12 Free Adobe Illustrator Tutorials for Beginners

12 Free Adobe Illustrator Tutorials for Beginners

Adobe Illustrator is a fantastic tool for creating flexible, high resolution graphics like logos and artwork. Are you just starting out with AI but feeling a bit overwhelmed? We're here to help.

Check out these FREE beginner tutorials which cover basic tools and techniques to help you on your way to Illustrator mastery. Download each tutorial to familiarize yourself with basic commands, artboards, layers, colors, working with vectors and much more. Chock full of interactive exercises, this free guide makes learning Adobe Illustrator easy and fun!


Lesson 1 – Getting Around AI

Learn how to select, move and work with specific objects using these tools. Take note of the corresponding shortcut keys for faster designing.

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Lesson 2 – Text & Shapes

Add text to your graphic and modify depending on your preferred typeface, size and color. Have fun with shapes by learning the shape tool. Practice making shapes with equal proportion without a hassle.

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Lesson 3 – Artboards & Layers

Play around with layers and understand how they affect your graphic. Differentiate artboards from layers and distinguish their unique functions.

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Lesson 4 – Colors

Boost your creativity by learning to navigate Adobe Illustrator’s color options. Which color identifier should be used for your product? What is the difference between CMYK and RGB?

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Lesson 5 – Stroke & Fill

Learn what a stroke and a fill can do to your graphic. Explore Pantone colors and how to use the eyedropper tool for more convenient color picking and matching.

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Lesson 6 - Vector Graphics

Differentiate images from vector graphics. Why are vector graphics better?

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Lesson 7 – Groups

Learn how to manually group graphics to create a set of shapes behaving as one!

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Lesson 8 – Transforming Vectors

Use these commands to manipulate your vectors. Scaling and rotating are truly useful when it comes to transforming graphic objects.

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Lesson 9 – Selection & Rotation

Worry no more when it comes to rotating your object. There are two options for you to check out: the selection tool and the rotation tool.

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Lesson 10 – Alignment

Aligning objects has never been easier. The alignment tool allows for quick and painless alignment. Extra helpful for perfectionists!

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Lesson 11 – Clipping Masks

Think of a clipping mask like a cookie cutter for your art. It allows you to show only the items you want while hiding any elements you don't need without deleting.

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Lesson 12 – Isolation Mode

Finally, take a look into isolation mode. Perfect for when you are dealing with clipping masks or grouped items.

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Additional resources:

Understanding Vector Graphics

Adobe Tips & Tricks: Building an Optimal Workspace in Illustrator & Photoshop

Cheat sheet: Adobe Illustrator shortcuts

What is an Adobe Illustrator’s plug-in?

36 Adobe Illustrator Tutorials on Vector Design