That means everything from organizing and naming your Layers panel to getting rid of colors and resources in your file which are not being used.
Now this doesn’t really benefit the end result of your vector work (unless you’re selling your work as a vector file), but I strongly recommend that beginners learn how to organize their vector files. There are many different types of brushes you can create, and once you learn them inside and out, you’ll find many practical and experimental ways to use them. I find I use art brushes more than any other type, especially these Width Profile inspired brushes.
Finding new uses for brushes and creative ways to apply them is my vector drug. If there’s one function of Adobe Illustrator which I geek out on, it has to be the ability to make and use my own custom brushes. If you answered anything other than four anchor points/one shape, you’re so wrong and you should learn how to use the Appearance panel! Just one shape was used to create this, and it demonstrates exactly how powerful the Appearance panel is. Here’s something to blow your mind: guess how many anchor points and shapes make up the following single sliced kiwi fruit? But once you learn how to use the Appearance panel, it will rock your world. The Appearance panel and Graphic Styles seemed like something only advanced users knew when I first started out. You could be doing the same thing but with just one shape, by using the Appearance panel. Embrace the Appearance Panelĭo you find yourself duplicating the same shape over and over again to add different fills at different opacities over the top of each other? Well you’re doing it wrong. It’s like Shape Modes, but a lot quicker! 4. Once you’ve learnt the many ways of the Pathfinder panel, kick it up a notch and learn how to use the Shape Builder Tool. It’s especially useful given trends of flat design and illustrations made from basic shapes. When it comes to creating shapes made out of other shapes, the Pathfinder panel has a selection of options to help you create the perfect shape. I found them an incredible time saver and for this reason, I think every beginner should learn to use them. Masks limit a pattern, group of shapes, paths or whatever you wish to a specific area, and have a multitude of uses. So much so that I wish I had discovered them a lot sooner in my Adobe Illustrator journey. Master Clipping MasksĬlipping Masks were a game changer for me. Once you’ve mastered this tool, you can take on anything in Adobe Illustrator. It took me a while to be able to “tame” it, but don’t let this put you off. The Pen Tool can be a scary tool for beginners.