When the Shape Builder tool came out in CS5, it wasn’t really on my radar. I have a set of actions and keyboard shortcuts setup for the different Shape Modes from the Pathfinders panel. I didn’t really need a new tool to replace my workflow. After using it more and more, I’m coming around to thinking it’s a pretty powerful tool and I really like to use it as a Paint Bucket.
I think you’ll all agree that Illustrator is just plain awesome, and with the continual improvements we see with each new version, it keeps getting better and better. Previously, I created seamless textures for typography and seamless backgrounds for my web and illustration projects with Photoshop. But we’ve seen large improvements with the Appearance panel in more recent versions of Illustrator, so now I create these textures and backgrounds solely in Illustrator–it’s actually super easy!
So in today’s tutorial, I’ll walk you through the steps on how to create a variety of seamless textures and backgrounds all in Adobe Illustrator.
Actions are a set of commands or a series of events that you can record and playback in the Actions panel. Actions are great for complex or repetitive tasks. I use the Actions all the time, especially when working with icon sets or buttons, like in the previous tutorial. If you are familiar at all with the Actions panel in Photoshop, you will have no problem with the Actions in Illustrator.
In the following tutorial, you will learn how to create a simple diamond icon in Adobe Illustrator. Using thin strokes and basic stroke properties, you will learn how to add a subtle glowing effect for the edges of your diamond and then how to easily color or recolor your diamond icon.
This week’s roundup showcases a few of our picks of unique, creative, and basically well-done vector infographics. Here are 14 vector illustrations that give new life and inspiration to the infographic, previously thought to be nothing but boring and flat. Prepare to be inspired to reach new design levels…
Flat design is front and center in the design world, so this week’s inspirational roundup is all about FLAT DESIGN.
So sit back and let these vectors inspire your next flat design piece. Do you have a flat design vector you’d like to share? If so, post the link in the comments below.
In this tutorial you will learn how to create a realistic Wacom Bamboo Tablet in Adobe Illustrator. You will find out how to add shadows and highlights to your Wacom Tablet using different Blending Modes, how to use the Round Any Corner Script and finally, how to create a nice textured background. Let’s begin! Continue reading
