40 Highly Creative Adobe Illustrator Tutorials

In this post, we’ll be sharing with you a collection of useful creative Illustrator tutorials that will help you to use it in a variety of new ways. Whether you are a pro or a budding novice, you are bound to find something that will help you.

Below we present a collection of some of the latest, most useful and highly creative tutorials for Adobe Illustrator.

Realistic, Vector Bubbles

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to create colorful, realistic bubbles. It’s pretty in depth though, so set aside a couple hours for this one.

Creating a Realistic Curtain

With this tutorial you’ll use the Mesh Tool to create an interesting damask patterned curtain.

Burning, Vector Match Using Gradient Meshes

You will learn how to create realistic vector fire, using the Gradient Mesh Tool and Screen Blending mode with this tut.

Neat Ribbon in Illustrator

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to create a vector illustration of a beautiful red ribbon. All you will need is the Pen Tool, 3D effect Extrude & Bevel and a good taste in color selection. This could be good practice for less skilled Pen Tool users.

Detailed Vector Chalkboard Icon

This classic school blackboard illustration is composed using vector shape building techniques, pixel perfect highlighting, as well as using brushes and textures to add detail.

Magnifying Glass Tutorial

Create a Cute Snail

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a snail using various tools including the Pen Tool, Selection Tool, Direct Selection Tool, Ellipse Tool, and Gradient Tool, with some shapes created with the help of the Pathfinder panel.

Business Icon from Scratch

In this tutorial you’ll create an interesting business icon that consists of two arrows and a globe. The techniques discussed are applicable to the creation of a variety of other illustrations as well.

Colorful, Glass Text Effect

In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a colorful, glass text effect, using patterns, transform effects, multiple gradient fills, and more to construct this beautiful lettering.

Create a Jellyfish with Brushes

You’re shown how to create a stylized jellyfish using blends and brushes with this tutorial.

Create a St. Patrick’s Day Postcard

Here you’ll create a design fit for any number of St. Patrick’s Day uses. You’ll learn useful information on how to create a pile of golden coins and a Pilgrim hat.

How to Illustrate A Yacht

In this tutorial, you’ll use Meshes, Bristle brushes, Art brushes, and other tools and techniques to create a racing yacht in Illustrator. The skills you’ll learn here can easily be used to create various other objects as well.

Create a Vector Radiator Artwork

In this tutorial you’ll use 3D-rendering, blends, and other tools and professional vector techniques to create an oil filled vector radiator. The skills learned here can easily be used to create various stock art objects or graphics for your next design project.

Psychedelic Design in Photoshop and Illustrator

In this tutorial you’ll create a psychedelic design one step at a time using both Illustrator and Photoshop.

Create a Steel, Vector Power Button Set

How to Create an Open Book with Illustrator’s 3D Extrude & Bevel Tool

In this tutorial, you’ll explore how to create an open book using Illustrator’s 3D Extrude & Bevel Tools. You’ll create open pages with graphics and add a wavy background. The book can then be customized by applying your own graphics to the pages.

Create a Web Site Mascot

In this tutorial, you’ll get an overview of how to develop a character from the initial concept to the final site mascot, then go on to create several character poses for different parts of the site.

How to Create a Vector Stamp Set in Illustrator

With this tutorial you’ll learn how to create a vintage, vector stamp set. They’ll go over building the stamp shape by shape, constructing the stamp border vector shape, highlighting the edges, creating the branding, and giving the vector postage stamp a vintage texture, and final illustrator stamp effect.

Create a Vector Snake

In this tutorial we learn how to create a vector snake using the Mesh Tormentor, a free Gradient Mesh plugin. The plugin makes working with the gradient mesh simple and enjoyable.

Create Vector Denim Texture Using

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to create a realistic vector denim texture.

Basics of the Mesh tool in Illustrator

Here we learn a bit more about Illustrator’s Mesh tool. You’ll learn how to create a Super Mario-style mushroom in order to better understand how to use this tool on an example image.

Create a 50s Ad Poster

In this tutorial you learn to make a retro looking poster that gives the impression of having been crafted in the 50’s.

Cubist Style Logo Design

In this logo design walk-through, you’ll learn how to make a cubist style logo design made up of lots of detailed vector facets.

Create a Zee Vintage Label

Create a Simple Vector Ninja Character

Follow this step by step tutorial to create a simple vector ninja character. The design is made up of basic shapes and uses Illustrator’s core tools, making this tutorial perfect for beginners.

Design a Print Ready Die-Cut Business Card

Need a new set of business cards? Follow this step by step tutorial to create a cool business card design using Adobe Illustrator.

Create Dexter with Illustrator

How to Illustrate a Lighthouse

Create a Cute Hairy Vector Monster Character

You’ll create the character using basic shapes to give a cute and friendly appearance, then bringing the character to life with gradient colors and a detailed fur effect.

Create a Gruesome Zombie Illustration

You’ll use a photograph as a basic reference then use a Wacom tablet along with Illustrator’s vector brush tools to draw up various gruesome elements on your zombie character.

Create an Advertising Billboard

In this vector tutorial you will learn how to create an advertising billboard using 3D modeling and a few simple techniques, like shape building using the Pathfinder palette, defining the vanishing point by using the guides, filling an object with gradients and using the Blend Tool.

Daily Flip Calendar

Candy Cane Text Effect

In this tutorial, using both Illustrator and Photoshop, you will learn how to create a candy cane text effect. This tutorial shows you how to use various vector-drawing tools in Illustrator to create a custom pattern brush and how to refine your vector work by finishing it off in Photoshop.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Parody

Create a Wireframe Face with the Envelope Distort Tool

It’s as simple as it sounds. In this detailed tutorial you’ll learn how to create a wireframe face in Illustrator using the envelope distort tool.

Create a Vector Gift Box

In this tutorial you’ll create an attractive gift box, using mostly the usual tools, like the Rectangle Tool, Ellipse Tool, Extrude & Bevel 3D effect and some nice colors to create an eye catching illustration.

Complete Guide to Drawing Evil Vector Skulls

This tutorial demonstrates how to draw evil skulls easily, as well as teaching us a bit of anatomy. It goes step by step, showing us how to draw an evil looking skull, the right way!

Create a Sale Tag Icon

This tutorial even shows you how to simulate the look of folded corners on the paper by using simple color gradients. The creation process is surprisingly simple.

Create a Cocktail Glass in Adobe Illustrator

In this very detailed tutorial, you will learn how to create a cocktail glass filled with a colorful drink and fancy decorations. Creating glass objects can be challenging since there are so few colors you’re allow to use. This tutorial shows us how!