Illustrator Made Easy: Learn To Draw Simple Digital Illustrations Using The Pen Tool And A Template

In this class I’ll show you my easy, creative process for using Adobe Illustrator’s pen tool to trace over your own quick sketches and photos, as a way to create simple line drawings and silhouettes. We will then use your digital illustrations in the class project to design a greetings card; in a little over an hour I will show you why vector drawings are so useful and demystify Adobe Illustrator once and for all! It really is not as scary as it looks.

These cool digital illustrations have many great applications, such as for print design, greeting cards or even as branding elements, like icons or illustrations for your personal brand.  You will learn how easy it can be to create your own template images, by doing a simple sketch or taking a photo, and then how to use your image as a guide, to draw your own unique digital illustrations.  I’ll also show you a few ways of using colour, simple shapes and text to complete your final design.

Stay until the end of class for my top tip on how you can use your digital drawings to help you practise illustrating by hand too!

WHO IS THIS CLASS FOR?

If you’ve ever had an idea for a design and wanted to create quick, simple illustrations, but then got frustrated, because you think that you’re just not that good at drawing; don’t despair, this class is for you!

This class is perfect for both beginners with little to no prior knowledge of the software, as well as those that may have some experience.  To start you off on the right foot as a beginner, l quickly run through the basics like setting up your work space in Illustrator and I have also included short lessons that will help you understand how to use the pen tool and what you can do with it!  If you do have some experience using Illustrator, I have tried to keep the basics lessons as concise as possible, and I assure you, this will still be a super fun project with lots of useful takeaways for you too!  

If you don’t have access to Adobe Illustrator, you can still complete the project by downloading a free trial here http://www.adobe.com/downloads.html/

MUSIC CREDITS

Lesson 3 & 11: Italian Afternoon by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 7: Pioneers by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 7 & 13: Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 9: Lachaim by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 10: Carefree Melody by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 11: Bounce Ball by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 11: Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

Lesson 12: Mountain Sun by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License

(For all other music credits, see the soundtrack at the end of Lesson 15).

• Trailer/Intro
• Deciding on a Subject For Your Project Design
• Creating a Template Image
• Template Images: What To Look For
• Setting Up Your Work Space in Illustrator
• Pen Tool Basics
• Pen Tool Basics 2: Curves
• Pen Tool Practice Resource
• Let's Get Tracing: Using Your Template & Understanding Layers
• I Heart Vectors: Duplicate, Effects & more Details
• Using Simple Shapes & Colour
• Say It With Text
• Saving & Printing Your Final Design
• BONUS TIP: Use Your Digital Illustrations to Practise Drawing by Hand
• Thank You!