adobe illustrator tutorial pen tool

Adobe Illustrator Coloring Tutorial using Live Paint

In Adobe Illustrator, for Beginners, Step by Step Adobe Illustrator Tutorials by Jason Secrest

Adobe Illustrator Coloring Tutorial using Pen Tool

In this Adobe Illustrator Tutorial for Beginners, we are going through some different options for the Pen Tool. The few things to remember is to focus on getting down the anchors first. We have a lot of our tutorials that focus just on straight lines and placing anchors. The easy parts of the line are the start and end points which means you just have to look for changes in direction in the middle. This tutorial will focus on Building Tools, Applying Brushes, Editing Options, and Basic Coloring Techniques.

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ARTBOARDS: I recommend establishing a "Building Artboard" that you can use for your own artwork (ex. 1080px by 1080px). The initial Artboard Size can be changed at any point without ruining your own artwork. 
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RESOURCES: I will be using the Building Tools to apply a "Path" to my drawing or sketch. If you are new, I recommend starting from a Clean Line Drawing. Start from a Drawing, Sketch, or Traced Photo Reference.
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TEMPLATES: Have your Resource Layer Selected. In your Layers Panel, select the Menu in the Upper-Right Hand Corner. Drop down to Template. This will create a 50% Opacity and Lock the Layer.  
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ARTBOARDS: I recommend establishing a "Building Artboard" that you can use for your own artwork (ex. 1080px by 1080px). The initial Artboard Size can be changed at any point without ruining your own artwork. 
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TEMPLATES: Have your Resource Layer Selected. In your Layers Panel, select the Menu in the Upper-Right Hand Corner. Drop down to Template. This will create a 50% Opacity and Lock the Layer.  

Adding on Line Variation using Cartoon Brushes

You will have more control over the placement and width of each of your lines using the Cartoon Brushes (Download + Install). The process will be a combination of using the Brushes to get down the initial thickness and stroke width. The second step will be modifying the placement of the variation using the so we can edit later. This 2-Step Process allows for more control over your Line Variation compared to using your Tablet with Pressure.

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DIGITAL DOWNLOADS. Many of you are jumping over from YouTube looking to download our (Updated) Brush Libraries. You can download our Adobe Illustrator Brushes to follow along or use with your own artwork. Updated Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.  
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RESOURCE GUIDES. The first step is to download the Resource Folders. Digital Downloads will come as a Zipped Folder on Teachable. Once you have Extracted the Folders, they are ready to be used in Adobe Illustrator. Follow along with our Resource Guides and Tutorials to learn how to Apply and Edit Brushes + Halftones + Textures.
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FOLLOW ALONG. Tutorials are designed to build up time applying the Tools and Settings in Adobe Illustrator. Follow along with our 100 Tutorials Playlist on YouTube or our 50 Step by Steps on the Website. Tutorials and Playlists will focus on Building Tools, Applying Brushes, Editing Options, and Basic Coloring Techniques in Adobe Illustrator.
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DOWNLOAD BRUSHES. Many of you are jumping over from YouTube looking to download our (Updated) Brush Libraries. You can download our Adobe Illustrator Brushes or add on Comic Halftones and BMP Textures to save on our Resource Bundle. Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes. 
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RESOURCE GUIDES. Digital Downloads 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 and Tutorials to learn how to Apply Brushes + Halftones + Textures.
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial whale
FOLLOW ALONG. Tutorials are designed to build up time applying the Tools and Settings in Adobe Illustrator. Follow along with our 100 Tutorials Playlist on YouTube or our 50 Step by Steps on the Website. Tutorials will focus on Building Tools, Applying Brushes, Editing Options, and Basic Coloring Techniques in Adobe Illustrator.
DOWNLOAD BRUSHES: Many of you are jumping over from YouTube looking to download our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes. Digital Downloads will come to you through our friends at Teachable. Brush Libraries: 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.
SAVE LIBRARIES: Once you have downloaded and extracted the Brushes Folders, I recommend Saving 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 BRUSHES: Our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes have been organized into Brush Libraries for easy application and to maintain consistency with your Line Variation. You can Open Brush Libraries through the “User Defined” or “Other Library” Options in the Brushes Panel in Adobe Illustrator.
LIVE EDITING: While you are building in Adobe Illustrator, you can use the “Live” Editing Tools to Cut and Edit Paths. Some of the basic tools will be the Scissor Tool, Path Eraser, or Shape Builder. I do recommend going long with your initial Paths using Pencil and Pen Tools.
APPLYING BRUSHES: Many of you have already downloaded our Brush Libraries. To Open Brushes, open the Brushes Panel. Click on Open Brush Library. Scroll down to “Other Library.” Select one of the Brush Libraries to apply. If you saved Brushes, you can Open from “User Defined.”
EXPANDED EDITING: After completing the Line Variation, I will recommend keeping the “Live” Layer from future Editing. Duplicate and Lock Out. We will be Expanding this New Layer to use with Shape Builder for Fast Editing. Hold down Alt/Option while Editing.
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SAVE LIBRARIES: Once you have downloaded and extracted the Brushes Folders, I recommend Saving 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.
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial whale
OPEN BRUSHES: Our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes have been organized into Brush Libraries for easy application and to maintain consistency with your Line Variation. You can Open Brush Libraries through the “User Defined” or “Other Library” Options in the Brushes Panel in Adobe Illustrator.

DOWNLOAD BRUSHES

DOWNLOAD BRUSHES. Our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes will come to you as Zipped Folders on Teachable. Once you have Downloaded and Extracted the Folder, the Brushes are ready to be used in Adobe Illustrator (CC-CS). Brush Libraries: 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.

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70 CARTOON BRUSHES: 70 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. (includes Updated Cartoon, Cartoon 2, and Original Cartoon Brush Libraries.) 
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100 COMIC STRIP BRUSHES: 100 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. (includes Updated Comic Strip, Hand-Painted, Paintbrush, and Fine Liner Brush Libraries.)
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50 MASCOT BRUSHES: 50 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 distressed look or ink bleed back in your Vector Artwork. (includes Updated Caffeinated Cartoonist, Rough Ink, and Jittery Hand Brush Libraries.)
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial whale
70 CARTOON BRUSHES: 70 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. 70 Cartoon Brushes includes Updated Cartoon, Cartoon 2, and Original Cartoon Brush Libraries. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: CARTOON BRUSHES
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial pug
100 COMIC STRIP BRUSHES: 100 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. 100 Comic Strip Brushes includes Updated Comic Strip, Hand-Painted, Paintbrush, and Fine Liner Brush Libraries. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: COMIC BRUSHES
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial coyote
50 MASCOT BRUSHES: 50 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 distressed look or ink bleed back in your Vector Artwork. 50 Mascot Brushes includes Updated Caffeinated Cartoonist, Rough Ink, and Jittery Hand Brush Libraries. DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: MASCOT BRUSHES
DOWNLOAD

ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES

DOWNLOAD 200 BRUSHES
20% OFF (SAVE $12)
DOWNLOAD BRUSHES: Our 200 Adobe Illustrator Brushes will come to you as a Zipped Folder on Teachable. Once you have Downloaded and Extracted the Folders, the Brush Libraries are ready to be used in Adobe Illustrator. I do recommend Saving "Updated" Brush Libraries to your "User Defined" by clicking Save Brush Library in the Brushes Menu.  Brush Libraries include our 70 Cartoon, 100 Comic Strip, and 50 Vintage Mascot Brushes.
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial whale
70 CARTOON BRUSHES: 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. (includes Updated Cartoon, Cartoon 2, and Original Cartoon Brush Libraries).
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial pug
100 COMIC STRIP BRUSHES: 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. (includes Updated Comic Strip, Hand-Painted, Paintbrush, and Fine Liner Brush Libraries).
beginner adobe illustrator tutorial coyote
50 MASCOT BRUSHES: 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. (includes Updated Caffeinated Cartoonist, Rough Ink, and Jittery Hand Brush Libraries).
DOWNLOAD

ILLUSTRATOR BRUSHES

DOWNLOAD 200 BRUSHES
20% OFF (SAVE $12)
Image
SAVING BRUSHES: Open All of the Brushes Libraries in Adobe Illustrator. (File - Open). Have your Brushes Panel Open. Under Window - Brushes. Click on Each Illustrator Document and Open the Brushes Menu in the Brushes Panel. Scroll down to Click on Save Brush Library. Default Location = User Defined. Repeat for each (updated) Brush Library.
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OPENING BRUSHES: Under Window - Select Brushes. In the Brushes Menu, drop-down to Open Brush Library. Hover over it and select "Other Library." A Normal Open Dialogue Box will appear to select any Brush Library to use in Illustrator. Almost all of our step-by-step tutorials on YouTube use this method.

Opening Color Swatches

Open the Swatch Window. On the bottom left hand corner you will see the Open Swatch Libraries icon. At the bottom of the drop-down menu you will see Open Other Library. Go to our resource folder in the Color Palettes folder to Open ASE files. The ASE files have been created to make your life easier while going through the Challenge Series. Once you open the Library- click on the folder icon next to the swatches to move them from the library to the swatches.

Coloring with Fills

One of the easiest and fastest ways of filling in your color is through using Fills. The main thing to look for is enclosed shaped. We have done nothing but build with Shapes so coloring is super easy. Keep this in mind as you are going through the other tutorials where we don't have any shapes.

Gradient Panel

Select each color using the Magic Wand Tool (Adjust to Tolerance 5) each color. Add on a Radial Gradient to the frosting layers (3). Use the lightest and Darkest Color Swatch from the color set of 3. Adjust the slider to control where the values hit. Troubleshooting: Double check your fill is in front and not your stroke.

Gradient Tool

You can use the Gradient Tool to gain some control over where the gradient hits on your shapes. The tool will control the same features that are in the panel. I use the tool when I don't want to guess and check angle degrees or aspect ratio percentages.

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. 

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