Creative Blog

Add texture in Illustrator

Make your mark and add depth to your illustrations

Add depth and texture in Illustrator

Adding extra depth to an image can be a quick process that utilises some simple tools. In this Illustrator tutorial, Jeffrey Bowman explains how to use grids, gradients and textures to add depth to illustrations.

Create your own leather texture in Illustrator

This Illustrator tutorial shows you how to create a leather texture of different colours. This is a basic tutorial to follow and will take around 30 minutes to complete.

Adding texture to your vector illustrations (video)

Adding texture to your vector is a great way to give it more dimension and perspective. In this easy to follow video, Illustrator expert Alexandra Cecilio explains how to get the most out of textures.

Bring out your inner child with this cute sponge effect

Get a vector sponge texture using Illustrator

Today designers and illustrators strive to add that retro/vintage style to their work with textures. This Illustrator tutorial covers the process of creating a cute kids-style illustration complete with a vector sponge stamp effect.

Realistic sand and pebble texture in Illustrator

In this Illustrator tutorial you will learn how to create random vector sand and pebble textures that could come in handy. It's a pretty simple process that shouldn't take longer than an hour.

Texturise your vectors 

Creating a unique typeface can help define a brand

How to design a headline typeface

Whether it's for an ad campaign, product, publication or identity, a unique typeface can help define a brand, message and tone of voice - giving the client something unique. In this Illustrator tutorial we'll look at the creative process of designing a new display typeface.

How to work with raster effects in Illustrator

Used sparingly, raster effects can help you achieve results in your Illustrator vectors that you'd normally have to cross over to Photoshop to get. If you experiment with them, they can add a dramatic difference and new dimension to your images.

How to add textures to vectors using Smart Objects

In this Illustrator tutorial, see how Amy Martino designs a fashion illustration (using a vector drawing created in Illustrator) that's editable as a Smart Object in Photoshop. As a bonus, she also explains how to create and apply textures to Photoshop images to add character.

Create detailed illustrations

Start off with basic vector shapes to get a detailed effect

Create a semi-realistic lifebuoy graphic

In this Illustrator tutorial, you start with a bunch of concentric circles and some basic vector shape building techniques. Once you create the starting shapes you’ll continue with some Pathfinder options, several Warp and Gaussian Blur effects plus some basic masking techniques.

Create a detailed scanner illustration

In the following Adobe Illustrator tutorial you will learn how to create a detailed scanner illustration. You’ll start with a bunch of simple shapes, some basic vector shape building techniques and a host of effects.

Create a printer illustration

Here, you will learn how to create a detailed printer illustration using simple rectangle shapes. Some basic vector shape building techniques will come in handy for this one.

Convert a drawing into vector artwork

This 45-minute video explores how to convert a scanned drawing into vector artwork in Adobe Illustrator.

Create a Playstation Controller in Illustrator

This Illustrator tutorial is less focused on drawing skills and more into the tools, so this shouldn't be that hard for beginners. You execute it using a mouse or even a track pad.