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Adobe Illustrator: Creating with Digital Illustration Drawing Tools

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This course covers how to create a digital illustration with vector graphics using Illustrator's pen, pencil, and paintbrush tools. You will have the opportunity to learn techniques to improve your digital drawing workflow.

This is the third session of the Stanford University Technology Training Illustration learning path proficiency certification. This learning path includes six sessions and a final exam challenge. In order to obtain your certificate of completion, you must attend at least three of the sessions in the learning path and successfully pass the final exam challenge.

Course Prerequisites

  • Have either taken the previous classes in the Adobe Illustrator Typography and Text Manipulation learning path, or have equivalent experience of the topics taught.

Course Description
This course will teach you how to create a digital illustration with vector graphics. We'll cover:

  • Using Adobe Illustrator's ever-improving pen, pencil, and paintbrush tools.
  • Creating an illustration from shapes, photos, and analog sketches.

Even if you've used these tools in the past, you'll learn new features and techniques to improve your digital drawing workflow. By the end of this course, you will have a strong grasp of using these tools to position points precisely.

Course Goals

  • Learn the best strategies for using the Pen, Pencil, and Paintbrush Tools specifically for illustrating.
  • Create vector graphics with customized shapes.
  • Add interesting embellishments with the Polar Grid, Flare, and Blob Tools.
  • Learn how to add perspective to your setting.
  • Create a digital self-portrait.

This course is for creatives who would like to learn how to apply Illustrator's drawing tools to digital illustration projects and would like to improve their illustrating workflow. You are ready for this course if you:

  • Feel comfortable navigating Illustrator's interface, using selection tools, and importing files.
  • Know the fundamentals of composition and color combinations.
  • Have an affinity for drawing and sketching.

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

  • Recognize when to slice a selection and when to join a path.
  • Identify when to use the Pencil Tool, Curvature Tool, or shape tools for ease and efficiency.
  • Produce an illustration and manipulate anchor points using the Pen Tool.
  • Explain how to add perspective to draw the viewer's eye into your illustration.
  • Select custom shapes to create creatures, accessories, props, and settings.
  • Make and apply unique brushes to your work for defining texture.

Technology Requirement:
Have access to Adobe Illustrator on your device. Trial download information will be shared with enrolled learners before the start of the class.

Rebekah A Venturini

I am a professional graphic designer and artist. I am an MFA graduate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received a BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Custom training workshops are available for this program

Technology training sessions structured around individual or group learning objectives. Learn more about custom training


University IT Technology Training sessions are available to a wide range of participants, including Stanford University staff, faculty, students, and employees of Stanford Hospitals & Clinics, such as Stanford Health Care, Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley, Stanford Medicine Partners, and Stanford Medicine Children's Health.

Additionally, some of these programs are open to interested individuals not affiliated with Stanford, allowing for broader community engagement and learning opportunities.