Illustrator 2026
Bootcamp Training Course
This is our most comprehensive Illustrator course, taking you from beginner to master in 5 days. Our trainer will take you step-by-step through a series of Real World projects and show you how the best professional designers use Adobe Illustrator in the industry. You will learn hundred of tips, tricks, techniques and shortcuts so that you master this program. By the end of the week, you'll be designing complex illustrations.
What's Included
- Certificate of Course Completion
- Training Manual
- FREE Class Repeat (valid for 6 months)
Live face-to-face instructor
No minimum class size - all classes guaranteed to run!
This course is ideal for designers, marketers and anyone who is pursuing a career in graphic design. No prior experience of Illustrator is needed. Training available on both Mac and PC.
View our full range of Adobe Illustrator courses, or see below for the detailed outline for Illustrator Bootcamp.
Detailed Course Outline
- What’s new in Illustrator 2026
- Lecture: Raster vs Vector (real-world usage)
- Lecture: Artificial Intelligence: (Automation vs Generative)
- Creating New Documents, Presets, and Workspaces
- Working with Images: Open, Place, Embed, Export
- Core Vector Design Workflows used in professional projects
- Working with Shapes, Lines, and Smart Guides
- Hidden Shape Tool features and dynamic controls
- Combining shapes to create clean vector artwork
- Popular graphic design techniques using simple geometry
- From clip art to clean design assets
- Introducing the Pen Tool with no fear required
- Why the Pen Tool is easier than you think
- Anatomy of the Pen Tool: anchors, handles, curves
- No-skills-needed drawing techniques
- Typography basics in Illustrator and Adobe Fonts
- Paragraph text versus Display text
- Making text look intentional and readable
- Introduction to text effects (shadows, glows, and outlines)
- AI fundamentals: automation versus generative systems
- Vector Generative Art panels and menus
- Prompt structure and refinement strategies
- Exploring controlled variations and filters
- Essential file formats and when to use them
- Exporting for Screen: Web, Social Media, Video
- Exporting for Digital Distribution: PDF and Interactive PDFs
- Exporting for Print: CMYK workflows and best practices
- Compound Paths explained clearly
- Compound Shapes with Pathfinder
- Refining complex artwork
- Common mistakes and cleanup strategies
level of vector graphics.
- Logo, branding, and icon techniques
- Shattering designs, cut effects, and offsets
- Faux texturing and controlled complexity
- Troubleshooting tools that appear broken
- The Mockup Tool fully integrated in Illustrator 2026
- What symbols are and why they matter
- Creating, editing, and managing symbols
- Symbol Tool deep dive
- Building complex artwork with symbols
- Character and Paragraph panel deep dive
- Glyphs, ligatures, and stylistic alternates
- Custom typography for branding
- Text effects and Text on a Path workflows
- Warp tools and controlled chaos
- Blend Tool techniques both retro and modern
- Pencil, Smooth, Shaper, and Path tools
- Magic Wand, Lasso, and hidden selection tricks
- Raster Effects in Illustrator and resolution control
- Why raster effects exist in vector workflows
- Professional use cases for raster effects
- Typography versus artwork versus effects rendering
- Exporting artwork with effects intact
- Swatches, Gradients, and Color Theme Libraries
- Sampling and extracting color from artwork
- Working with Spot Colors
- Color management and fi le format implications
- How Recolor Artwork works in Illustrator 2026
- Applying AI recolor to existing artwork
- Saving alternate color themes to Libraries
- Understanding limitations and best practices
- Brush types explained clearly
- Creating basic and advanced brushes
- Applying and editing brush strokes
- Performance considerations and cleanup
- Color Settings and synchronization
- Working with color libraries including Pantone
- Print-focused color setups
- Screen-based color workfl ows
- Fundamental color correction techniques
- Extend Illustrator using Adobe’s AI ecosystem.
- What Firefly is and where it appears
- Illustrator and Adobe Express workfl ows
- Moving designs between Express and Illustrator
- Using Firefly web tools alongside Illustrator
- Vector Generative Art fundamentals
- Applying AI to media creation workfl ows
- AI color continuity and style control
- Working with references and stylization
- Deconstructing and redesigning AI artwork
- Using third-party generative content responsibly
- Why faux 3D still dominates design
- Beveling, shading, and texturing techniques
- Simulated lighting and stylization
- Glass, metal, and UI elements
- Advanced layer organization
- Image Trace realities and limitations
- Image Trace panel deep dive
- Advanced controls and cleanup
- Fixing poor conversions
- Knowing when not to vectorize
- Shape Builder workflows
- Live Paint creation and cleanup
- Managing gaps and overlaps
- Alternative coloring strategies
- Graphic tools and hidden controls
- Manual infographic construction
- Introduction to dimensional infographic styles
- Coloring and exporting infographics
- Useful plugins and extensions
- Why repetition tools are hidden
- Geometric repetition techniques
- Pattern creation and Library management
- Repeat Objects and interactive paths
- Blending Modes explained
- Print troubleshooting with blends
- Mesh Gradients made approachable
- Envelope Distort workflows
- Raster behavior inside Illustrator
- Pixel-centric tools inside Illustrator
- Layering, labeling, and grouping strategies
- Managing effects in complex documents
- Exporting layered hybrid artwork
- Recolor Artwork options
- Mass Pantone conversions
- Color reduction for production
- AI-powered color remapping
- Modern 3D versus Legacy 3D in Adobe Illustrator
- Textures, lighting, and materials
- Revolve and extrusion workflows
- Exporting 3D assets / 3D File Format Guide
- Advanced object creation
- Scene lighting and shadows
- Material workflows
- Illustrator to Dimension workflows
- 3D for social media, ads, and promotions
- Intertwine workflows
- Clipping Masks and Knockouts
- Retype and font reconstruction
- Snap to Tangent
- Dithering and Percepual Blending
- Turntable (beta)
- The Mockup Tool
- Understanding the Perspective Grid
- One-Point, Two-Point, and Three-Point grids
- Perspective text and artwork
- Building perspective-aware logos
- Working with effects in perspective
Our outlines are a guide to the content covered in a typical class. We may change or alter the course topics to meet the objectives of a particular class.
