You are using Illustrator all wrong! I’m sorry, that came out judgy. I’m just saying, since the introduction of Illustrator 2025—or version 29, if you prefer—you should be using the software in a few fundamentally different ways. To illustrate my point, I’m going to show you ten things you should start doing differently today!

New features such as Ungroup All, Scale Artwork with Artboard, and Create Gradients from Swatches

How to make the most of mockups

How to create objects along a path

New developments in image tracing

We'll cover the fundamental stages of icon design. From thinking in metaphors, visual deduction by analyzing complex forms into simplified shapes.

Visual Deduction Skills

How to shape build icon art

How to retain continuity

How to build an iconography system

Starting out in Adobe Illustrator can be pretty overwhelming—why do your panels randomly disappear? And why won’t your brush color change? What’s the best layout for your Illustrator panels? In this class, we’re tackling the most common struggles new users face and, more importantly, how to fix them! You’ll learn ways to speed up your workflow, like how to select things easily, troubleshoot common problems, and how to use the most common tools. 
We’ll also go over confusing topics like the pathfinder and shape builder, how to mask objects properly and some issues you might face when using color. And, we’ll cover workflow tips like what to do when your layout suddenly changes and common keyboard shortcuts to help you increase your speed. Whether you’re constantly trying to keep from throwing your computer out the window, or just want to work faster and smarter, this class will help you avoid frustration and master Illustrator with confidence. Perfect for beginners or anyone who’s ever thought, There has to be an easier way to do this!

How to troubleshoot common Illustrator hangups
Understanding masks and why they sometimes fail
Workflow and workspace tips

Seamless patterns show up everywhere—from fabric and wallpaper to packaging and home décor. If you're ready to transform your Illustrator artwork into seamless patterns for real-world products, this session will show you how.
Join Laura Coyle for a step-by-step look at using Pattern Editing Mode in Adobe Illustrator to create precise, seamless repeats. You'll also learn how to prep your files for print-on-demand platforms like Spoonflower and Contrado.
Whether you're new to pattern design or have experience under your belt, you’ll learn:
– Expert tips for building seamless repeats with Pattern Editing Mode
– Easy export methods for print-on-demand sites
– How to catch and fix repeat flaws before uploading

You'll leave with practical tools to bring your designs to life on fabric, apparel, home décor, and more.

In this live webinar (preregistration required) Dave will be discussing and answering questions about the VIP Pass for the Illustrator Virtual Summit. This event is designed for people who are considering the purchase of a VIP Pass.

If you feel right at home in Photoshop, but for whatever reason, have struggled to wrap your raster-loving, pixel oriented mind around the concept of vectors—paths, points, and the pen tool, oh my!—this could be the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. From one pixel pusher to another, this unique intro to Illustrator will help you translate what you know about Photoshop into a working knowledge of vector art and Illustrator basics. 

How and why Illustrator is different than Photoshop and why it matters

How Illustrator "works" (as opposed to how things operate in Photoshop)

How to make sense of effects and styles in a vector environment

How to find your bearings and navigate the workspace

The basics of paths, points, strokes, fills and what it means to expand your artwork

You’ll learn how to create and customize all types of brushes in Adobe Illustrator, with a special focus on custom vector art brushes. We’ll cover three brush types—Scatter, Art, and Pattern Brushes—exploring how each one works and when to use them. You’ll start by designing basic brush shapes, then transform them into versatile tools to enhance your illustration linework and design. The highlight of this class is crafting unique vector-based Art Brushes that add personality and style to your work. I’ll guide you through key techniques like adjusting stroke settings, refining brush textures, and making your brushes scalable and reusable. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of Illustrator’s brush engine and a set of custom brushes to elevate your creative projects. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced designer looking to refine your workflow, this course will give you practical, hands-on skills in a short time. 

Unlike simple styling options, the Appearance Panel gives you advanced control, letting you layer attributes (fills, strokes and effects) for objects that can often reduce the amount of objects that need to be created to deliver an appearance. Learning about Appearances is also foundational in creating dynamic graphics and is key to becoming truly proficient in Illustrator.

Why understanding appearance attributes is important

How to utilise appearances and graphic styles

The speed benefits of appearances

The answers to some of Illustrator's common questions

In this class I’ll show you my secrets to working as fast as possible in Adobe Illustrator, to help you test and ultimately refine your designs in a vector format. You’ll discover how to set up your hardware, customise your workspaces and keyboard shortcuts, plus additional software and hardware tricks that’ll have you flying around Adobe Illustrator and working iteratively inside the program.

I will cover some of the fundamental tools you’ll need to work up logos, but I’d class this course as beginner-to-intermediate. The workflow and techniques in this course are designed to help you question your current workflow and to help you optimise your output and increase your efficiency.

With these tips, you’ll be able to take simple line drawings and work them up in vector in no time, to either rule out that concept, or refine it to perfection. And with these skills you’ll hopefully be able to get more clients through the door.

Unleash your creativity and bring a unique portrait to life in this immersive Adobe Illustrator class! We’ll start by harnessing the power of generative AI to create a visual reference board that defines the style, color palette, and mood for your illustration. This reference board will serve as your creative guide, helping you shape your artistic direction with bold ideas and inspiration. Once your vision is set, you’ll dive into Adobe Illustrator, transforming your sketch into a vibrant, stylized portrait using essential vector illustration techniques. You’ll learn how to build shapes with the Pen Tool, create expressive details using geometric layering, and apply clipping masks to add intricate organic elements. We’ll also explore dynamic color palettes and grainy textures to give your work a hand-crafted, screen-printed aesthetic. By the end of the class, you’ll have a stunning portrait that reflects your unique artistic voice, ready to share as part of your portfolio or print as a standout art piece. Whether you’re new to digital illustration or an experienced designer looking to experiment with creative workflows, this class will provide the tools, techniques, and inspiration to elevate your skills and creativity.

Using Generative AI for Inspiration: Learn how to create an AI-generated reference board to define the visual style, mood, and color palette for your portrait illustration.

Mastering Vector Tools: Build your portrait using key Adobe Illustrator tools such as the Pen Tool, Shape Builder, and Clipping Masks to create clean and dynamic vector shapes.

Crafting Bold Color Palettes and Textures: Discover how to apply vibrant colors and subtle grainy textures to give your illustration a screen-printed, stylized aesthetic.

Composing with Geometric and Organic Elements: Explore how to integrate geometric shapes and organic accents to enhance your composition and make your portrait visually striking.

In this class users will learn 2 different techniques for making textures in Adobe Illustrator. Starting with live Photoshop Texture effects (e.g. Grain) and how they can be added to your artwork, edited and stacked in the Appearance Panel. Learning how to then expand your live effects so they become vector objects. Secondly, we will import a free high-res texture image from Adobe Stock, and use the Image Trace panel to outline it into vector paths. Once we’ve learned how to make these we will then explore different Opacity Blending Modes to create different texture effects. Bonus Technique: Demonstrate the Astute Graphics Texturino panel for adding textures to your artwork.

How to apply a Photoshop Grain texture in Illustrator

How to expand a live effect

How to image trace a photograph

How to use different blending modes

Master custom fonts, type on a path, and create eye-catching text effects! Typography is one of the most powerful tools in design, but just picking a font isn’t enough to make your work stand out. Learn how to customize fonts in Adobe Illustrator to create unique letterforms that fit your project perfectly. We’ll cover how to modify live (typable) type and add stylistic details to make your work stand out. We'll dive into fun effects like warping, outlining, and layering text to give your designs their own unique personality. By the end of this course, you'll have the skills to create awesome typography that grabs attention and adds a unique professional quality to your designs. Perfect for beginners and anyone looking to level up their type skills!

Customizing fonts

Type on a path

Interesting text effects

The Pen Tool is one of the most powerful and essential tools in Adobe Illustrator, and in this quick 45-minute class, you’ll learn how to master it with confidence. We’ll start with the basics—understanding anchor points, handles, and curves—before moving into more advanced techniques like smoothing paths, creating sharp corners, and tracing complex shapes with precision. You’ll practice drawing straight lines, perfect curves, and custom shapes, all while learning shortcuts and pro tips to speed up your workflow. We’ll also cover common mistakes and how to fix them, so you can work efficiently without frustration. By the end of the class, you’ll have a solid grasp of how the Pen Tool works and the skills to use it effectively in your own designs. Whether you’re a beginner struggling with curves or an experienced designer looking to refine your technique, this class will give you the confidence to create smooth, clean vector paths like a pro. Let’s dive in and start drawing!

Illustrator often gets canned as creating boring, stiff artwork. And mostly, I agree. But I've got a lot of tricks to take vector artwork and push it beyond the boring. How can we keep things simple while making it feel elevated with overlapping shapes, contrasting shadows, unique linework, and overall depth and interest. This course is all about pushing your vectors to feel premium and not like stock imagery

Leveraging the pathfinder and shape builder to create depth

Simple color palettes that are effective at telling a cohesive story

Visual motifs that can tie an illustration together from head to toe

Linework that goes beyond the straight boring lines

Non destructive ways to make your work feel organic and wobbly

Contrary to what people often think, you don’t need drawing skills to find success with Illustrator. By learning to see the world as basic shapes, you’ll be surprised to discover all you can build from simple circles, rectangles, and polygons. This class is geared specifically for those who are Illustrator-curious but may have been reluctant to make the leap due to overwhelm or intimidation. With the right approach, Illustrator doesn’t have to be scary. If you’ve been waiting for an easy on-ramp to the world of vector artwork creation—this class is for you!

– How to “see” in shapes so you can build (instead of draw) in Illustrator

– How to use the Shape Builder tool instead of messing with the Pathfinder panel

– Fail-proof techniques for conquering the Pen tool

– Easy ways to manipulate simple shapes for endless possibilities

Paintbrushes are usually associated with program like Photoshop, not a vector based program like Illustrator. But Painting with vectors is an incredibly versatile feature within our favorite Vector King! Not only does Illustrator have brushes, but they can accomplish more than you can image. Learning the deep secrets of vector brushes will open new and exciting paths (pun-intended) for your design work!

Best practices for using Illustrator's brush sets

How to expand the Brush Library

How to craft your own set of Vector Brushes

Creative applications of vector brushes to create fun design effects!

In a time when creativity is at a huge peak, learn how to create design assets, logos and brands in Adobe Illustrator and harness the power of Adobe Express to bring them to life to enhance your own brand and business. From animations to social graphics, you can use your layered creations to bring added dimensions to your art and design
You will learn how to build reusable design and brand assets using native illustrator tools in a design project
You will learn how to use CC Libraries to work across illustrator and Adobe Express
You will learn how to bring your designs and brand to life and prepare for use in projects, social media and animations

We'll cover the fundamental stages of vector craftsmanship and build methods to speed up your workflow and create precise brand marks.

Discerning Anchor Point Placement

Shape Building Tactics

Helpful Plugins & Scripts

How to use Pantone without Subscribing

Photoshop and Illustrator make a very powerful duo, each excelling in different areas of graphic design. In this session, Dave will guide you through the various ways to move graphic elements seamlessly between these two applications. You’ll explore techniques that offer the most control and flexibility, allowing you to maintain live editing options across both programs. From vector shapes and layers in Illustrator to pixel-based effects and textures in Photoshop, Dave will showcase creative ways to combine the strengths of both tools. Whether you’re working on detailed illustrations, sophisticated photo manipulations, or innovative graphic compositions, this session will equip you with the skills to leverage both Photoshop and Illustrator to their full potential, improving your workflow and expanding your creative possibilities.

If you’ve dabbled with Recolor Artwork but never quite made it a regular part of your process, this session is for you. We’ll demystify the tool and show you how it can become a go-to for exploring and adjusting color in Illustrator.
Join Laura Coyle as she walks you through the features—both obvious and hidden—that make Recolor Artwork such a powerful asset. You’ll learn how to:
– Navigate the different panels and settings with confidence
– Apply practical techniques to explore and refine color palettes
– Use Recolor Artwork to speed up your workflow and stay flexible with color decisions
You’ll leave ready to make Recolor Artwork part of your everyday workflow—a colorful boost to your creativity.

Take your type from basic to brilliant! This session dives into Illustrator’s best-kept secrets for customizing letters, refining typography, and making text work smarter in your designs. Whether you’re working with fonts or hand-lettering, you’ll walk away with practical tools to enhance every letterform.

Astute Graphics will demonstrate their plugins for Illustrator

You’re already an Illustrator legend—your mastery of 2D artwork is undeniable. But what if you could take them a step further? Imagine transforming your static artwork into dynamic, animated visuals that captivate audiences, elevate your brand, and open up new creative possibilities. In this session, we will bridge the gap between Adobe Illustrator and After Effects and show you how to infuse motion into your designs. Whether you’re crafting eye-catching animated ads, adding movement to brand elements, or simply exploring a new creative frontier, motion graphics unlocks a whole new dimension of storytelling. Learning After Effects may seem daunting, but don’t worry—you don’t have to start from scratch. I’ll guide you through the essential steps of bringing your Illustrator designs into After Effects and animating them. By leveraging what you already know, you’ll gain the tools to make your artwork move, breathe, and engage like never before. Whether you're an absolute beginner in animation or looking to refine your motion graphics skills, this session is your gateway to transforming 2D designs into vibrant, living visuals. Ready to bring your artwork to life? Let’s make it move!

Following Paul Klee's quote, we are going to check out what we can do with lines in Illustrator when we apply strokes, effects, variable widths, brushes and Appearances to them. Thinking about painting when using Illustrator brushes can lead you into the completely wrong direction, and you might not even appreciate them. But when combining strokes and brushes you can create very complex designs that are easily repeatable, which is very useful in infographics. In this session we will first tweak strokes, variable widths and arrowheads. Then we will create simple brushes and learn what the different brush types can already do. We will figure out their options and tweak them to get them to do what they are supposed to. Then we will check out how we can combine different brushes, strokes and effects into complex styles that can then be used over and over.
– How to create handdrawn looking lines
– How to set up brushes and the unique features of each of the brush types
– How to take your drawings to the next level by combining different stroke attributes into complex line appearances

Although the charting tools in Illustrator were originally introduced decades ago and haven't been updated that much in all that time—they do have possibilities. In this session you'll find out about how to use them and also how to go beyond the default offerings.

How to hack the default graph types

How to customise data markers and data points

How to maintain a link to the data

Top tips for working with data in Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is more powerful than ever, but are you using it to its full potential? In this session, you’ll discover creative workflows that go beyond traditional vector design. You’ll see how to bring Illustrator into new dimensions by combining it with tools like Project Neo for crisp 3D vector graphics, and Firefly to generate entirely new visuals based on your designs. Learn how to turn Illustrator artwork into a reference for unique AI-powered effects, and explore new features that let you work faster, smarter, and more creatively. Whether you’re designing illustrations, branding, or experimental artwork, this session will inspire you with fresh ideas and practical techniques
– How to use Illustrator and Project Neo together to create high-quality 3D vector images and take them even further with Firefly.
– How to turn Illustrator artwork into a powerful reference for generating unique visuals and effects in Adobe Firefly.
– New workflows that make you work faster, smarter, and more creatively.
 Get ready to explore fresh ideas, unexpected techniques, and game-changing workflows that will transform the way you use Illustrator!

​This class on data-driven graphics in Adobe Illustrator focuses on utilizing the Variables panel to create dynamic, data-responsive designs. Participants will learn how to import data from CSV or XML files, bind variables to design elements, and generate multiple variations of artwork efficiently. The session covers preparing data source files, setting up Illustrator templates, and automating the creation of personalized graphics, such as event badges and promotional materials, by merging data with design templates.

Sometimes you just need a shape and then you hit the relevant Pathfinder button and done. But often you want to build and already see and present the result and usually after presenting you need to make changes. Or you need to punch a hole, but don't want to expand anything in order to achieve that. Maybe you have already asked yourself if you really need to do so many steps in the Pathfinder panel in order to make something. And probably you already have experienced a situation where objects were lost after you did some construction. In this session we will check out the practical use of compound paths, compound shapes, Pathfinder functions and effects, the Shapebuilder tool, Live Paint , knockout groups and opacity masks, when to prefer one over the other, how to tackle the issues that arise when using them and how to flatten those that create "live objects”
– The different construction methods
– Their strengths and weaknesses
– When to use which one

Bring your logo ideas to life in this comprehensive Adobe Illustrator class, where you’ll create a fully polished logo for an organic farmers market. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your branding design skills, this class walks you through the entire creative process—from initial concept sketches to a final coloured, print-ready vector logo. We’ll start by discussing the pros and cons of working with layers and how to decide when to use them for an efficient workflow. Next, we’ll dive into best practices for logo design, covering shortcuts that speed up your process and good work habits to keep your project organized. You’ll learn how to draw confidently with and without the Pen Tool, using Illustrator’s Shape Builder to create clean, professional designs. We’ll also provide solutions for frustrating tasks, such as aligning text on a curve or refining complex shapes. As we work through each stage of the project, we’ll break down the thought process and workflow behind every design decision, offering logo design tips along the way. By the end, you’ll have a stunning farmers market logo—and the skills to tackle future projects with creativity and confidence!

From Sketch to Final Logo: Learn how to turn your hand-drawn concepts into fully rendered, professional vector logos using a structured, step-by-step workflow.

Mastering Illustrator Tools and Shortcuts: Gain confidence using essential tools like the Pen Tool, Shape Builder, and text alignment features, as well as time-saving shortcuts to optimize your workflow.

Best Practices and Good Work Habits: Discover effective strategies for working with layers, organizing your project, and applying design principles that keep your work clean, efficient, and editable.

Logo Design Tips and Problem-Solving: Get expert advice on creating balanced, impactful logos, and learn solutions for common design challenges, such as placing text on curves and managing complex shapes.

In this class users will learn how to create an isometric grid in Adobe Illustrator from scratch and how you can convert it into guides. Briefly mentioning the free Adobe Stock options also available to download. We will then learn how to create our own Actions using the SSR isometric equations, instantly transforming 2D objects into a 3D perspective. Demonstrate the Nimbling SSR free extension available from the Creative Cloud as an alternative to this. Finally we will then learn how to change our constrain angle preferences, and some other tips and tricks for drawing in isometrics.
– How to create an isometric grid and turn them into guides
– How to set up and make Actions Tips and Tricks for drawing in an isometric projection

Demonstrating scripts in Illustrator

Every object around us has some sort of soul or character hidden within it. In this workshop Kirk Wallace shows you his full process for creating interesting illustrations with everyday objects, like a landmark, a character, or maybe even just a baseball cap -- focusing on the core of what makes something unique and stretching it to its limits.

Simplifying forms and bringing out the unique shapes in objects

Arrange and rearrange shapes in illustrator until you get the perfect effect

A process breakdown of taking something mundane and turning it to excitement

Sketching, tracing with the pen tool, refining shapes, simple color palettes

Want to know some cool tips, hacks and hidden secrets inside the latest version of Illustrator? In this class we’ll look at some great design tips to get your workflow on point and ready to rock and roll when it comes to working on projects, making processes easier to manage, getting set up and designing using all the latest additions in Illustrator, and some old tried and tested techniques you probably didn’t know about! We’ll be building a creative arsenal of good to go techniques that you can use again and again!
You will learn some great hidden tips and features in Illustrator that will help make your workflow smoother
You will learn some cool creative features to take your design work to the next level
You will learn how to build the new features in illustrator 2025 into your creative arsenal
By the end of this session you’ll have learned a bunch of great techniques that you’ll wish you’d have known sooner - and now you’ll be a creative powerhouse!!

Even the savviest, most experienced Illustrator users spend far too much time drawing the same ways we have for years, with the Pen tool, thinking that the Pen and only the Pen provides the best control. In fact, Illustrator continually adds better ways to work—ways that are faster, more elegant, and allow for smoother control.

How to make highly precise use of the Join tool (which is totally different than the JoIn command)

How to draw fluid lines with the much improved Pencil tool

How to draw with dynamic round corners, which are far more powerful than they sound

How to round out your knowledge with a bunch of little-known Pen tool tricks