pseudo-Sugar Skull: From Start to Finish.
- From Sketch to Vector Illustration
- Intricate Patterns in Illustrator
6. N.Design Studio
N.Design Studio is freelance illustrator/web designer’s Nick La’s design blog and portfolio. One of the most popular sections of N.Design studio is Illustrator Tutorials section that hosts high-quality, detailed Adobe Illustrator tutorials.
Tutorial examples
7. Vectordiary
Vectordiary is Tony Soh’s blog on vector Illustration. You can find wonderful tips, tricks, and tutorials pertaining to vector illustration. Check out the Illustrator category to go directly to Illustrator-specific blog posts.
Tutorial examples
- Learn Illustrator CS3 in 30 Days
- Illustrator tutorial: The Perfect Diamond
- Illustrator Tutorial: Wire Fence
8. Layers Magazine
Layers Magazine is a magazine dedicated to Adobe products (such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and Dreamweaver). The Adobe Illustrator Tutorials section has plenty of online tutorials to help you learn more about Illustrator.
Tutorial examples
- Swingin’ Retro Look in Adobe Illustrator
- Blueprint-Style Text in Adobe Illustrator
- Imitating A Scanner Darkly in Adobe Illustrator
9. Computer Arts – Tutorials
The Computer Arts Tutorials section of the highly-popular Computer Arts magazine has plenty of first-class arts and graphic design tutorials. The section has over 500 professionally-written tutorials, many of them involving Adobe Illustrator.
Tutorial examples
10. FreeTransform
FreeTransform (referring to Illustrator’s Free Transform tool) is a blog by Illustrator and tutorial writer Cheryl Graham that covers Adobe Illustrator Topics. Check out the Tutorials and Quick Tips section for handy lessons on Illustrator.
Tutorial Examples
- Tutorial: make texture without leaving Illustrator
- Tutorial: A Gradient Brush?
- Tutorial: Transform, Style, Blend
11. Illustrator Design Center
Adobe’s Illustrator Design Center is the company’s section dedicated to Adobe Illustrator. You’ll find a variety of information, guides, and tutorials straight from the creators of Illustrator and from first-rate professional illustration and design artists.
Tutorial examples
- Creating scatter brushes in Illustrator
- Using Live Trace and Live Paint
- Working with Transparencies in Illustrator
12. Kevin Hulsey Illustration
Kevin Hulsey’s tutorial site is dedicated to sharing useful computer graphics tutorials and resources. The Adobe Illustrator tutorials are split into three categories: Basic, Advanced, and Tool tips and tricks.
Tutorial examples
- Drawing Gears in Adobe Illustrator
- Cutaway Car Illustration
- Hex-Head Bolts and Fasteners in Adobe Illustrator
13. IllustratorWorld
IllustratorWorld is a leading website for vector art and vector illustration software. It has a large community, so if you want to talk to illustrators and designers, check out the IllustratorWorld forums.
Tutorial examples
14. BittBox
BittBox is a blog by talented designer Jay Hilgert. Jay Hilgert provides tons of freebie design resources and writes quality vector illustration tutorials and helpful Illustrator workflow tips.
Tutorial examples
- Illustrator Tutorial: How To Make 3D Vector Vintage Stars
- Fun with Illustrator’s Blend Tool
- How to Make Vector Grunge
15. AiVault
AiVault (Ai is the Adobe Illustrator file extension) is a website dedicated to sharing resources, tips, tricks, and tutorials on Adobe Illustrator and vectors. For those seeking Adobe Illustrator tutorials, check out the Ai Tutorials section.
Tutorial examples
16. IllustrationClass
IllustrationClass is a website about illustration. The tutorial section has over 60 brilliant tutorials that you can download (they come with the source file and the tutorial).
Tutorial examples
17. PinkZAP
PinkZAP is dedicated to providing free Illustrator and Photoshop tutorials (as well as other design-related tutorials). Check out the Illustrator category to find articles speficially related to Adobe Illustrator.
Tutorial examples
18. CreativePro
CreativePro is a website for professional creatives. The CreativePro Illustration section provides many helpful tips and tutorials on Adobe Illustrator, as well as relevant news and reviews on the topic of Illustration. Check out the How-to’s section to go directly to the tutorials.
Tutorial examples
- Round Corners Quickly in Illustrator
- Add Strokes to Placed Images in Illustrator
- Illustrator How-to: Why the Appearance Panel Rocks
19. Illustrator Tutorials at Designer Today
Designer Today is a graphic design magazine and tutorial resource for designers. The Illustrator Tutorials section has plenty of useful and top-notch tutorials.
Tutorial examples
- Cityscape – Illustrator CS3 Tutorial
- 3D Logo – Illustrator CS3 Tutorial
- Abstract Background Path – Illustrator CS3 Tutorial
20. AiBURN
AiBURN is a website dedicated to discussing current art and design trends. The site is run by Sean Hodge, editor of PSDTUTS. AiBurn also has excellent web roundups that contain top-notch resources from around the web.
Tutorial examples
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- 30 Beautiful Photoshop Illustration Tutorials
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66 Comments
800HighTech
October 20th, 2008
Bookmarked! nice collection, good job.
simon
October 20th, 2008
No offense to Mr Gube, but why would you want to learn Illustrator? I love the Adobe suite, Photoshop and Dreamweaver being obvious highlights, but there are a number of other vector packages available that put Illustrator to shame. As a professional designer working constantly against deadlines I need software that is flexible and intuitive, and Illustrator fails on both counts. I realise that there are many designers who don’t know any better, but seriously it’s time that Adobe bit the bullet and looked at other approaches to vector design.
Toni
October 20th, 2008
Those are great. You could have extended the list though.
I saw Computer Arts Mag website. They really have good collection of digital illustration tutorials, their archive is huge.
You can also have a look at http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/ and http://vector-art.blogspot.com/
Cheers !
Collin
October 20th, 2008
because, simon, if you go into an interview and tell them you don’t know the software they’ve purchased for $2000-a-head, but actually know this “better” software, they’ll thank you and give the job to someone who can use illustrator.
and i get out of college next year, theres no one here i know who doesn’t use illustrator, photoshop, and some sort of 3d modeling program almost daily.
George
October 20th, 2008
@simon – Which vector software applications other than Adobe Illustrator are you referring to?
Also, many graphic artists shelling out the cash for the Creative Suite would probably prefer not to have to buy yet another application when Illustrator comes with the package.
I am curious which apps you are referring to, I have tried most of the shareware vector apps for the Mac (the ones I was aware of at least) and while I found some of them interesting for basic usage, none were up to production-level standards.
ericb
October 20th, 2008
This is AWESOME! Thanks for sharing. This would really help out beginners like me.
Joe Payton
October 20th, 2008
I heart Freehand… the poor forgotten step-brother, quickly devoured by Illustrator.
Dainis Graveris
October 20th, 2008
Huh, very useful for me and the first fives are my favorites already, but I’ll check out those new sites too..! :) Thanks :)
Jad Limcaco
October 21st, 2008
Great post!
insic
October 21st, 2008
thanks for the article, very useful for me. I dont know most of the site you listed here. Good thing you post them.
Nick
October 23rd, 2008
Thanks! Amazing article. You guys rock! :)
eric
October 24th, 2008
thanks very useful article.
Hughe
October 24th, 2008
This is great, thanks!
Jim
October 29th, 2008
I’m sorry, Simon, but there is nothing even remotely close to Illustrator for vector art. Freehand is dead, so it doesn’t count. Everything else out there is just a toy for consumer-level users.
Jessica
November 1st, 2008
Bookmarked! Thanks for sharing this very valuable information!
Heather
November 1st, 2008
This is a great resource. Thank you.
But Hmmm on reading the comments I find it interesting that Simon would have such a negative attitude about Illustrator. It is obvious when he says “why learn it?”, that he has not got even a half decent grasp of it and so he does not know what he is talking about because he does not understand the nuances or scope of the program and would rather hold on to what ever he is using because he knows it and is comfortable with it.
Highlight for us Mr. Simon – what do you consider the other options and how do they put Illustrator to shame? Then maybe show how much your program excels by showing some of the work you have done in it.
What I have learned is that the evolution of the program is so rapid and amazing that with every release Illustrator just gets more powerful and fun to use. By the way I started using Illustrator when it was called Illustrator 88 but used Canvas for a number of years as well.
Having started out in Commercial Art where everything was done by hand and laid out with waxing pmts and t-squares I love what I can do now in a fraction of the time with all the wonderful programs available today.
Idblack
November 8th, 2008
Owww awesome,what a nice bookmarked website…thank you
it’s really help me enhancing my knowledge
ralph
November 9th, 2008
it seems that Simon has left the building without leaving any connstructive answers… bye, bye Simon!
ILLUSTRATOR RULEZ!!!
Cem
November 16th, 2008
Thank you, great article!
russell
February 18th, 2009
i dont agree with simon either Illustrator is really a good tool at hand thanks adobe
Asmaa'
April 1st, 2009
Thanks a lot for mentioning my blog :) really appreciate it
Nightstalk
May 13th, 2009
Thanks for the tutorials, they are great!
Allan De Ramos
June 10th, 2009
The first nine sites are really exceptional!!! Thanks!!
Bruno
June 13th, 2009
The web has become such a great place to share knowledge. And the people who share these adobe illustrator tutorials deserve the best in terms of careers.
Himanshu Mody
July 9th, 2009
Very good reference for list of websites on illustrator CS4.
Eli
September 15th, 2009
I have a working knowledge of Illustrator, but would love to expand on it and learn more about the drawing side of it when I get a moment. This list will come in handy :)
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