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Create a Hipster Clothing Tag in Illustrator

I’ve somehow always been drawn to really beautiful design on smaller items. It might just be the cuteness factor, but serious planning goes into hierarchy and layout in such a small space, and that has always been really impressive to me. Do you ever check what the clothing tags look like when you’re shopping? I remember the first time I ever obsessed over a clothing tag. It was when I was in high school and at the mall with friends (I probably should have known a career in design was imminent at that moment). Anyway, I wasn’t in love with whatever article of clothing it was (see? I can’t even remember that part!) but I loved that tag, so I bought it anyway (in my defense, I’ll also note this was before cell phones with cameras). Roll your eyes if you must. 😉

If you love thoughtful graphic design on smaller things too, this tutorial’s for you! In this week’s video, we’ll create a hipster style clothing tag from scratch using just Adobe Illustrator. Get started below!

September 6, 2016

0 Comments

Branding, Freebies, Resources

Freebie: Brand Style Guide Template

A brand style guide template… When I worked at a design studio, we called this the ‘systems page’ for each brand’s identity standards. We also called all of the graphic elements the brand’s VIS, or visual identity system. I’ve seen (online, anyway), it’s commonly referred to as a brand style guide, so we’re using that for this post. (Feel free to use your favorite term, they’re all relevant. 🙂 )

A brand style guide is basically this: a brand board template of all visual elements (including primary logo/ secondary logo) that comprise a brand’s unique presence and aesthetic to the public. It’s what makes a brand get noticed, helps them to stand apart from their competitors, and creates the feeling(s) they wish to communicate visually. If/when you’re tasked with creating a brand’s identity, this page will be handed as branding template to all other designers to use that ever work on the brand. It’s a series of branding templates & guide to keep a brand’s look – colors, fonts, patterns, etc. consistent across all applications.

So yep, pretty handy little template to have 🙂

August 4, 2016

13 Comments

Illustrator, Tutorials

how to create a custom to do list in illustrator

How to Create a To Do List in Illustrator

There’s something that feels soooo good about crossing off items on a to do list. Having a written list keeps me on track every day of the week. Most times, I grab a scrap sheet of paper and bullet my to-do’s out, but it’s never quite as satisfying as when they’re written on a custom design. In this week’s video tutorial, we’ll create our own designed to do list from scratch, perfectly prepared for printing in a few quick and easy steps, so you can start crossing items off to your heart’s desire 😉 All of the steps below!

July 19, 2016

20 Comments

Hand Drawn, Illustrator, Tutorials

Save Time Using an iPad with Illustrator

Ok, you guys. This one’s a game changer for real. No kidding, my workflow for editing vectors in Illustrator has been at least cut in half by now using my iPad with the app AstroPad. If you’ve seen this tutorial, or this one using the standard method of Wacom/mouse for edits/revisions, you’re going to love this one. You can also find a list of my top 5 affordable Wacom tablets here if you are interested in using that type of device. If you’ve checked our my Intro to iPad Lettering class, this will take things even further if you’re familiar with Illustrator – you can use this same method with Photoshop, but I find myself using it wayyyy more with Illustrator, so I’m focusing this video there. I spent some serious edit time on this so you could get the full effect of what’s happening on my computer vs. how I’m using the iPad – I walk you through basic edits of a design element and then show you how I used the iPad when I worked on my most recent font, Hawthorne Script. I’m not affiliated with AstroPad in any way, just really excited about how much time I’m about to get back in the future 🙂 See it all below!

June 14, 2016

18 Comments

Freebies, Illustrator, Tutorials

Save Time with the Illustrator Pathfinder Palette

This week’s tutorial comes courtesy of Kori, who requested an overview of the Illustrator Pathfinder Palette and I thought it was a great idea! The pathfinder palette is a ridiculous time saver when it comes to creating custom lettering, flourish designs, and vector-based Illustrations just to name a few. In this week’s video, we go over my favorite and most used pathfinder options. We’ll also go through a brief overview of the other options for you to get started. As a bonus, I’ve created a couple of Illustrator pathfinder palette cheat sheets (pdfs), so you have them handy whenever you may need them in the future. Download link to the cheat sheets and full overview video all below!

April 26, 2016

6 Comments

Hand Drawn, Illustrator, Patterns, Tutorials

how to use the pattern tool preview image

How to Use the Pattern Tool in Adobe Illustrator

A few months ago, I shared how anyone with any version of Adobe Illustrator can create a seamless pattern. Once Adobe created CS6 a few years back, they included the pattern tool and it was a giant game changer for anyone who loves to create vector patterns. Not only did it make the entire pattern creation process faster, it eliminated Illustrator’s tendency to get glitchy with those white hairlines that would sometimes appear in our patterns.

In this week’s tutorial, we’ll go over everything the pattern tool can do, all the different pattern styles you can create using the same elements, and we’ll do it all by using the same menu. Head’s up, this tutorial only applies to CS6 or newer versions (CC) Illustrator users. Let’s make some patterns!

February 23, 2016

2 Comments

Holiday, Illustrator, Tutorials

How to Create a Confetti Brush in Illustrator

Happy Tuesday! A few months ago, I shared how to create a confetti brush in Photoshop and I’ve gotten a few requests since then on how to do the same in Illustrator. It’s a slightly different process, but can absolutely be done! In this week’s quick tip tutorial, I share how to create a confetti brush in Illustrator using two different examples: uniformly sized circular confetti and randomly scaled and rotated star confetti. This time of year, when real confetti is imminent, now you’ll have limitless digital confetti potential, too! Read on to see how!

December 15, 2015

4 Comments

Freebies, Hand Drawn, Illustrator

Freebie: 10 Thanksgiving Vectors

One week to go! I’m so excited (and counting down the days) to see my sister a week from today, who Spence and I will be celebrating with. Since we’re only a week out, I wanted to put together a few freebie Thanksgiving vectors for any last minute craft or design pieces you might be putting together. These could easily be used on seating cards, greeting cards or stenciled on napkins 🙂 The download comes as an ai, eps + psd file for versions of Illustrator and Photoshop, CS3 or newer. Download + larger preview below!

November 19, 2015

5 Comments

Illustration, Illustrator, Tutorials

How to Create Feathers in Illustrator

Happy Tuesday! As we approach Thanksgiving month, I thought Katherine’s request for a tutorial on feathers in Illustrator was a great idea this week. Since no style was specified in her request, I decided to share how to replicate two styles I love – organic and geometric/iconic. We’ll go over a bunch of quick tips, like easily altering paths, applying clipping masks, expanding strokes and utilizing the pathfinder palette. At the end of this tutorial, you’ll have an organic and geometric/iconic style feather you’ll be able to apply any color or texture to, alter easily, and implement to any application in both CMYK and RGB. Read on to see how!

October 27, 2015

11 Comments

Freebies, Hand Drawn, Illustrator

Every-Tuesday Turns 2! (+ Freebie)

Today is an especially happy Thursday, because 2 years ago today was the very first Every-Tuesday post! I can’t believe how much has changed in that time and I couldn’t be happier delivering new design goodies and tutorials here every week. Speaking of design goodies – it wouldn’t be a proper birthday without a few design gifts! To celebrate 2 years, this week’s freebie is a set of birthday vectors as an ai, eps and psd for versions of Illustrator and Photoshop, CS3 or newer. See the full preview below!

October 15, 2015

16 Comments

Holiday, Illustration, Illustrator, Tutorials

How to Create a Flat Frankenstein in Illustrator

Spence doodled out this adorable Frankenstein the other day and I just had to bring it to life in Illustrator! Since flat illustrations/icons are still very popular these days, I decided to draw it out in a flat illustration style with a half face shade and a long shadow. This would work great on a party invite, perched atop toothpicks on Halloween themed cupcakes, printed out life sized on a front door, or tied around candy goodie bags. This same style could be adapted for a ghost, witch, pumpkin and/or skeleton to create a full set. Video tutorial below along with the template sketch used in the tutorial!

October 13, 2015

12 Comments

Freebies, Hand Drawn, Holiday, Illustrator

Freebie: 10 Hand Drawn Vector Spider Webs

This week’s freebie is a set of 10 hand drawn vector spider webs to add a little more creepy crawly to your Halloween designs this year. 😉 Set includes corner webs and full spider webs to make positioning, cropping and usage a piece of cake. A bonus couple of dangling spider vectors also included for good measure. 🙂 All vector elements are included as an ai, eps and psd file for versions of Illustrator and Photoshop, CS3 or newer!

October 8, 2015

9 Comments

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