Learn Illustrator CS3 in 30 Days

By Vectordiary Posted on July 14th, 2008

This FREE 30 days Illustrator crash course is created for beginners interested in learning Illustrator. Each lesson will take around 20 mins to complete and you will be able to learn the basic fundamental techniques before the 30 days trial ends.

In this crash course, I will not be drilling down in details how each feature works. However, I will be covering all the essential tools that are commonly used so that you can get started and have a feel of how illustrator works. At the 30 days you will be able to and draw your illustrations, design your own logos and create special effects!

Remember to subscribe to my RSS feeds for new upcoming tutorials and tips. For more illustrator training resources, read my list of recommended illustrator books & videos.

1st Week
Day 1: What is Illustrator
Day 2: Getting Started in Illustrator
Day 3: Drawing Basic Shapes
Day 4: Drawing with Pencil Tool
Day 5: Drawing with Pen Tool
Day 6: Weekend Break
Day 7: Weekend Break

2nd Week
Day 8: Using Brushes
Day 9: Creating Compound Paths
Day 10: Working with Color and Strokes
Day 11: Editing Objects, Layers & Groups
Day 12: Transparency & Graphic Styles
Day 13: Weekend Break
Day 14: Weekend Break

3rd Week
Day 15: Transforming & Moving Objects
Day 16: Basic Text
Day 17: Blending Shapes & Colors
Day 18: Photorealism with Gradient Mesh
Day 19: Using the Symbol Tools
Day 20: Weekend Break
Day 21: Weekend Break

Last Week
Day 22: Creating Special Effects
Day 23: Applying 3D Extrude & Bevel
Day 24: Distort using Warp Effects
Day 25: Applying Live Paint
Day 26: Masking using Clipping Path/ Opacity Mask
Day 27: Weekend Break
Day 28: Weekend Break
Day 29: Saving & Printing
Day 30: Final Project - Designing a Logo

(Time and effort has been spent on putting this tutorial together, a small donation would be appreciated if it has helped you. Thanks!)

If you have enjoyed reading this post, you may subscribe to our RSS for weekly updates!
Subscribe via RSS »
Subscribe via Email »

LadyAngora July 14th, 2008

i think this is awesome that you are going to do this!!! (can i hope that you will do one for photoshop cs3 too??) can’t wait to learn along with these!

Alex July 14th, 2008

this is just what I need as i am just about to add illustrator to my adobe knowledge.
will be checking back over the next 30 days looking forward to it.
FYI - the link for day 1 is missing an h
(ttp://)
Cheers!
Alex

iStockdiary July 15th, 2008

Hi Ladyangora, I will see the response for this tutorial is before I decide whether I will write one for photoshop CS3. Thanks for your suggestions.

Hi Alex, Thanks for the link fix! =)

Muurtegel July 15th, 2008

Wow REALLY AWESOME! And what a coincidence that i stumbled upon this on the first day! I can’t wait to follow this whole project by every inch!

Tnx!

Michelle July 16th, 2008

hey this is cool!
i’ve just installed illustrator a few days ago and i was looking for something like this

thanks!

Eli July 16th, 2008

Now, this sounds like a brilliant idea to me (especially since I want to learn Illustrator more), but you had better make sure you follow through with all of the tutorials

Alex D July 18th, 2008

Oho, great!

Candy July 18th, 2008

You are so awesome for doing that. Thanks loads. I’ve been using illustrator for like a month now, but I still feel lost. I can make stuff, but I’m not sure if this is enough to get me a job, you know. I apologize for rambling. But yeah, thanks a lot. I’ll be visiting your blog religiously.

Julia July 19th, 2008

That ideia is great, very usefull, but I will be thankful if you can write one about Photoshop CS3 too. I know how to do somethings, but a really good tutorial would be great. Thanks a lot ^^

iStockdiary July 19th, 2008

Hi Julia, thanks for your feedback. What do you like to accomplish with Photoshop? Photo montages, designing web interface, designing ads or posters?

Hi Candy, I’m not too sure what job you would like. If you want to land a job as an illustrator, then you really need to have good foundation in drawing. However, if you are working as a graphic designer, illustrator can help you create character drawings and logos.

Candy July 19th, 2008

Yeah, I’m actually currently looking for graphic designer jobs, since I’m only proficient in photoshop, illustrator, and indesign. I can draw, yeah, but not very good. Anyways, I have another question, but not sure if this is the right place to ask it. It’s concerning portfolios (PDF ones mostly) - I’m not sure what to include in it. Thanks again for replying. Greatly appreciated.

Since that’s the case, I think illustrator can help you create icons, maps, line drawings, charts and diagrams easily. This are some ways illustrator would be useful for your job. For portfolio, it will depend on your strength and what job you are looking for. If you are good at brochure design and looking for a job in that area, then focus on it and put your few best pieces in. Then you can leave out your web projects and illustration drawings. If you have anymore questions in making your portfolio, you can email me. I will be happy to help.

Candy July 20th, 2008

Oh now I understand! I emailed you. Thank you very much.

Akiva Feinstein July 24th, 2008

I think this is great. May I suggest that for next time instead of just having a weekend break that an optional “homework” assignment be given, some sort of project that would allow us to put together that week’s skills. For example, have us a make something and then after the weekend publish your own work flow and how you would get it done. I want to use this to make a web site for my site: tefilla.org

amit July 24th, 2008

i wan to join

Jeff July 25th, 2008

This is a great idea! I just purchased Illustrator because I got a webmaster job for school, and I though it would be helpful know a little Illustrator here and there, and so far I like it, but I have no clue what true power the application holds. I will definitely follow along starting tomorrow! I can’t wait to see what this experience has to offer! Thanks!

Iacopo Bernardini July 26th, 2008

you have had a very nice idea
ThX

Kerrie July 26th, 2008

This is fabulous, thank you so much I have tried to learn it on my own but not doing very well LOL

joyoge July 26th, 2008

30 günde h?zl? kursla illustrator ö?renin
http://www.joyoge.com/oku/562/30-gunde-hizli-kursla-illustrator-ogrenin.html
thanks a lot…

Tom July 26th, 2008

This is totally amazing ! Two days ago, I just thought I really wanted to know how to use Illustrator, because there are more and more tutorials for Illustrator, and I didn’t know anything about Illustrator. This sounds like a miracle.
Thank you so much

Mostaque Ahammed July 27th, 2008

WOW! Fantastic!!

Thanks lot for bringing it…

Y July 27th, 2008

You have no idea how useful this is! Thanks so much!

Sean O July 28th, 2008

I love this! Thank you!

cizgicizmeli July 31st, 2008

thanks for everything,will be good for my job!

Aliasart August 2nd, 2008

This is so great! I’ve been seraching for moth for a good tutorial on Illustrator. Thanks so much! Great work and my respect.

Brian August 5th, 2008

Hell yes! This is awesome! I really like this tutorial, I’m learning a lot.

Thanks and keep up the good work!

Peter Breis August 5th, 2008

I have been an Illustrator user since v1.0 but I still learnt something new and it helped me look afresh at how I go about using it.

Thank you for a model of how to do a Tutorial.

Excellent job, well done.

Mark August 6th, 2008

Raj August 9th, 2008

I really like this Thanx a lot m8!

ingenuity August 12th, 2008

I’m delighted to have been told about this site. It’s just what I needed. Thank you!

srinu August 12th, 2008

Thanks for these lessons, really looking forward to going thru them. FYI, if you join anytime after week 3 starts, the feed readers arent shown more than 10 posts. Folks new to the site will want to get them all:) You can change this in the WP settings from 10 to whatever.Thanks for these lessons, really looking forward to going thru them. FYI, if you join anytime after week 3 starts, the feed readers arent shown more than 10 posts. Folks new to the site will want to get them all:) You can change this in the WP settings from 10 to whatever.

Irfan August 15th, 2008

Thank you - these lessons are much appreciated…

Sally September 1st, 2008

this is absolutely great!! i bought a whole set of adobe programs, about a year ago and but i only use photoshop, after effects and premiere. i was wondering if you could make an adobe flash one.

much love,

sally

Kat September 2nd, 2008

This is great! I’ve been playing around with Illustrator for a while but I get frustrated with many of the tutorials I’ve read. It’s great that you’ve cut it down to a daily lesson that enables us to do it on our own pace. Thank you!

Rachel September 2nd, 2008

Great idea to put it in a daily training format!!!

Kasy September 5th, 2008

You are so awesome and is so sweet from you making this! Thank you in advance C:

Manuel Minino September 7th, 2008

Time to learn Ai !!!

Alfonso Castrillo September 7th, 2008

I think it’s a very remarkable thing, thank you very much
Mérida, Venezuela, located in South América

Jaikumar September 9th, 2008

This is great! another request can you do the same for Adobe Indesign CS3 please.

Sarah September 16th, 2008

This is a brilliant idea. I wish this was available sooner. However it is still helpful to me. Great job. I hope to see something like this course for Photoshop and Flash cs3.

Murat Göktuna September 17th, 2008

Thanks!
This is great! another request can you do the same for Adobe Indesign CS3 please.

ceyhun September 21st, 2008

can I help me??

Michael September 26th, 2008

Wow!, this is great. Thank you.
Do you think you can do the same for InDesign?

Gd Ney Brasil September 27th, 2008

Quero deixar aqui o meu agradecimento a todos vcs que elaboraram essas lições sobre Ilustrator, me ajudou muito na minha caminha de aprediz.

Obrigado!! Thanks!!

Abração!! Gd.

Muurtegel October 1st, 2008

I also recommended this to some friends ^_^

ismailkara October 1st, 2008

Thank you! This is really great.

I want to translate in Turkish, can you let me to do this

Of course i will give your donation link and blog link.

Cathy October 5th, 2008

Hello.

Thanks for you tutorials. I was going to make a donation but it was there was an error. If you can email me your paypal account, would be more than happy to send the donation.

Again, thanks for sharing your ideas. It’s really helpful for newbies like me.

Take care.

Nick Nogueira October 23rd, 2008

What an awesome initiative! This blog has been one of my favorites so far. Thank you for the great posts. This one specially will help a lot of newcomers.

samuel k sarfo October 28th, 2008

ok its really a nice tutorial and very effective too thank god we have people like you to teach the willing but needed. may god bless you all thanks again.

sahra November 11th, 2008

Thank you

philip November 24th, 2008

good one!

Naresh November 27th, 2008

thanks really a nice tutorial your doing great job

arunkirubhakar November 29th, 2008

please give me the websites which gives a correct idea about how to work in photoshop,illustrator & flash with works done so that i can have a clear idea of how to work in these softwares
thanking u
c.arun kirubhakar
+91-9486036185

lumbreras December 3rd, 2008

Hi Brandi, I love this tutorial illustrator, May I publish it in Spanish in my blog?, Because many people do not understand English, I appreciate if I may, always mention this source.

Dan December 16th, 2008

Thank god! Finally a CS3 tutorial that doesn’t assume you’re a fashion obsessed sandal-wearer with too much money (a mac user).

Bruce Winwood December 30th, 2008

Great job! I finally learned to do the artwork I always wanted to do. Since I am not a designer I really could use the tips you gave.
Brilliant work!

Vectordiary

Illustrator tutorials, tips and tricks on vector art by iStockphoto exclusive artist. Enjoy free vector downloads.

Learn Illustrator CS3 in 30 Days

60 Trackbacks

+Add Comment57 Comments

Add a Comment

Categories

Featured Links

About Vectordiary

Write a Tutorial

My Network