35 amazing vector art tutorials
Guest Contribution
If you want to add vector art skills to your creative resume, you’ve come to the right place. A technique rather than a style, vector art is based on geometric shapes and created using vector image software such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. If you’re a fan of vector art and want to start creating your own, these brilliant tutorials will help you on your way.
On this page, you’ll find beginner tutorials that will help you master the basics of vector illustration=. For intermediate tips and tricks, head to page two, and for advanced techniques jump straight to page three.
Once you’ve motored through these, you may find our other collections of tutorials useful – there are Illustrator tutorials, Photoshop tutorials, and InDesign tutorials for you to discover.
01. Learn vector illustration in 10 easy steps
Ben the Illustrator explains how to create vector illustrations using Adobe Illustrator, explaining the key tools and offering expert tips. He walks you through the key tools, and gets you started on the road to translating your creative vision into incredible vector illustrations.
02. Beginner’s guide to vector drawing in Illustrator
In this PluralSight tutorial, you’ll learn essential workflows, terms, and techniques to help you get started with vector drawing. The course teaches you the key differences between pixel-based and vector art, as well as the important components in the latter.
03. A guide to the Pen tool
To create vector art, you must first master the Pen tool. This comprehensive guide aims to introduce you to features, shortcuts, and methods for working with what is arguably Adobe’s most essential tool. (And here’s a bonus faster way to vectorise hand lettering with the Pen tool…)
04. Illustrator for beginners: 11 top tips
From using Bézier points and curves to strokes, fills and adding a more natural look to your vector artwork, here are some Illustrator secrets for those new to the application.
05. Create colourful vector character art
This Illustrator tutorial from Digital Arts walks you through how to turn a hand-drawn sketch into a coloured digital vector file, taking in colour adjustments, depth and composition. The basic skills you’ll learn here will help you to create scalable character vectors again and again.
06. A faster way to create a vector eye
In this short video walkthrough, illustrator Bert Musketon shows how to draw an eye in Illustrator. He covers the process from how to make the initial eye shape, to how to quickly draw eyelashes and eyebrows, using just some basic shapes and a few vector sketching tricks. The good news? You can apply the time-saving techniques covered here to speed up the creative process on any vector illustration…
07. Vector Silhouettes for Beginners
This video course from Envato tuts+ is aimed squarely at vector art beginners, with no use of the pen tool. By making two silhouette vector artworks, you’ll learn to use essential tools and processes.
08. Vector portraits for beginners
This free in-depth video course will help kickstart your journey into creating vector portraits from photographs. Sharon Milne shows you two ways for creating basic portraits; one a chunky line art style and the other in a basic shading style.
09. Vector drawing with a graphic tablet
Astute Graphics has an excellent vector art tutorial for designers and illustrators keen to ditch the mouse in favour of a graphics tablet and stylus. It’s aimed at beginners, even walking you through how to set up your drawing tablet and calibrating your stylus to work beautifully with Adobe Illustrator’s brush tools.
10. Create a fun vector monster face in Illustrator
Chris Spooner of the Spoon Graphics blog brings you this fun vector tutorial that combines simple shapes with gradients to create a cartoonish monster face. The simple approach makes it ideal for beginners, producing fresh stylised results.
11. Create a self-portrait in a geometric style
In this tutorial, you’re going to learn how to create an illustrated self-portrait in a geometric style. You’ll be using a photograph of yourself as the base of the illustration, drawing a sketch from that, and then creating the final piece.
Next page: Intermediate vector art tutorials
Now you’ve nailed the basics, scroll through our carefully curated collection of the best tutorials for creating a range of different characters.
When you’ve finished your characters, you can give your creations an environment to live in with our pro tutorials for creating landscapes.
12. Create profession avatars in Illustrator
Illustrator and designer Yulia Sokolova walks through how to create a set of flat-style portraits – perfect for social media avatars or to denote different categories on your website, for example
13. Easy ways to add texture to vector graphics
If you like your artworks a bit grungy rather than squeaky-clean, then our tutorial on adding textures and grains to your vector artworks is for you. Luke O’Neill guides you through adding textures to the overall art as well as to individual elements.
14. Make a vector sugar skull
Another great video tutorial from Chris Spooner takes you through creating a Day of the Dead-inspired skull vector artwork in Illustrator using basic shapes – making it much easier than it looks. Coco movie art team move over, you’ll soon be out-creating them with your Mexican designs.
15. The easy way to build quirky characters
Poked Studio founder Jonathan Ball explains how to transform basic geometric shapes into unique, colourful creatures with Illustrator’s tools.
16. Create a vector anime character in Photoshop
This tutorial explains the process of creating a simple anime character from start to finish.
17. Create a vector Yeti character
Check out this simple tutorial, which uses as many basic shapes as possible to achieve a quirky style of illustration, then bring the yeti character to life with a palette of cold colours.
18. Vector a set of character poses
Here, you’ll look at how to design a character for a video game, in this case a “beat ’em up”. You’ll work from the very first sketch to the final artwork.
19. How to create a vector art cartoon character
Want to bring your cartoon characters to life? This easy-to-follow vector art tutorial shows you just how to do it. As the Spoon Graphics site warns, it is an old tutorial (written in 2008), but it’s a popular one, and much of the workflow and tips are still relevant to newer versions of Illustrator.
20. Create a vector map infographic
Learn how to create a simple map design in Illustrator with this handy tutorial from self-taught vector artist Andrei Marius.
21. Craft a vector landscape environment
This vector art tutorial shows the intermediate Adobe Illustrator artist how to make a dramatic vector landscape environment.
22. Create simple flowers with gradient mesh in Illustrator
In this easy-to-follow tutorial from Diana Toma, you’ll learn how to create beautiful flowers with the help of the gradient mesh function in Illustrator.
Next page: More advanced vector art tutorials
From creating dramatic text effects to texturing, collage, halftone effects and more, read on for our collection of the best tutorials for creating special effects in your vector artwork.
23. Draw vector portraits
Spanish artist Daniel Caballero is behind this tutorial from Digital Arts, which shows you how to create vector portraits in Photoshop from photo references. Caballero shows you how to use Photoshop’s Pen tool and tricks to stylise lines to give a hand-drawn look.
24. Create an electric text effect
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to create an electricity text effect in Illustrator. From setting up a simple grid through to basic blending techniques, this tutorial is full of pro advice to help take your vector artwork further.
25. Layer up vectors for unique effects
Tom Mac reveals how to create a drip-effect portrait using Illustrator’s Pen tool and some clever object layering techniques in this vector art tutorial.
26. Draw realistic liquid vector art
Speaking of drips, this tutorial from Digital Arts shows you how to create splashes of realistic liquid. Artist Jing Zhang shows you how to use Illustrator’s Mesh tool, Warp tool and layer blending to create 3D effects in your vector art.
27. Create vintage vector textures
Vintage and retro-style illustrations have made a big comeback over recent years. Here, designer Ben Steers shares some insider tips and techniques to help give your vector illustrations a retro look.
28. Add depth to your vector art
Ben Steers explains how he created depth in this artwork, Gone Karting
Artist Ben Steers has put together this Illustrator tutorial for Digital Arts, where he shows you how to use gradient effects and opacity masks to stop your vector artworks looking flat.
29. Create a sketch-style vector
There are many illustrations that call for a sketched or hand-drawn feel. Learn how to achieve this in Illustrator, along with the DynamicSketch and WidthScribe plugins, in this easy-to-follow vector art tutorial.
30. Create a vector glitter text art effect
Give your typography some sparkle. Follow this tutorial and learn how to create a vector glitter text effect in Illustrator.
31. Create vector halftone effects
Halftone is a way of reproducing a monochrome image using only dots of varying sizes. Artist Chris McVeigh walks you through the process in this four-step vector illustration tutorial.
32. Convert a bitmap to a vector image
This Inkscape tutorial demonstrates how to convert a bitmap image into a vector image by using Inkscape’s Trace Bitmap function.
33. Create X-ray vector art
Artist Evert Martin explains how he made this deer artwork
Artist Evert Martin reveals the secrets behind his x-ray/holographic-looking artworks. Using Illustrator, learn how to turn some abstract contour sketches into beautiful 3D art.
34. How to create a vector image slider
Image sliders have been a common element of website design in recent years, especially in portfolio designs. This tutorial explains how create an image slider in Illustrator.
35. Create a textured collage with vector imagery and papercraft photography
Ciara Phelan shows you how to mix vector imagery with papercraft photography to create a textured collage with real depth.
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