30+ Adobe Illustrator Tutorials : Mastering Your Tools and Options

Illustrator is capable of creating stunning effects, all waiting at your finger tips in the Tools palette. Illustrator Tools can transform a single path into a work of art.

In this post we present a collection of excellent Adobe Illustrator tutorials that shows you exactly what needs to be done in order to create professional artworks using which tool and option. These tools and effects may or may not be new to you, but i am sure you will find interesting.

You might be interested to check other related posts for more useful illustrator tutorials:

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“Pen” Tool

This comprehensive guide aims to introduce or remind you of features, shortcuts, and methods for working with what is arguably Adobe’s most essential tool, the pen tool.

The first thing that you need to master and become proficient in is the Pen tool. Checkout this tutorial for more tips.

This is an in-depth beginner tutorial of the Adobe Illustrator pen tool.

“Magic Wand” Tool

With the Magic Wand Tool (Y), you select an object and the tool will select every object with similar attributes. The real benefit of using the Magic Wand Tool (Y) comes when setting the tolerance levels.

“3D Revolve” Tool

How to create a 3D push pin with the 3D Revolve Tool. We’ll learn how to apply highlights and create shadows for a more realistic effect and add a paper note to it

“Live Trace” Tool

If you’re after advanced control on how Live Trace will trace your image then this info can come in handy.

This article will show you how to use Illustrator’s Live Trace tool. Live Trace will allow you to completely convert photographs and other raster graphics into Vector graphics!

– Illustrator Live Trace

The live trace tool enables you to change photos into vector-based drawings, allowing you to resize any image without losing quality. Learn how to use live trace in Adobe Illustrator in this video tutorial.

“Gradient Mesh” Tool

How to create a pair of cherries solely with the Gradient Mesh tool. If you’re not familiar with the Gradient Mesh tool, then this is a great tutorial to learn how to start using it.

– Gradient Mesh tool

A Tutorial on using the Gradient Mesh tool in Adobe Illustrator.

– Realistic Curtain

How to create a realistic curtain using the gradient mesh tool.

How to use the Mesh tool to simulate nature’s way of colorizing things—in this case, a fallen leaf.

“Spiral” Tool

– Spiral Tool Mysteries – Solved!

One of the most intriguing tools in Adobe Illustrator is the Spiral tool, because of the mysterious terms used in its dialog box. Words like Radius, Decay, and Segments. Follow the simple steps to solve the mysteries of this intriguing dialog box for yourself.

– Design with Swirls and Flourishes

This tutorial will cover some of the techniques you can use to create your own beautiful swirls and flourishes.

“Wrap” Tool

–Wood Grain

Here is a quick way to create wood grain effect using the warp tools in illustrator.

“Selection” Tool

Selecting shapes, objects, points etc is of primary importance when working in Illustrator. Knowing which selection tool is appropriate to use can prove quite time saving. So here us a brief explaination of the selection possibilities available in Illustrator.

“Symbol Sprayer” Tool

A nice tutorial to teach you how to draw a tree in full Spring, a very green one with details too so that you actually see the leafs. This would be one of the many situations where the Symbol Spaying Tool can be of assistance.

This tutorial will show you how to illustrate Chinese bamboo with Illustrator Symbol Sprayer and Mesh Tool.

“Rotate” Tool

– Duplicate with rotate tool

The rotate tool is one of the most important in illustrator, it allows you to create great patterns

– Credit Card Tutorial

Learn how to use the Rotate function to make a credit card.

“Pathfinder and Align tool” Tool

With a bit of creative thinking and some simple aligning with Pathfinder’s powerful tools you might just achieve the perfect drawing in no time. Here is a nice Illustrator tutorial where you will learn how to draw a simple icon without the use of the Pen tool.

“Brush” Tool

– Illustrator Brush Basics

ILLUSTRATOR’S BRUSHES are an illustrator’s dream. They combine the ability to draw variable, freehand brushstrokes or apply a pattern or objects to a path with all the advantages of vector graphics – small file sizes, resizability, and crisp output. Here is a little tutorial to teach you a little more about basic brush functions

Learn how to create 2 types of brushes that can be used to create the grunge effect.

How to create custom Art Brushes in Adobe Illustrator.

“Reshape” Tool

Illustrator’s “Reshape” tool can come in very handy in a variety of situations. In a nutshell, the Reshape tool allows you to drag a single point on a path and it tries to retain the overall shape of the entire path, while you only move the one anchor point. Checkout this tutorial to get more natural adjustments with the reshape tool.

“Envelope Distort” tool

– Create a Disco Environment with Twirl Tool, Crystalize , and Envelope Tool

In this tutorial you will see how to use envelope tool to create a Disco Ball , You will also utilize Twirl and Crystallize tool to understand its options .

“Blend” Tool

A tutorial with a lot of examples of different kinds of shapes and effects that the blend tool is capable of.

This tutorial shows you how to make hi-tech style abstract background with Illustrator Blend Tool.

Learn how to create stylish vector/line flower with Illustrator Blend Tool. This Adobe Illustrator tutorial is great for creating background and large print illustration.

This tutorial is about using Illustrator’s blend tool to create some really interesting design effects.

Other Tutorials for mastering Illustrator Tools

The Illustrator Pen Tool: Tips and Tricks

Tired of watching Pen Tool tutorials on YouTube and in need of a good guide on how to use Illustrator’s Pen Tool? Look no further! The following guide has all the answers to your questions.

Tired of watching Pen Tool tutorials on YouTube and in need of a good guide on how to use Illustrator’s Pen Tool? Look no further! The following guide has all the answers to your questions.

Whether you are a beginner or a well-seasoned illustrator – the Pen Tool will always be one of Illustrator’s most powerful tools.

Even after using Adobe Illustrator’s design program for many years and discovering new drawing features and tools, you will always need to use the Pen Tool to create excellent graphics one way or another.

This essential tool can even help you turn dull objects into cool graphics in seconds. Well, not precisely seconds, but you get the idea.

If you have never used the Pen Tool before or have started exploring it but are unsure how to use it, the following guide will be spot on for you.

If you have used the Pen Tool for quite some time but need a refresh or want to see how you can use this tool to its full potential, you might find the following guide helpful as well!

So, what will we cover in this short and to-the-point guide?

We will start by exploring the Pen Tool and showing you a step-by-step guide on using it. Then we will go through some of the most frequently asked questions about the Pen Tool and answer them one by one.

In the end, we will give you an alternative to Illustrator’s Pen Tool that is more intuitive, easier to use, and is offered for free.

Eager to start learning more? Let’s do it!

What Is The Pen Tool?

The Pen Tool is a neat feature that is one of the foundational tools for creating vector graphics. It allows you to create shapes with freeform curves. Found in the Toolbar, the Pen Tool is probably the most powerful drawing tool you can find in Adobe Illustrator.

If you need to replicate any curves, you can do so with the Pen Tool. You can also use it to create and edit anchor points and paths.

But before we go into more detail, it is essential to mention that Pen Tool is much more than a simple pen. If you have never used it before, remember that it does not work like a regular pen – drawing wherever you drag the “pen.”

What it does, however, is it draws vector paths. So let’s explore the anatomy of a Vector Path.

A path is defined by a start and endpoint. A part of the path can be other points, angles, curves, etc. Therefore, a path can be anything from a simple line to curvy shapes.

To be more specific, let’s look at Bézier Curves, which are mathematically defined curves. Four points define these types of curves:

The initial position of the curve (also called an Anchor)

The terminating position of the curve (also called an Anchor)

And two separate middle points (also called Handles)

To alter the shape of the curve, all you have to do is move the handles. You can find the Adjustment Point at the end of each handle of any selected Anchor Point.

Once you pull on it, the Handles will pull the path outward into a curve. The further you drag, the bigger the curve will become.

Why do you need path creation, path segments, and these vector shapes and curves, you may ask?

Well, if you want to create any illustrations, be it simple or complex, you can use these paths to generate any illustration of your choice or replicate an already existing drawing and give your spin to it. The possibilities are endless.

You can also use the Pen Tool to trace outlines, make clipping masks, and create logos. You can also use it for the creation of vector objects and much more.

It is not one of the core tools for nothing, right? However, even though this tool might sound easy to use, it can be quite complicated at first. If you need it to trace outlines, it will take you more time to figure out how it works.

Nevertheless, with a bit of practice, you will get the hang of it and will be able to create smooth path segments and smooth curves. Once you have a few months of practice under your belt, you will feel more confident using it.

How To Use The Pen Tool In Adobe Illustrator

As mentioned earlier, the Pen Tool is all about the Anchor Points you connect to create lines – be they straight lines or curvy lines. To start using the Illustrator CC Pen Tool, go to the Toolbar and select the Pen Tool (P) to begin drawing.

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut P to select the Pen Tool. In the following, we will look at how you can create a path using either straight lines or curve lines.

How To Draw Straight Lines

A straight line is the simplest path you will ever have to create with the Pen Tool.

Again, if this is the first time exploring the Pen Tool, keep in mind that while your first thought would be to draw an actual line, the reality is that all you need to do is to create a straight line by using Anchor Points.

To make it easier to follow, here are three steps you need to take to create a straight line:

Step 1 – Select the Pen Tool (follow the instructions above).

Step 2 – Click and release on your Artboard to create the first Anchor Point (also known as the original Anchor Point).

Step 3 – Click and release anywhere else on your artboard to create another Anchor Point.

If you want to create perfectly straight lines, all you need to do is hold Shift while following Step 3 instructions.

Now, let’s further create a path using straight lines. To do that, follow the next steps:

Step 4 – Depending on the path you want to create (be it a precise path, a sharp corner, a solid square, and so on), keep clicking and releasing on your Artboard to create continuing Anchors linked with one another.

Step 5 – If you want to use these paths to create a particular shape, you must close the entire path by connecting the last anchor point to the original anchor point.

Once you do that, the ending point will be filled black, making it easier for you to know the point where you started and where you finished.

How To Draw A Curved Path

Drawing curved lines is not as easy as drawing simple straight line segments. However, it will be helpful to know how to use this feature if you want to create silhouettes and shapes, make a Clipping Mask, and so on.

Knowing how to draw a curved segment with the Pen Tool will be helpful in various ways.

Here are the steps you need to follow to create a curve segment:

Step 1: Select the Pen Tool.‍

Step 2: Position the pen tip on your Artboard (where you want the curve to begin) and hold down the mouse button.

Step 3: Once you do that, the first Anchor Point will appear. You will notice that the pen tip will change to an arrowhead.

Step 4: Now it is time to drag handles to set the slope of the curve line you want to make and extend direction lines while keeping the mouse button pressed.

Step 5: Release the mouse button.

Note – When you need to curve a particular path, clicking and releasing won’t be enough.

You will have to repeat the steps above and remember to drag the arrowhead to create a direction handle before releasing and eventually creating a curved line.

Step 6: To adjust the curve, click on the handle and move it around until you are satisfied with how the curve looks.

How To Edit The Lines Using The Pen Tool

Instead of starting over, you can simply edit the curve lines you have created in various ways. We will now look into how you can improve your lines and save time in the process.

Editing Lines

Remember that you can always edit paths using the Anchor Point Tool, which is perfect for editing paths.

You can find the Anchor Point Tool right below the Pen Tool icon. Select the path and the Anchor Point tool to edit the curve you have created. Then, click and drag on the anchor point to edit.

Once you are satisfied with the new look of the curve, you can release it.

Adding Curves To A Straight Segment

The Anchor Point Tool is perfect for mixing things up and adding a few curves to straight lines.

For instance, you can turn a corner to curve segments or change geometric shapes and turn them into custom shapes.

Adding Or Removing Anchor Points

Adding and removing anchor points is super easy with the Pen Tool. All you have to do is select the Pen Tool with a plus sign to add Anchor Points, or the one with the minus sign to remove anchor points.

Here’s a brief step-by-step guide on adding or removing Anchor Points.

Step 1: Select one of the paths you have created.

Step 2: Select the Pen Tool.

Step 3: Click on the path with the plus sign to add new Anchor Points, or the one with the minus sign to add or delete existing anchor points.

Another way how to achieve the same result when you want to delete anchor points:

‍Step 1: Select the Pen Tool.

Step 2: Hover on an existing anchor point. Once you do that, the Pen Tool will automatically change to “Delete Anchor Point Tool.” You will soon notice the minus sign next to the Pen Tool.

Step 3: Click on the anchor points that you want to remove.

Step 4: Admire the newly created shape!

How To Use The Pen Tool In Vectornator

Did you know that you can use the same tool for the same functions in Vectornator?

As one of the most intuitive and precise Illustration tools out there, we aim to make graphic designers’ and illustrators’ lives easier by offering easy-to-use and intuitive alternatives to popular tools such as Adobe Illustrator.

Therefore, if you are a beginner or already testing a few tools, you can try using Vectornator as a free alternative to Illustrator before purchasing any tools. Since we explored how to use the Pen Tool in Illustrator, let’s look at how you can use the same tool in Vectornator.

We will demonstrate how you can use the Pen Tool on the iPad in the following sections. If you need to check out how the Pen Tool works on other devices, such as Mac and iPhone, you can refer to our Learning Hub section.

Drawing Straight Paths

To create a basic path (a simple line), you must first tap on the canvas. This will allow you to make the first Bézier Node (which is highlighted in green color). Then, tap anywhere else on the canvas to add a second Node. Once you do that, a line will appear.

Want to continue the path? Simply continue tapping and creating new Nodes as you go. This way, you can create any shape you desire.

Closing Straight Paths

Need to close the path you have created? All you have to do is position the Pen Tool over one of the two endpoints and tap once. Then, to create a closed path or closed shape, tap again over the other endpoint.

If you want to leave a path open, double tap over the End Node (the one marked in red color), or select a different tool.

Creating Curved Paths

Like Illustrator, creating curved paths in Vectornator involves dragging the Direction Handles. Here’s a short step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Tap once on the canvas to set the Start Node.

Step 2: Drag your Pencil or finger to determine the path direction and the arc of the curve you want to create.

Step 3: Lift your Pencil or finger off the canvas.

Step 4: Choose the direction of the second Bézier Node.

Step 5: Tap and drag your Pencil or finger to determine the direction of the curve.

Step 6: Experiment with the handles until you are satisfied with the result.

A Few Tips:

1. Keep an eye on the handles. They will determine how shallow or deep the curve will be.

It is always recommended to experiment as much as you can to understand how the handles work and how to create various shapes using curved paths.

2. If you just tap and drag paths, Vectornator will automatically generate an Asymmetrical Node.

Any curved paths that have different distances from the Bézier Node but share the same angle are called Asymmetrical Nodes.

There are four different types of Nodes in Vectornator:

The Single Node

The Mirrored Node

The Asymmetric Node

The Disconnected Node

To read more about each of them, check out Vectornator’s guide on Node types

Closing Curved Paths

There are various scenarios and ways to close curved paths using Vectornator’s Pen Tool. One way is to complete the shape by simply tapping once on the very first node you created.

Another way is to combine the Node and Pen Tool. This is useful if you have a current open path that you wish to close. First, you need to select the entire path using the Node Tool and activate the Pen Tool.

After that, tap on one of the two Nodes you want to close. Once you do that, you can go ahead and tap on the other closing Node to close the path.

Ready To Master The Pen Tool?

We hope that our guide was helpful and made it clear to you how you can use Illustrator’s Pen Tool and why you need to master this essential tool.

If you have not started practicing it yet in Illustrator, feel free to use all the above scenarios to get started and feel more comfortable using it. In case you have started practicing with Illustrator but need a more intuitive alternative, then Vectornator’s Pen Tool is the answer.

The above suggestions are just a preview of what you can do with Vectornator’s Pen Tool and how easy it is to use via iPad and iPhone devices.

Curious about how to edit a curved path in Vectornator? Or how to change the Node Type? You will find the answers to these questions, as well as an entire section on Pen Tool practice in this Vectornator Pen Tool guide.

Have a project in mind that requires you to use the Pen Tool? Then please message us on Social Media once you are done with it.

We always love to see what our users come up with. It is also a way for us to find new talents out there and promote your work through our social media channels. So don’t be shy, and feel free to send us your artwork.

Adobe illustrator Tools & Shortcuts - Complete Guide

Having knowledge about Tools is the most basic requirement for mastering ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR. So In this blog, we will take a brief look at the Adobe Illustrator tools, their functions, and shortcuts.

There can be more than one way to do a specific task, but that doesn’t mean that it is the fastest and most efficient way.

Tools can help us to do that task in the fastest and most efficient way.

Adobe Illustrator has a large variety of tools which we can find in the toolbar.

This blog is the continuation of the Adobe Illustrator series, so if you haven’t read my previous blogs, I recommend you must read the previous blogs on Introduction to Illustration and Workspace and Environment.

Every Adobe Illustrator Tools

The tools in Adobe Illustrator toolbar can be divided into 6 main categories

Select Draw Type Paint Modify Navigate

Source – Adobe Documentation

Most Popular Adobe Illustrator Tools

we will discuss the most commonly used tools in these categories :

Selection Tool (V)

This tool is used to select the entire object on the artboard.

Direct Selection Tool (A)

With the help of this tool, we can do fine adjustments like moving an anchor point, making an edge curve, adjusting the curve, etc.

Artboard Tool ( Shift + O )

We can select the whole artboard with the help of this tool.

Pen Tool (P)

The pen tool is the most popular drawing tool, with the help of this tool we can draw irregular shapes. With this tool, we can also make curve lines by just clicking and dragging.

Add Anchor Point Tool (+)

To add an anchor point in a line or curve, we use this tool.

Delete Anchor Point Tool (-)

It is the opposite of the Add Anchor Point Tool and We remove anchor point on a line or a curve using this tool.

Curvature Tool ( Shift + ~ )

This tool is similar to that of the Pen tool but it is modified specially to make curves and we can also make straight lines by just double-clicking on an anchor.

Line Segment Tool ( )

We can make a straight line with the help of this tool.

Rectangle Tool (M)

To make a Rectangle in our artboard we use the Rectangle tool.

Ellipse Tool Tool (L)

We can make ellipses with the help of this tool.

Polygon Tool

If we want to make a different shape with more number of angles we use the Polygon tool. we can give the number of angles and it will make a polygon with a specified no of angles.

Star Tool

To make stars on our artboard we use this tool.

Paintbrush Tool (B)

With the help of this tool, we can make strokes like that of a real paintbrush, we can choose between various brush strokes and we can also choose the size.

Pencil Tool (N)

This tool is used to do the freehand drawing on our artboard.

Text Tool (T)

With this tool, we can add text to our artwork.

Text On a Path Tool

If we want our text to be on a line either straight or a curve we use this tool.

Gradient Tool (G)

we can add a color gradient with this tool and we can also change the direction of the gradient.

Shape Builder Tool ( Shift + M )

With this tool, we can either merge multiple shapes or remove a part in shape and we can also apply color or border to a specific part of a shape.

Rotate Tool (R)

To rotate a shape we use this tool, we have to first select the shape and then with the help of this tool, we can specify the angle at which we want to rotate that shape.

Reflect Tool (O)

It is similar to that of the Rotate Tool but in this tool, we can reflect our shape either vertically or horizontally.

Width Tool ( Shift + W )

This tool is used to alter the width of any line.

Eye Dropper Tool (I)

We can pick any color in our artboard with the help of the Eye Dropper tool and we can also drop color on a shape by pressing the alt key on our keyboard.

Hand Tool (H)

To navigate in our artboard when we have zoomed our artboard, we use this tool, in order to move we have to right-click and hold and drag.

Zoom Tool (Z)

This tool is used to zoom-in and zoom-out in our artboard, this tool is by default set to zoom-in mode, in order to zoom out we have to press the alt key.

Hope you like it!

Stay tuned for more such blogs.

Interested in Adobe Photoshop learn it from Hack The Developer Adobe Photoshop Tutorial Series.