Adobe Illustrator Tutorial using Pen Tool

In this easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorial, we will be going through our anchor point guide to practice using the pen tool along with shapes to build our cartoon character. This should be an easy Tutorial if you are new to Illustrator. *If you are new or jumping over from YouTube, I have provided you with the Tutorial Resources to follow along with our 50 Step by Steps on the Website and the 100 Tutorials Playlist in YouTube. DOWNLOAD OPTIONS: BRUSHES + RESOURCES OR RESOURCE BUNDLE

Anchor Point Guides

Anchor point guides are designed to make life easier as you are learning where to place anchors and how to adjust handles.

Using Pen Tool

We will be using our 2 step approach to the pen tool. The first is using straight lines to just get down our anchor points. We will then be using the convert anchor tool to create curves and handles.

Live Paint

Using live paint is fast way of getting down flat color and shadows without having to use pathfinder to create shapes.

Using Resource Folder

1. Place the anchor point guide into NEW illustrator document and scale to fit the 5"x 5" artboard. In your layers menu select Template Layer. Create a New layer ABOVE IT for inking.

Using the Pen Tool

2. Trace the image using the shape and pen tool. There should be no fill when using the pen tool. Use straight line and the convert anchor point tool to create your curves.

Custom Brushes

3. Add OUR custom brushes library to create variation in your lines. Expand the lines and use the eraser tool to erase overlapping or unwanted lines. Unite brushes in pathfinder panel.

Using Live Paint

4. Select All - Object- Live Paint. Fill in flat colors wIth our color palette or find others on https://color.adobe.com/ Object - Expand live paint. Ungroup (3X) or until you can select individual shapes.

STEP #1: DOWNLOAD RESOURCES. Many of you are jumping over from YouTube looking to download our Illustrator Resource Folders. Download our Brush Libraries or add on Halftones and Textures to save on our Adobe Illustrator Resource Bundle. Download our Brush Libraries, Comic Halftones, and BMP Textures to follow along or use with Your Own Artwork in Adobe Illustrator.

STEP #2: RESOURCE GUIDES. The first step will be to download and extract the Resource Folders. The Folders will come as a Zipped Folder on Teachable. Once you have Downloaded and Extracted the Folders, they are ready to be used in Adobe Illustrator. Follow Along with our Resource Guides, Tutorials, and Challenges to apply and edit Brushes + Halftones + Textures.

STEP #3: FOLLOW ALONG. Tutorials are designed to build up time within the program to apply the Tools and Settings. Tutorials will go through how to apply Resources within a Workflow. Follow along with our 100 Tutorials Playlist on YouTube and 50 Step by Steps on the Website. Tutorials will focus on Building Tools, Applying Brushes, Editing Options, and Basic Coloring Techniques.

STEP #1: DOWNLOAD BRUSHES. Many of you are jumping over from YouTube looking to download our Updated Brush Libraries. You can download our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes to follow along with our Tutorials and Playlists or use them with your own artwork. Updated Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.

STEP #2: RESOURCE GUIDES. The first step is to download the Brushes Folder. They will come to you as a Zipped Folder on Teachable. Once you have Downloaded and Extracted the Folders, the Brush Libraries are Ready to Use in Adobe Illustrator. Follow along with our Brushes Resource Guide to Save Brush Libraries for fast access in your "User Defined."

STEP #3: FOLLOW ALONG. Tutorials are designed to build up time within the program to apply the Tools and Settings. Tutorials will focus on Building Tools, Applying Brushes, Editing Options, and Basic Coloring Techniques. I have included (as a free bonus) Resources to follow along with our 100 Tutorials Playlist on YouTube and Step by Steps on the Website.

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES. Our (Updated) 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes are specifically designed for Illustrators and Cartoonists to speed up their workflow. I have recently added more brushes and updated the Brush Libraries to allow for Pressure Sensitivity. Follow Along with the Tutorials or Use them with Your Own Artwork. Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.

beginner adobe illustrator tutorial whale

70 CARTOON BRUSHES: (libraries include Updated Cartoon, Cartoon 2, and Original Cartoon Brush Libraries). Adobe Illustrator Cartoon Brushes are my go-to brushes for Professional Logos, Cartoons, Mascots, and Branding. Use Cartoon Illustrator Brushes with the Pen, Pencil or Paint Brush Tools to Apply different Line Variation to your Vector Artwork.

100 COMIC STRIP BRUSHES: (libraries include Updated Comic Strip, Hand-Painted, Paintbrush, and Fine Liner Brush Libraries). Hand Painted + Comic Strip Brushes to get a lived in feel back into your Vector Art. Comic Strips and Hand Painted are painted based on some of my favorite artists and cartoonists. These brushes are designed to look ready for the Sunday Paper.

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50 MASCOT BRUSHES: (libraries include updated Caffeinated Cartoonist, Rough Ink, and Jittery Hand Brush Libraries). Jittery Hand, Caffeinated Cartoonist + Rough Ink Brushes to Mimic Paper Bleed and Caffeine. Designed to be a little less stiff with your vector art. Use these Brush Libraries to get more of a distressed look or ink bleed back in your own Vector Artwork.

200 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES. Our (Updated) 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes are specifically designed for Illustrators and Cartoonists to speed up their workflow. I have recently added more brushes and updated the Brush Libraries to allow for Pressure Sensitivity. Follow Along with the Tutorials or Use them with Your Own Artwork. Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.

70 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR HALFTONES. Our Halftones and Patterns Fills are designed for easy application even if you are new to Adobe Illustrator. Halftone Fills behave the same as a Color Swatch so you can apply them quickly using the Blob Brush, Live Paint, or Basic Fills. Simply Paint in Halftones into your own Illustrations and Comics. Halftones include our 70 Comic Strip Halftone Fills, Pattern Fills, and Halftone Value Scales.

400 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR BMP TEXTURES. Our BMP Textures are extremely easy to use even if you are a beginner to Adobe Illustrator. Simply File-Place the Textures over your finished artwork to use with the Transparency Panel for soft overlays. Use BMP Textures along with Opacity Masks for T-Shirt Distressing. BMP Textures include our 145 Cracks, 120 Grunge Distressing, 75 Paper, and 77 Paint Splatter Textures.

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

BRUSH LIBRARIES

DOWNLOAD 200 BRUSHES

20% OFF (SAVE $12)

SAVE LIBRARIES. Once you have downloaded and extracted the Folder, the 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes are ready to be used. I recommend Saving "Updated" Brush Libraries to your "User Defined" by clicking Save Brush Library in the Brushes Menu. Follow along with our Resource Guides to save, apply, and edit Brushes in Adobe Illustrator.

OPEN LIBRARIES. Our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes have been organized into Brush Libraries for easy application and to maintain consistency with your Line Variation. In the Brushes Panel Menu, select “Open Brush Library.” You can Open Brush Libraries through the “User Defined” or “Other Library” Options in the Brushes Panel.

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

BRUSH LIBRARIES

DOWNLOAD 200 BRUSHES

20% OFF (SAVE $12)

DOWNLOAD 200 BRUSHES

Our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes will come to you as a Zipped Folder on Teachable. Once you have downloaded and extracted the Brush Folders they are ready to be used in Adobe Illustrator. Follow along with our Tutorials, Challenges and YouTube Playlists to practice applying Brushes. *I have included (as a free bonus) Tutorial Resources to follow along with our 50 Step by Steps and the 100 Tutorials Playlist on YouTube.

DOWNLOAD BUNDLE

200 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES. Our (Updated) Adobe Illustrator Brush Libraries are specifically designed for Illustrators and Cartoonists to speed up their workflow. I have recently added more brushes and updated the Brush Libraries to allow for Pressure Sensitivity. Follow Along with the Tutorials or Use them with Your Own Artwork. Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.

70 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR HALFTONES. Our Halftones and Patterns Fills are designed for easy application even if you are new to Adobe Illustrator. Halftone Fills behave the same as a Color Swatch so you can apply them quickly using the Blob Brush, Live Paint, or Basic Fills. Simply Paint in Halftones into your own Illustrations and Comics. Halftones include our Comic Strip Halftone Fills, Pattern Fills, and Halftone Value Scales.

200 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES: Our 200 Brushes are specifically designed for Illustrators and Cartoonists to speed up their workflow. Brushes Libraries allow for Pressure Sensitivity if you are using a Tablet for Inking your Line Variation. Apply with Pen, Pencil, Shapes, or Paintbrush Tools. Adobe Illustrator Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: BRUSHES BUNDLE

400 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR TEXTURES: Our 415 BMP Textures are extremely easy to use even if you are a beginner to Adobe Illustrator. Simply File-Place the Textures over your finished artwork to use with the Transparency Panel for soft overlays. Use BMP Textures along with Opacity Masks for T-Shirt Distressing. BMP Textures include our 145 Cracks, 120 Grunge Distressing, 75 Paper, and 77 Paint Splatter Textures. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: TEXTURES BUNDLE

600 ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR RESOURCES: Our Adobe Illustrator Resource Bundle includes our Brush Libraries, Comic Halftones. and BMP Textures. Brush Libraries: 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, or 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.. Halftones include our 70 Comic Strip Halftone Fills and Halftone Value Scales. Texture Folders: 145 Cracks, 120 Grunge Distressing, 75 Paper, and 77 Paint Splatter Textures. Follow along or use with your own artwork. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: RESOURCE BUNDLE

ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

RESOURCE BUNDLE

DOWNLOAD RESOURCE BUNDLE

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How to Color in Adobe Illustrator

One of the easiest and fastest ways of filling in your color is through Live Paint. Live Paint Bucket is a part of the Shape Builder Tools which builds the shapes in the exact shape you need it. Select All. Go up to Object - Live Paint - Make. If you have a grayed out Make it simply means you didn't have anything selected. I do recommend Deselecting by clicking on your artboard before clicking on a Color Swatch. *Remember Everything is still Selected so it will Color the Full Selection if you click on a Color Swatch with everything selected. Click on the Live Paint Bucket (K) and Click to Dump Color. It will feel like the Paint Bucket in Adobe Photoshop.