Web Design, Website Design Tips

What is Adobe Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator can help any business or user create marketing and advertising tools to promote their business or product. Marketing and advertising can differentiate you from other businesses and Adobe Illustrator can assist you with this. This article will tell you everything you need to know about Adobe Illustrator. We will discuss what techniques Illustrator offers, what you can do with it, new features, and what Illustrator will cost you.

What is Adobe Illustrator Used For?

How you market and advertise your company is very important. It draws prospective customers and clients in. Many graphic designers and professionals use Adobe Illustrator for their businesses or own personal use.

Vector Art

One of the most popular tools Adobe Illustrator is used for is vector graphics. Vector graphics allows you to make artwork or logos into any size you want without losing resolution. 

They are great for small businesses who want to make different shapes in sizes of their logos, make stickers to put on their products or for poster designs to even billboards.

Typography Font Design

Are you tired of using the same font? And you want to create your own custom font? Adobe Illustrator allows you to do that. In Illustrator, you can draw freehand or you can import your own hand lettering. Adobe gives you instructions on how to do so on their website.

Icon Design

Need to design an icon for your website? Adobe Illustrator is here to help! Illustrator allows you to sketch your designs on paper and import them to illustrator. To spruce up your icon you can stack and combine vector shapes. You want to add some color? In Illustrator, you can apply color and adjust the opacity to make the perfect icon.

Infographic Design

In this article, we discuss how you can use Adobe Illustrator to create marketing and advertising tools to promote a business, brand, or product. However, you can also use Illustrator to organize data by making pie charts and graphs. In illustrator you can make creative charts and graphs you couldn’t make Excel or any other software. Illustrator allows you to make eye-catching graphs, pie charts, and flowcharts by adding illustrations and icons. Charts and graphs in Illustrator can be easily updated as well. With the charts tool, you can adjust information and data points without having to redo your artwork.

what can you do with adobe illustrator

Adobe Illustrator Tutorials

Adobe Illustrator is a software application that is fairly easy to use. There are many free tutorials on Adobe’s website for how to do many techniques, from how to create shapes, create drawing tools, and adding images and artistic effects. These tutorials are videos ranging from 11 to 30 minutes. Not only does Adobe Illustrator offer videos to educate customers how to use their software for beginners and experienced users, but many other platforms have videos on how to use and advance your skills with Adobe Illustrator. Skillshare and YouTube offer a variety of tutorials on how to learn or advance your skills with Adobe Illustrator as well.

Free Tutorials Adobe Illustrator Offers:

  • Add text to your designs
  • Create with drawing tools
  • Design with color
  • Create with shapes 
  • Design with opacity and blending modes
  • Create and apply a pattern

What Can You Do with Adobe Illustrator?

There are many things you do with the Adobe Illustrator, and the options are endless. It allows businesses and users to create their own graphics and advertising. Adobe allows you to make your own logos. Abode gives you the option of creating these logos into vector graphics which allows you to make it as small or large as you want with losing resolution. You can also make your own personal business cards with Illustrator and make them any size and shape you want. Adobe Illustrator even allows you to create email signatures that can allow customers or colleagues to click on your signatures that immediately redirect them to your personal websites or social media accounts. The list goes on and on, to even shirts for your business with customs designs.

Designing a Social Media Banner

Social media banners can be used for your companies LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or your Facebook page. Your social profile is important in driving sales and establishing your brand.

Follow these steps on how to create a social media banner for your business or your own personal brand:

  1. Add your own photo, choose file > place, and then click to drag to add the image. Then you will right-click and choose Arrange > and send it back to reveal a text if you choose to have one.
  2. Next, add your own logo to personalize your banner.
  3. Add a customized text and design. Select each line with the type tool and replace it with your own text and make it your own by changing the font and style.
  4. Lastly, upload to your social media pages and reflect your brand!

what is adobe illustrator?

Your logo will be the first thing that comes to mind to a customer when thinking of your brand or your company. When you think of McDonald’s, what comes to mind? The golden arches. It is important to design a logo that represents you or your product perfectly. 

  1. Create a doc and bring an image related to what you are trying to create to compare it to. 
  2. Use different shapes that are available to build your logo.
  3. Apply colors to your logo using the controls Adobe offers that allow you to make edits.
  4. Now adjust and scale your logo to the way you want.
  5. Add your brand or company’s name to your logo.
  6. Save your logo!

Add Text to Your Designs

Before making any logos, or social media banners you need to learn how to add text to your designs. Add texts to your designs in really simple and you just have to follow a few steps.

    1. Add a line of text: In Adobe Illustrator, select the type tool in the tools panel, click to add a placeholder text to your document. This kind of placeholder text is a point type, added to a doc in a specific location. Next, select the selection tool in the tools panels. This will create a box around your text, called a text object. Lastly, drag the text to reposition it.
    2. Add paragraphs of text: With now using the type tool, drag it in the doc window to add new text to the document. With the placeholder text selected, you can type in the text object.
    3. Format text: When selecting a font in the font family menu, you can click more to find different fonts. When you find a font you like click Activate to sync and the font you pick will sync to your computer. If you want to change the color of your text click the fill color in the properties panel and choose a color.

There are many other Adobe Illustrators that allow you to create and the list goes on and on. Other things you can do with Adobe Illustrator: 

  • Design a social media banner
  • Create sticker art
  • Create color gradients 
  • Custom drop cap
  • Create hand lettering 
  • Create color swatches and tints

Using Adobe Illustrator on Your iPad

Adobe now offers illustrator on your iPad. Users can do things on their iPad instead of using their PC or Mac.

Using Adobe Illustrator on your iPad allows you to design logos, graphics and many more from on the go. Using illustrator on your iPad allows you to utilize your Apple Pencil to draw whatever you want with ease and change tools with just a tap. 

Since Illustrator on the iPad is fairly new, these are some of the features illustrator offers:

  • Optimized for Apple Pencil
  • Patterns in a touch
  • Typography toolkit
  • Ability to create symmetry patterns

what is adobe illustrator used for

How Much Will Adobe Illustrator Cost You?

Interested in getting Adobe Illustrator for your business or own personal use? Here is the breakdown of what Adobe Illustrator will cost you. 

Adobe offers 3 different plans to choose from. The annual plan that is prepaid that costs $239.88 a year that equals to $19.99 a month. They also offer another option for an annual plan that you can pay monthly. This plan costs $251.88 a year that you will pay $20.99 monthly and an early cancellation fee will apply. If you do not want to commit to an annual plan then you can opt for the monthly plan that will cost you 31.49 a month. If you are interested in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, XD, and Acrobat DC as well, Adobe offers a monthly plan of $52.99 a month that offers access to all their services including Illustrator.

Adobe Illustrators includes many features for you to use. Create and combine shapes, Design logos, add effects to your artwork, trace and recolor photos and many more features. Illustrator updates automatically giving you new updates and releases. 

If you are in need of any assistance with using Adobe Illustrator, reach out to SEO Design Chicago to get help from the experts who can help you use the features and tools of Adobe Illustrator.

Frequently Asked Questions About Adobe Illustrator

1. What’s the difference between Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop?

Adobe Illustrator is a vector-based design program, while Photoshop is primarily raster-based. Illustrator excels at creating scalable graphics like logos, icons, typography, and illustrations that can be resized infinitely without losing quality. It’s perfect for print materials, logos, and graphics that need to work at various sizes. Photoshop is better for photo editing, digital painting, and working with images that contain lots of detail and color variation. Illustrator creates mathematical shapes and paths, while Photoshop works with pixels. For business branding, logos, and marketing materials, Illustrator is typically the better choice due to its scalability and crisp output at any size.

2. Do I need artistic skills to use Adobe Illustrator effectively?

While artistic skills can be helpful, they’re not required to use Illustrator effectively for business purposes. Many successful Illustrator users focus on technical design work rather than artistic creation. The software includes templates, pre-made shapes, and tools that help non-artists create professional-looking designs. You can start with basic shapes, text manipulation, and color application to create logos, business cards, and social media graphics. Adobe provides extensive tutorials, and there are countless online resources to help you learn. Many businesses use Illustrator for practical design tasks like creating charts, infographics, and branded materials rather than complex artwork.

3. Can I use Adobe Illustrator files in other programs or send them to print shops?

Yes, Illustrator files are highly compatible and industry-standard for professional printing and design workflows. You can export your work in various formats including PDF, EPS, PNG, JPEG, and SVG depending on your needs. For print shops, PDF or EPS formats are typically preferred. For web use, export as PNG or SVG. Illustrator files can also be imported into other Adobe programs like Photoshop and InDesign. The vector nature of Illustrator files makes them perfect for professional printing because they maintain crisp edges and can be scaled to any size without quality loss, whether you’re printing business cards or billboards.

4. Is Adobe Illustrator available as a one-time purchase or only subscription?

Adobe Illustrator is only available through subscription plans as part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud model. They discontinued perpetual licenses in favor of the subscription model. You can choose from several plans: Illustrator only ($20.99/month), the Photography plan with Photoshop and Lightroom ($9.99/month), or the full Creative Cloud suite ($52.99/month). Students and teachers receive significant discounts. While some users prefer one-time purchases, the subscription model ensures you always have the latest features, updates, and cloud storage. Adobe offers a 7-day free trial so you can test the software before committing to a subscription.

5. Can I use Adobe Illustrator on my tablet or mobile device?

Yes, Adobe offers Illustrator for iPad, which provides many core features optimized for touch and Apple Pencil input. The iPad version is excellent for creating vector graphics on the go and includes features like drawing tools, typography, and pattern creation. However, it doesn’t have all the advanced features of the desktop version. There’s currently no version for Android tablets or smartphones. The iPad version syncs with Creative Cloud, so you can start a project on iPad and finish it on desktop. For full professional capabilities, the desktop version remains the primary platform, but the iPad version is great for sketching, ideation, and basic design work.

6. How long does it take to learn Adobe Illustrator for business use?

For basic business applications like creating simple logos, business cards, and social media graphics, you can become functional in 2-4 weeks with regular practice. Adobe’s free tutorials cover fundamental concepts and can get you started quickly. Learning core tools like the pen tool, shape creation, text formatting, and color application typically takes a few weeks of consistent use. Mastering advanced features like complex illustrations, advanced typography, and intricate vector artwork can take months or years. Most businesses find they can accomplish their essential design needs after a month of focused learning, especially if they start with templates and gradually build their skills.

7. What computer specifications do I need to run Adobe Illustrator smoothly?

Adobe Illustrator requires a relatively modern computer for optimal performance. Minimum requirements include 8GB RAM (16GB recommended), a multi-core Intel or AMD processor, and at least 4GB of available hard disk space. For graphics, a dedicated GPU with 1GB VRAM is recommended, though not required. An SSD (solid-state drive) significantly improves performance over traditional hard drives. For professional use with complex artwork or large files, consider 32GB RAM and a powerful graphics card. Both Windows and Mac are supported. If you’re working with simple designs, basic modern computers should handle Illustrator fine, but complex vector artwork benefits from more powerful hardware.

8. Can I open and edit older Illustrator files, and will my files be compatible in the future?

Adobe Illustrator maintains excellent backward compatibility and can open files from very old versions of the software. However, newer files opened in older versions of Illustrator may lose some functionality or features. When saving files, you can choose to save in formats compatible with older versions if needed. For long-term file preservation, consider saving important work in multiple formats like native AI files, PDF, and EPS. Adobe’s subscription model ensures you’ll always have access to the latest version that can open your files. The vector-based nature of Illustrator files makes them more future-proof than many other file types, as the underlying mathematical descriptions of shapes remain consistent across versions.

 

 

Nick Antonopoulos

Nick Antonopoulos is the Chief Marketing officer of SEO Design Chicago. Nick has over a decade of experience in Content Creation, SEO and Digital Marketing working with small businesses all the way up to Enterprise level clients.

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