Illustrate with Shapes: Design Vector Graphics in Adobe Illustrator

Learn how to combine basic shapes to create more complex illustrations in Adobe Illustrator; no drawing skills required!

In this beginner-friendly class, I’ll demonstrate how I illustrated 6 icons by building with shapes. You can either recreate my icons, or apply the techniques to learn to create your own set of icons.

You'll learn how to:

• Create shapes with the shape tools
• Transform objects by rotating, scaling, and reflecting
• Round corners (and the best time to do this)
• Use the Pathfinder panel to unite and cut out shapes
• Duplicate objects
• Cut paths
• Create color swatches and recolor artwork
• Create perfectly smooth curves with a secret Pen Tool trick
• Edit shapes by adjusting anchor points with the Direct Selection Tool
• Use Offset Paths to create details
• Create clipping masks to crop shapes
• Expand paths into filled shapes
• and much more!

Plus, you’ll learn how to set up illustrations with animation in mind.

If you’re brand new to Illustrator, I’d recommend watching my Adobe Illustrator Essentials class first. This class covers all the basics with a focus on the essential skills motion designers need to know to create illustrations to animate.

Then, once you’ve completed this class and illustrated a set of icons, watch my class, Easy Animated Icons to learn how to animate them in Adobe After Effects.