Make Whimsical Illustrations and Designs in Illustrator

A practical guide to using Illustrator that focuses on making fun stuff   

Are you ready to learn Illustrator? Do you want to increase your Illustrator knowledge? Are you ready to take your graphic design skills to the next level?   

Great!   

Welcome!    

This course is for you. It's a fun and a practical way to learn Illustrator.    

Here you'll "learn by doing" as you create a range of whimsical designs in Illustrator. You can use these designs for stock images, backgrounds, and scrapbook papers and embellishments. You can upload them to Spoonflower to make fabric and wallpaper, you can print them on book covers and mugs. There are literally hundreds of ways to make use of the designs you'll make in this course and you'll be so proud when you say "I made that".

What will you learn?

When you complete this course, you’ll:

-       be able to create a range of whimsical designs in Illustrator

-       have extended your knowledge of Illustrator tools 

-       have learned new tips and techniques that you can use every day 

-       be able to confidently render whimsical style illustrations for a range of design and commercial uses

Do I hear you say “…but I don’t know how to use Illustrator (and frankly, I’m scared of it)”?

I understand!

I’ve been there.

Illustrator can be really scary to use when you first start out.

… but I’ve created a better way to learn Illustrator. One that makes it a lot less scary and a whole lot more fun.

You see, you’ll learn by actually making art that you can sell, give away on your blog, and use yourself. So you’ll be making designs that you can do something with at the same time that you are learning Illustrator. There’s no waiting! There’s no hours of learning before you can get started actually doing something. In fact you can start today. Complete the first few lessons and you’ll have your first design made!

Do I hear you say “… but I hate the Pen tool!”?

I understand! Most people hate the Pen tool. You are not alone!

… I believe that Illustrator is so much more than its (dreaded) Pen tool – so we’ll use the pen tool only when we have to (which is practically never) and you’ll see just how much you can achieve without it.

Do I hear you say “… but I can’t draw”?

No problem! If you can use a mouse you can complete this course.

Quite simply, you don’t need to be able to draw. In fact many designers can’t draw and yet they make fantastic designs and great products. 

If you can draw – great! If you can’t draw – don’t worry, you’ll be able to do succeed in this course even if drawing isn’t a skill you have mastered.

If drawing is needed in this course I will give you reference images you can use so you can trace over them.

Are you ready to extend your Illustrator skills?

If you already know the basics of using Illustrator, taking this class will elevate your skills to a new level. You’ll learn to use tools and techniques in a practical situation. No laboriously making shapes just to learn what the pathfinder tool does. No! In this class you’ll learn the pathfinder because you need it, you’ll draw shapes intrinsic to the design you are making - you’ll be putting your skills to practical use from the first lecture. You’ll reinforce your existing knowledge as you apply it to real world designs. And if we use tools you’ve never used before - great! You’ll learn to use them fast and easily so you understand how you can put them to work in your daily workflow.

Do I hear you say “Please don’t waste my time”?

If there is one thing I hate it’s wasting time and you probably do too. 

So, I don’t say “um”, I don’t fluff about, I don’t make mistakes, I know my stuff and I show you how to do things efficiently and effectively. I speed up the videos where appropriate so you don’t get bored or distracted. 

I’m 100% focused on helping you learn.

In short, I’ll get straight to the point and I’ll maximize what you learn in every class.

So, I’ll learn all there is to know about Illustrator in this course?

I’m sorry, no you won’t. No one can truly promise you that.

What I will do is to teach you to use a range of tools in a practical setting so you can apply these tools to your own work in future. My hope for you is that you will fall in love with Illustrator and leave the class feeling excited about the creative possibilities ahead.

How will I learn?

This course is made up 100% of video content. You’ll watch my screen as I show you how each step is performed. I’ll explain what I am doing and why so you can learn as you watch. 

If resources are needed, I’ll either give them to you to use or give you download links so you can download them yourself.

Join me… 

I hope you will join me in this Illustrator class. I look forward to meeting you and I invite you to contact me if you have any questions as you work through the lectures.  

cheers!

Helen