One of the most easily recognizable symbols is the yin-yang, a circle divided by a curving line into black and white halves. Today we’ll be creating a super quick and easy yin-yang symbol. Click here to learn how!
Check out my new tutorial, which will teach you to make a simple lacy Valentine’s heart using the Stroke palette. I use this lacy outline effect all the time, and it’s very, very easy to create. Enjoy!
This new article contains short briefs outlining subjects and concepts we’d like to see more of in the iStock collection.
The briefs are intended to point out under-represented areas. While some of these ideas may already exist at iStock, we feel that there are still new ways to approach these subjects and original takes that have yet to be discovered. The briefs are open-ended and, well, brief. More detailed looks at formal style and concept execution will follow in separate pieces.
You will quickly notice recurring trends, themes and topics. In general, iStock needs:
The briefs here focus on visual content. Each entry is tagged with a few relevant labels for quick scanning. Watch the page regularly for updates: the newest material will appear at the top.
Choosing the right font for your design or illustration can make or break your final piece. I’ve put together some great resources to help those who are new to using typefaces, check them out here!
Today we’re going to draw a very simple cookie icon, then use it to create a seamless pattern background. By ‘seamless’, I mean that it can be tiled to create larger patterns without any misaligned shapes. Click here to see the tutorial!
Ever done the same thing in AI over and over again? Of course you have. Vectors are complicated and you often end up doing things that are tedious and boring!
That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with tedious and boring though. Check out Cheryl Graham’s latest article, Get a piece of the action(s) for everything you need to know about Illustrator’s actions. Program in your own actions to help you with everything from hiding your artboard with a single mouse click, to complex modifications of vector shapes. If you haven’t tried actions yet, do it. They’re easy to set up and can save you tons of time.
In this tutorial, we’ll learn how to easily create 2 simple sheets of looseleaf (lined) paper: one clean and crisp, the other a bit worse for wear with a coffee stain. This one’s super easy so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy – Just be careful not to spill! Click here to read more.
It can be tough when you’re starting out as a vector contributor on microstock sites. There are so many little things to watch out for! One tiny mistake could mean you need to submit your file all over again… Even worse, if you’re still in the application phase of becoming a contributor you may be forced to wait a set number of days before you can send in your application samples again.
We often hear from frustrated contributors who’ve overlooked a small detail in their file and received the dreaded rejection email. So I’ve decided to put together a short list of things you should always be checking… BEFORE you submit your file. Click here to read more!
This week, author Cheryl Graham talks about how to put your own personal stamp on your vector illustrations by creating customized color palettes. Whether you’re pulling swatches from nature or history, color can make or break any illustration. Click here to read more!
This week, author Cheryl Graham covers everything you need to know about setting up global color swatches in your vector files – and why you should be using global colors in the first place. Click here to read more!
