20+ Best Tutorials for Designing Icons in Illustrator


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Having the techniques for creating custom icons in your design skillset is very useful. Even though there are many pre-designed icon sets available for download, nothing compares to creating your own.

If you’re new to icon design, the Adobe Illustrator tutorials we’ve curated in this collection offer an ideal starting point. You’ll be able to learn the basics of icon creation and explore new techniques to improve your skills.

And, if you already have some knowledge of icon design in Illustrator, these tutorials can help you brush up on your skills and discover new techniques that will help you streamline the creation process.

Either way, this collection of free Adobe Illustrator tutorials is a valuable resource for creating custom icons that will set your design work apart from the rest.

If you prefer to create your icons in Photoshop, this collection of tutorials is for you.

The Top Icon Design Tutorials for Illustrator

How to Create a Mobile App Icon

If you’ve been tasked with creating a mobile app icon, this tutorial will come in handy. It’s a video tutorial full of practical tips on using shapes, gradients, and clipping masks to produce an attractive icon for your mobile app.

How to Create a Mobile App Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Social Media Icon Set

If you’ve been thinking about how you can make your own social media icon, this tutorial will be helpful. It’s a step-by-step guide that will show you how to use simple shapes like the ellipse and rounded rectangle tool in conjunction with the align and stroke panels.

How to Create a Social Media Icon Set adobe illustrator tutorial

Clean Filled Color Icon Set

Save time cleaning up with this template filled with colorful cleaning icons. This pack includes 16 high-quality color images in various vector formats. The SVG size is 128×128, and the PNG is 512×512.

Clean Filled Color Icon Set adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Space Icon Set

Want to know how to create space-related icons? In this tutorial, you are given a step-by-step guide to creating a shuttle, a lander, a satellite, and a moon. Get ready to engineer yourself an out of this world set of icons.

How to Create a Space Icon Set adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Battery Icon

This battery icon tutorial will teach you compositional construction, shape alignment, and grid positioning in Adobe Illustrator, all while creating your first battery icon to power all your future design projects.

How to Create a Battery Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

80 Map & Navigation Icons

Make your next map project a breeze with this map and navigation template. You will get 80 icons in various vector formats and a PNG file for each icon. PNG files are sized at either 256×256 or 512×512.

80 Map Navigation Icons

How to create a Revolver Icon

Ready to try your aim at making a vector revolver? Well, this tutorial has you covered! This step-by-step tutorial will take you through the process of making a cute revolver pistol.

How to create a Revolver Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How To Draw a Rocket Icon

Want to take your graphic skills to the stratosphere? This video tutorial will take you through the process of manipulating various shapes into a rocket spaceship. Are you ready for lift-off?

How To Draw a Rocket Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Simple Drum Icon

It’s time to get rocking to the beat of our own drum! This step-by-step tutorial will have you creating a simple vector drum icon complete with sticks. It’s time to rock it out!

How to Create a Simple Drum Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

School & Education Line Icon Set

Save time on your next vector design project with these thin-line flat icons and pictograms. You will get a zipped file that has an editable vector file format and high-quality JPG files for the enclosed icons.

School Education Line Icon Set adobe illustrator

How to Create a House Mockup Icon

Want to show people the floor plan of your dream house? This step-by-step vector design tutorial will have you opening doors and windows to the home of your dreams. Don’t forget the additional floors!

How to Create a House Mockup Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Cast Icon

When you have to have your very own branded cast icon, you have to make it yourself! In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn compositional construction, shape alignment, and grid positioning, as well as how to make your vector cast icon.

How to Create a Cast Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Notebook Icon

Make your own spiral-bound vector notebook with Teela’s tutorial. She takes you step-by-step through the process of making a spiral-bound notebook that you can use in your next design project.

How to Create a Notebook Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

Graphic Design Line Icons

Save time the next time you need graphic design icons by downloading this template. It includes 72 different icons in both SVG and PNG formats. The SVG icons are measured at 64x64px, and the PNG icons are 512x512px.

Graphic Design Line Icons adobe illustrator

How to Create a Collection of Apple Products

Apple has some of the most recognizable products. In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll create your very own vector icons of the iPad, iMac, Magic Mouse, and Wacom Tablet.

How to Create a Collection of Apple Products adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Computer Peripheral Icon Set

If you’ve been tasked with creating computer peripheral icons, this tutorial is just what you need. This first portion of a series of tutorials teaches you how to make the mouse icon using Adobe Illustrator.

How to Create a Computer Peripheral Icon Set adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Visibility Icon

Need to make a branded visibility icon? You’re in luck! In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to make a visibility icon using basic geometric shapes, tools, and colors.

How to Create a Visibility Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Map Icon

Want to know how to make a detailed vector map icon? You’re in the right place because, in this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to use basic tools and effects and master the transform and distort effects.

How to Create a Map Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a WYSIWYG Text Editor Icon Set

In this tutorial, you will learn how to create vector icons of the familiar text editor icons. You will learn how to create everything from the justify icon to the ruler icon.

How to Create a WYSIWYG Text Editor Icon Set adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Santa Claus Icon

Santa has come to town as an eggnog hipster! Learn how to create this vector icon to spice up your holiday season with this step-by-step tutorial. Make sure you don’t include the beard.

How to Create a Santa Claus Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Camera Icon

Cameras have become an integral part of our lives. So much so that we never leave the house without one. In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to make your own vector-based camera icon.

How to Create a Camera Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Halloween Icon Pack

Are you ready to create your own spooky Halloween-themed icons? Then you’re in for a frightful time making them with this step-by-step tutorial. You’ll create your own gallows, coffin, creepy eye, and your own haunted house.

How to Create a Halloween Icon Pack adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Map Icon

In this step-by-step tutorial, you use basic design theory, compositional construction, shape alignment, grid positioning, and basic shapes to create a wonderful map icon.

How to Create a Map Icon adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Collection of Moving Icons

We all know the pain of moving. But with this step-by-step tutorial, you won’t strain a muscle to create a vector moving cart, packed boxes, and packed truck icons.

How to Create a Collection of Moving Icons adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Retro Science Icon Set

Science is a detail-oriented field of study. Design your own detailed vector icons of scientific wonders with this step-by-step tutorial, taking you through the creation of the test tubes, microscope, and lamp checker icons.

How to Create a Retro Science Icon Set adobe illustrator tutorial

How to Create a Set of Cleaning Icons in Adobe Illustrator

Cleaning is such dirty work. But with this tutorial of cleaning themed vector icons, you’ll have nothing to worry about but the sweet smell of roses.

How to Create a Set of Cleaning Icons adobe illustrator tutorial

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What are these Illustrator tutorials?
    These tutorials guide you through the process of designing icons using Adobe Illustrator. They cover various techniques to create icons of different styles, sizes, and purposes.
  • What types of icons can I learn to create with these tutorials?
    You can learn to design a wide array of icons, such as app icons, web icons, symbols for user interfaces, and thematic icons for different industries or topics.
  • Are these tutorials suitable for all skill levels?
    Yes, there are tutorials for everyone, from beginners to advanced users. Beginners can start with basic shape construction, while more experienced designers can delve into complex designs.
  • Do I need the most recent version of Illustrator for these tutorials?
    While having the latest version can be beneficial, most tutorials utilize fundamental Illustrator tools that are available in earlier versions as well.
  • How long does it typically take to complete an icon design tutorial?
    The time varies depending on the complexity of the icon and your proficiency with Illustrator. Some basic icons can be created in a matter of minutes, while more intricate designs may take longer.
  • Can beginners in Illustrator start with icon design tutorials?
    Absolutely! These tutorials often begin with basic principles, making them a great starting point for those new to Illustrator and interested in graphic design.
  • What skills will I gain from these icon design tutorials?
    You’ll develop skills in vector illustration, learn about effective iconography, and understand how to convey ideas and functions through symbolic imagery.
  • Is learning icon design in Illustrator beneficial for my career?
    Definitely! Icon design is a crucial skill in graphic design, UI/UX design, and web development, enhancing your abilities and portfolio for career opportunities in these fields.

Unleash Your Icon Design Creativity

Creating custom icons from scratch might seem like a tedious process, but in reality, it’s a fun way to unleash your creativity and add a personal touch to your design projects. Use these Illustrator tutorials to master your icon design skills.

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