Learn How To Create Rich Graphics With 2024‘s Top 11 Best Online Adobe Illustrator Courses
If you are seeking out a comprehensive list of the best free online Adobe Illustrator courses, you’re in the right place!
With these courses, you will learn how to use this vector graphics editing program for logo and graphic design, illustration, typography and so much more!
Also, with many of these classes, there are included downloadable resources, class projects to work on, lifetime access to course materials, and a certificate of completion. So, let’s dive in!
Top 11 Free Best Online Adobe Illustrator Courses 2024
1. Adobe Illustrator CC – Essentials Training (Skillshare)
First up on my list is a great beginner course if you’re completely new to Adobe Illustrator. As this is an introductory course, it takes you through the software step-by-step in an easy to follow manner while also teaching you the skills to create stunning vector graphics!
As for your instructor, you will be led by Danieal Scott, an Adobe Certified Instructor, as well as a professional graphic designer and founder of a digital media training company.
As Danieal holds the three titles of Adobe Certified Instructor, Expert, and Associate, his course should provide you the in-depth industry knowledge you need to get started. You will also be joining 48,000 students who have completed this class!
Across 6 hours of on-demand video, students learn about how to get started in Adobe Illustrator, how to draw, using the shape builder, the pen tool, the pencil tool, brushes, width tool, fonts, CMYK, gradients, masks, bending, and warping shapes, repeating shapes and patterns, using templates, and tons more!
Overall, this is a fantastic introductory Adobe Illustrator course that’s been ranked a top staff pick by Skillshare! P.S. don’t forget to take advantage of the Skillshare free trial!
- Beginner level
- 6 hours on demand video
- Taught by Adobe Certified Instructor
- Includes class exercises
- SkillShare staff pick
- Downloadable resources
Activate FREE Skillshare Trial
2. Learn Adobe Illustrator: Fundamentals for Beginners (Skillshare)
Next on my list is another great beginner-level course that teaches the fundamentals of Adobe Illustrator and covers t 3 core elements of Adobe Illustrator: shapes, type, and paths. Over 7,000 students have benefited and you could be one of them!
As for your instructor, you will be led by Ann Bracker, an Adobe Max speaker and successful graphic designer with clients including high-profile brands such as American Eagle Outfitters, Ebates, Dollar Tree, and the NCAA.
Modules in this 1 ¼ hour course include setting up a workspace, optimizing workflow, creating shapes, building objects with shapes, adding color, creating paths, building with paths, customizing type, and exporting the files.
Since this class is hosted on Skillshare, new users can get access to this course, plus all the others on this list when using their free trial! Overall, a great online Adobe Illustrator course to ease you into the world of design and illustration!
- Beginner level
- 1 ¼ hours on demand video
- Taught by professional designer and Adobe Max speaker
- Downloadable resources
- Class projects
- Class discussion
Activate FREE Skillshare Trial
3. Illustrator Essential Training (LinkedIn Learning)
Are you interested to start building up your vector design skills in Adobe Illustrator? If so, this could be the right choice for you as it teaches you the absolute essentials of the software! You will also join a thriving community of over 40,000 students who have taken this course!
As for your teacher, you will be taught Tony Harmer, an author, professional designer, and the Chief Enhancement Officer for Wizardry Ltd which makes training videos for major software companies. So you are in very competent hands.
Spanning almost 6 hours of on-demand video, modules include setting up the program, touring the interface, properties panel, navigator, drawing shapes, the line tool, grid tool, using colors, strokes, the lasso, the wand, aligning objects, working with groups, layers, pathfinder, the pen tool, gradients, patterns, and tons more!
Since this course is hosted on LinkedIn Learning, new students can get access to this class for free when activating the 1-month trial. Overall, one of the best online Adobe Illustrator courses for complete beginners!
- Beginner level
- Almost 6 hours on demand video
- Taught by professional designer
- Q&A with instructor
- Downloadable resources
- Certificate of completion
4. Master the Basics of Adobe Illustrator to Create Awesome Illustrations (Skillshare)
Next on my list is another great course that will equip you with the skills you’ll need to create awesome designs in Adobe Illustrator! Through intermediate-level teaching, you’ll receive insight into the core features and functions of Adobe Illustrator so you can get creating in no time.
Your instructor for this class will be Julian Burford who has been running his own design firm creating illustrations for big-name companies such as McDonald’s, Nike, ING, and Wired Magazine, to name just a few.
Additionally, Julian also specializes in brand identity and custom iconography. So if you are looking to learn from an industry professional, this class can’t be missed.
Included in this 2 ½ hour course are topics on sketching, coloring, shadow and light, the pen tool, tracing your illustration, gradients, adding detail, the blend tool, masks, and adding texture to name a few.
Again, being hosted on Skillshare, new uses can get access to this class, plus 29,000 others with the free trial. Overall, this is a fantastic Adobe Illustrator course for those looking to create stunning illustrations.
- Intermediate level
- 2 ½ hours of on demand video
- Taught by professional illustrator
- Class projects
- Class discussions
- Downloadable resources
Activate FREE Skillshare Trial
5. Adobe Illustrator Fundamentals (LinkedIn Learning)
If you have never used Adobe Illustrator before or any other design tools, this beginner freindly class will take your through the software step-by-step while also covering the fundamentals you will need to know.
As for your instructor, you will be guided by author and graphic design expert Deke McClelland, who has written over 20 books, including several books and comprehensive guides on Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.
This class includes 19 hours of beginner level modules on how to get started, zooming and panning, drawing lines and shapes, mixing colors, using strokes, dashes, and arrows, formatting type, the Blob Brush tool, painting freeform, and designing graphics for mobile devices.
Overall, this is a comprehensive introductory course to Adobe Illustrator that will take your graphic design skills to the next level! You will also be joining 12,000 other students who have completed this training.
- Beginner level
- 19 hours on demand video
- Taught by author and graphic design expert instructor
- Downloadable resources
- Class projects
- Certificate of completion
6. Digital Lettering Made Simple in Adobe Illustrator (Skillshare)
If you’re interested to learn hand-lettering and typography, this beginner Adobe Illustrator course might be just the one for you! By the end of this class, students will have the knowledge to create their own unique style of lettering from scratch!
For this course, you will be taught by Brandon Rike, a graphic designer who specializes in creating artwork for popular bands such as Twenty One Pilots, Skrillex, Thirty Seconds To Mars, The Smashing Pumpkins, Blink-182, and Underoath.
During the hour of on-demand video instruction, students will learn about topics including sketching, font, building a word, using variations of a sketch, embellishments, and adding finishing touches to a project.
Being hosted on Skillshare, new users can get full access to all lessons, downloadable resources, class projects, and 29,000 other courses on the Skillshare platform. To further upskill, also see my guide on the best Skillshare courses!
- Beginner level
- 1 hour on demand video
- Taught by successful graphic designer
- Focuses on making letters and words
- Downloadable resources
- Class projects
Activate FREE Skillshare Trial
7. Illustrator CC MasterClass (Udemy)
As Udemy’s most popular Adobe Illustrator CC course, this class teaches users the basics of the program as well as insider tips and techniques that will enable you to master the program in no time! You will also be joining 160,000 other students who have given the course a 4.6-star rating.
As for your teacher, you will be led by Martin Perhiniak, an Adobe Certified Instructor who was recently voted as one of the top 10 Adobe instructors in the world.
Martin has also designed for companies such as Pixar, Mattel, and the BBC and has instructed in-house designers for companies including Ben & Jerry’s, House of Lords, Oxford University Press, and Google.
Throughout 13 hours of on-demand video, students are guided through topics including getting started in Adobe Illustrator, objects, drawing, brushes, adding images, type, and advanced techniques, before moving on to quizzes to put their knowledge to the test.
Along with the instruction, the course gives the 160,000 students downloadable resources, quizzes, class projects, class discussions, and a certificate of completion!
- All levels
- 13 hours on demand video
- Taught by a Top 10 Adobe instructor
- Includes quizzes
- Downloadable resources
- Certificate of completion
8. Illustrator CC Fundamentals (PluralSight)
If you’re looking to learn the fundamentals of Adobe Illustrator so you can start planning and executing incredible designs, this could be just the online course for you! Through expert teaching, you’ll get up to speed with using Adobe programs, and Illustrator CC specifically.
Matthew Pizzi will be your instructor for this online course. Matthew is a regular contributor to Adobe’s Creative Cloud training updates direct from Adobe.com, and is an Adobe Certified Instructor with over 15 years of Adobe training experience, plus many more years of experience as a graphic designer.
Throughout 4 ½ hours of beginner level on-demand video instruction, this online Adobe Illustrator course includes modules on bitmap vs vector, understanding paths, isolation mode, panels, rulers and guides, drawing modes, basic shapes, drawing tools, type, and fonts, combining artwork, and tons more!
Part of the Pluralsight online learning platform, this course includes downloadable resources, class projects, class discussion, and access to podcasts.
- Beginner level
- 4 ½ hours on demand video
- Taught by Adobe expert featured on Adobe.com
- Downloadable resources
- Class projects
- Available podcasts
9. Adobe Illustrator CC: The Complete Guide (CreativeLive)
Next up on my list is another online course focused on the CC version of Adobe Illustrator, giving you the great opportunity to learn the basics of this high-powered program so you can use its features to your design advantage!
This online course from CreativeLive is set up like an intensive boot camp where you’ll learn the basics plus pro tips. Over 10,300 students have already enrolled in this popular course.
As for your instructor, you will be taught by Jason Hoppe, an Adobe Certified Expert and Adobe Certified Instructor with over 17 years of experience as a working pro and a trainer.
Suitable for all levels, this online Adobe Illustrator course is made up of 20 different lessons spanning about 14 hours of on-demand video with course modules including shape editing, layers, using the grid, 3D effects, text and type, color, and gradients and blends.
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Hosted over on Creative Live’s online learning platform, offering downloadable resources, bonus materials, and class projects, this course is fantastic for boosting your Adobe Illustrator skills no matter what level you’re currently at!
- All levels
- 14 hours on demand video
- Taught by Certified Adobe Expert
- Bonus material
- Class projects
- Lifetime access
10. Illustrator for Non-Illustrators (LinkedIn Learning)
Even if you’ve never drawn anything in your life, this brilliant online course will get you confidently drawing in no time using Adobe Illustrator! You will also be joining over 37,000 students who have taken this hugely popular course.
The instructor leading you in this online class is Von Glitschka, the founder of a design studio with clients ranging from individuals right up to major multinational corporations to create logos, unique images, and ads.
Across 3 ½ hours of beginner-level instruction, students are guided through on-demand video modules covering the fundamentals of digital drawing, the tools in Illustrator, various methods of drawing, and a challenge exercise, as well as engaging class projects.
Since this course is hosted on LinkedIn Learning, new users get access to all resources, lessons, class projects, certificate of completion, and all other courses hosted on the platform!
- Beginner level
- 3 ½ hours on demand video
- Taught by a professional graphic artist
- Downloadable resources
- Class projects
- Certificate of completion
11. Illustrator CC Building on the Fundamentals (PluralSight)
Are you ready to take your design skills to the next level? As the second part of PluralSight’s Adobe Illustrator fundamentals course, this top-rated online class takes it up a notch and is not to be missed!
Matthew Pizzi is back again as your instructor for this online class. Matthew is a regular contributor to Adobe’s Creative Cloud training updates which you can access directly from Adobe.com and he is an Adobe Certified Instructor with over 15 years of Adobe training experience.
Spanning 4 hours of on-demand video content, this online Adobe Illustrator course includes modules covering layers, groups, fills, strokes, objects, brushes, symbols, bitmaps, and saving and sharing. This course also comes with plenty of downloadable resources, class projects, class discussion, and access to podcasts.
Overall, this is a well-rounded course that will cover all the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator! To learn more, you can also see my other posts on Adobe Lightroom, logo design, and Procreate!
- Beginner level
- 4 hours on demand video
- Taught by Adobe expert featured on Adobe.com
- Downloadable resources
- Class projects
- Available podcasts
