Whether you’ve worked with Adobe Illustrator for a few weeks or a few years, tutorials are the best way to expand your knowledge and discover new techniques for your projects—but sometimes finding the most useful tutorials can feel like a wild goose chase. That’s why we’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up 50 of the best Illustrator tutorials from around the Internet. Each one features easy-to-follow teachers and narrators who will show you unique tips and tricks for getting the most out of this essential design program.
You can use Illustrator to create any type of vector art or image, from simple shapes to detailed diagrams. Each of Illustrator’s tools performs a specific function, giving you the most control over the finished product.
Since its launch in 1988, Illustrator has gone through 13 versions, culminating with today’s Adobe Illustrator Creative Cloud (CC). All of the tutorials here feature the most recent version of the program, CC—although some of the tools may be different, many of the tips and techniques highlighted here can also be applied to earlier versions of the program
Here’s a quick rundown of the tutorial categories we’ve gathered.
Illustrator for Beginners
Using Tools in Illustrator
Designing Line Art
Creating Logos and Icons
Creating Portraits and Characters
Styling Typography
Check out these 50 Adobe Illustrator tutorials that cover everything from beginner’s guides and overviews to step-by-step instructions for creating logos and portraits.
Illustrator for Beginners
When you’re just starting to use Illustrator, video tutorials can help you master the basic tools and understand the program interface. These tutorials give broad overviews of several beginner tactics and answer some of the most common questions.
1. How to Get Started with Adobe Illustrator CC – 10 Things Beginners Want to Know How to Do
This video answers 10 of the most common Illustrator-related questions for beginners.
2. Illustrator CC – Tutorial for Beginners
This tutorial takes an in-depth look at fill and stroke settings, as well as manipulating vector points.
3. Adobe Illustrator CC Tutorial for Beginners
If you want to work with multiple documents in an art board, this video will help you master this all-important skill.
4. Beginner Adobe Illustrator Tutorial Using Shapes
Artists will love this video, which details how to use shapes in the program by designing a monkey’s face in detail.
5. Adobe Illustrator CS6 (and CC) for Beginners
If you’re not quite sure how vectors work in Illustrator, this tutorial will help you better understand them.
6. Adobe Illustrator Tutorial 1: Basics You Need to Know
This tutorial covers shapes, fills, strokes, and other basic actions in Illustrator.
7. How to Draw a Leaf in CS5 Illustrator – Beginner Tutorial – Using the Pen Tool and Gradients
In this more specific tutorial, you’ll follow along as you design a leaf with a water drop.
8. Interface Introduction to Adobe Illustrator
Get familiar with the Illustrator interface in this easy-to-follow tutorial and learn how to customize your own workspace.
9. An Introduction to Adobe Illustrator
This encouraging tutorial covers some of the most popular Illustrator tools, as well as covering shapes, patterns, and swatches.
10. Illustrator Gradient Mesh Beginner’s Tutorial
Follow this tutorial’s instructions to turn a photograph of an apple into a vector graphic.
Using Tools in Illustrator
Each Illustrator tool serves a specific purpose. These beginner to intermediate Illustrator tutorials show you in detail how some of the most common tools work and how you should apply them. Learn where they’re located, how to access them, and what they can do.
11. Adobe Illustrator CC Tutorial – Pen Tool
Learn how the Adobe Illustrator pen tool works and how to use it properly.
12. Adobe Illustrator | Pen Tool Tutorial
Another guide to the pen tool, this tutorial takes you into more detail and shows you how to use the related tools.
13. Illustrator Tutorial: Blend Tool Line Logo
Learn to master the blend tool in this tutorial, which helps you understand the tool while creating a logo.
14. Drawing with the Pen Tool, Pencil Tool & Brush
This tutorial covers the pen, brush, and pencil tools in detail and shows you the subtle differences between each tool.
15. Adobe Illustrator Blend Tool
Work with spirals and other distinctive shapes in this tutorial covering specific techniques for using the blend tool.
16. Adobe Illustrator CC 2015 – The Type Tool
Conquer the type tool in this basic tutorial, which helps you understand how text interacts with Illustrator.
17. How to Use the Lasso and Magic Wand Tool in Adobe Illustrator
Build your selection skills in this tutorial that focuses on the wand and lasso tools.
18. Introduction to Adobe Illustrator Shape Tools
This tutorial guide you through a basic line art graphic while covering the shape tools and guides you through a basic line art graphic.
Designing Line Art
Line art is an illustration that consists entirely of straight and curved lines. It’s one of the most essential and straightforward skills an Illustrator user can master—you can create almost everything from icons to portraits.
19. Adobe Illustrator CC – Line Art Tutorial – Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts
Once you’ve mastered line art tools, use them to turn a photograph into a work of art.
20. Line Art Photo with Adobe Illustrator
Here’s another line art tutorial that goes into more detail as to how to give your line art depth while keeping its simplicity.
21. Adobe Illustrator Tutorial: How to Draw a Vector Pirate Skull
Have a little fun and walk the plank during this tutorial for pirate-themed line art.
22. Ink Lineart by Converting Strokes into Fills
This tutorial covers a specific technique in digital line art: inking your projects by converting strokes to fills.
23. How to Make a Custom Brush for Line Art in Illustrator
Line art requires brushes of different flow rates, sizes, and other qualities—you’ll learn how to create your own in this tutorial.
24. Illustrator CC Tutorial: Tracing Line Art
Follow along with one of the most essential online teaching resources, Lynda.com, as you learn how to trace line art in Illustrator.
25. Illustrator CS4 ”Line Art” Tutorial
Learn how to accurately manipulate vector lines and duplicate them to simplify your workflow.
26. How to Draw Cool Lines (Line Weight Variation)
Create cartoon line art with this in-depth tutorial.
Creating Logos and Icons
Whether you’re designing for yourself or for a client, logos and icons are some of the most popular and requested types of illustrations. Use these video tutorials to master the tools and tricks that will help you effectively design logos and icons.
27. Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 Tutorial – Logo Design
This advanced tutorial takes you through the logo-creation process.
28. Tutorial: Create a Text Logo in Illustrator
Learn how to create a text logo or icon using simple shapes.
29. Flat Icon Design Tutorial in Illustrator CC
Embrace the popular flat icon trend with this tutorial.
30. Tutorial: How to Make a Professional Logo in Illustrator
Learn new ways to create custom logos.
31. Adobe Illustrator Tutorial – How to Create a Professional Eagle Logo
Add some shine to your logo using this guide.
32. Learn How to Draw 8 Vector Music Icons in Adobe Illustrator
Design music-related vector icons in Illustrator.
33. Adobe Illustrator | Shutter Icon Tutorial
Go through the process of conceptualizing and creating a custom icon.
34. Adobe Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make a Simple Type Logo
Focus on typography instead of imagery with this logo tutorial.
Creating Portraits and Characters
Whether it’s a simple avatar or a detailed portrait, knowing how to draw people and characters can help you advance as a designer. Mastering the Illustrator tools and techniques for this can prove challenging, but these video tutorials will help you get ahead of the curve.
35. Tutorial Vector Portraits – It’s Cool Man
Learn how to create a detailed cartoon portrait.
36. Adobe Illustrator Portraits Part One: The Setup
Achieve more lifelike results with this Illustrator tutorial.
37. Illustrator Tutorial: Low Poly Portrait
Learn how to create a geometric-inspired portrait.
38. Illustrator Tutorial: Flat Design Portraits
Apply flat design to a portrait drawing in Illustrator.
39. Tutorial: Vector Portraits Using Adobe Illustrator
Follow along with this tutorial for creating a cartoon-style portrait.
40. Illustrator Tutorial – Flat Design Portrait
Learn more strategies for flat design portraits with this video.
41. Adobe Illustrator Vector Portrait
With this tutorial, convert a photograph into a portrait in Illustrator.
42. Draw Vector Hair Photoshop Tutorial
Focus on hair with this detailed Illustrator tutorial.
Styling Typography
Plain typography can work in certain designs, but sometimes you want to add more style to your canvas. These tutorials show you how you can manipulate typography for various results. Add embellishments to the typography itself or words into art.
43. How To Create Typography Illustrations
Use typography to customize an illustration.
44. How To Create Custom Type Designs in Adobe Illustrator
Customize your typography with flare.
45. Tutorial Create Lettering/ Typography with Adobe Illustrator
Use typography to create wall or screen art.
46. Illustrator Tutorial | 3D Text | Abstract Typography
Take a stab at abstract photography with advance learning tutorial.
47. Typography | Text Effect | Adobe Illustrator
Add whimsical effects to your type with this tutorial.
48. Vintage Logo Tutorial for Adobe Illustrator
Use text to create a custom logo.
49. Illustrator CC CS6 : Proper Vintage Typography
Fit text into shapes and illustrations in this trendy typography tutorial.
50. Learn How to Create a Neon Text Effect in Adobe Illustrator
Add a subtle glow to your text with this neon typography tutorial.
With all of this information under your belt, create your own unique Adobe Illustrator designs—or combine your work with royalty-free stock vector images to create professional graphics.
