Adobe Illustrator Essentials

via Coursera Specialization

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Details

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Provider

Coursera Specialization
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Duration & workload

4 weeks, 10 hours a week

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Overview

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This Specialization is intended for aspiring and practicing designers seeking to develop professional Adobe Illustrator skills. Through three engaging courses, you will cover foundational tools, advanced pen techniques, and workflow-boosting shortcuts—equipping you to create illustrations, logos, and vector artwork with confidence. Taught by expert instructors Khara Plicanic, Kyle Aaron Parson, and Jon Brommet, this Specialization guides you from beginner to proficient designer.

Syllabus

Course 1: Adobe Illustrator Basics for Beginners
Course 2: Pen Tool Plus: Master Adobe Illustrator’s Top Drawing Tool
Course 3: Adobe Illustrator Super Speed: Boost Workflow & Efficiency

Courses

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6 hours 21 minutes
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This beginner-friendly course is perfect for aspiring designers, creatives, and anyone curious about using Adobe Illustrator—even if you've never drawn a thing in your life. With expert guidance from instructor Khara Plicanic, you'll learn how to build graphics, not just draw them, using Illustrator’s powerful vector tools. By the end of this course, you’ll be able to: * Navigate Illustrator’s interface with ease * Create custom brushes and experiment with color palettes * Use the Pen Tool confidently with a foolproof, frustration-free method * Understand key features like layers, strokes, fills, and basic effects * Apply time-saving tips and shortcuts to streamline your workflow To be successful in this course, no prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to explore and try new things. Everything you need is included: helpful reference files, shortcut guides, and even progressive project versions so you can follow along at your own pace. Whether you're brand new to Illustrator or you've tried and given up before, this course is designed to help you finally “get it” in a way that’s fun, clear, and confidence-boosting. Instructor bio: A professional photographer and designer for more than 20 years, Khara’s a natural born teacher who’s been sharing inspiration & know-how with fellow creatives around the world for nearly two decades. Her fun and approachable teaching style has earned her rave reviews on global platforms including CreativeLive and AdobeMax and she's honored to be a regular presenter at CreativePro, Photoshop Virtual Summits, and DesignCuts Live. She's authored several books with Peachpit and Rockynook publishers, been a featured speaker at a local TEDx event, and regularly creates content for CreativePro, PixelU, My Photo Artistic Life, and more. When Khara's not making futile attempts at reclaiming hard drive space or searching the sofa cushions for a runaway Wacom pen, she can be found plotting her next craft project, catching up with her favorite latenight hosts, or trying to remember where she left her phone. Find her at KharaPlicanic.com
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4 hours 22 minutes
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Ready to take your Illustrator workflow to the next level? This fast-paced, advanced course, taught by illustrator and designer Jon Brommet, is designed for experienced Adobe Illustrator users who want to dramatically increase their speed, precision, and confidence in real-world projects. If you've already mastered the basics and are looking for pro-level shortcuts and time-saving techniques, this course is for you. This course distills thousands of hours of deadline-driven experience into powerful, practical lessons. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to: * Work non-destructively with advanced Pathfinder techniques * Master transparency masks and know when to use them over clipping masks * Use variable fonts and the Appearance panel for flexible, dynamic design * Customize and speed up your workflow using Libraries, selection shortcuts, and hidden UI tools To succeed in this course, you should have a solid working knowledge of Illustrator’s interface, tools, and basic functions. This is not a beginner course—we jump straight into high-impact tips that even seasoned pros may have missed. If you’re ready to design faster and smarter, this is the course for you. Instructor bio: Jon Brommet is the designer and founder of Crusoe Design Co., a creative studio specializing in logo design and branding, based in the scenic Muskoka region of Ontario. With over 17 years of professional experience, Jon has collaborated with clients ranging from global brands like New Era to music icons such as Blink-182, bringing a versatile and thoughtful approach to every project. Alongside his client work, Jon is also a leading online instructor in graphic design and illustration, with more than 95,000 students worldwide. His teaching combines professional expertise with a practical, approachable style, helping learners at all levels build confidence and skills in design.
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6 hours 10 minutes
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Are you a traditional artist looking to take your art to the digital world? Or maybe you're already familiar with the pen tool, but want to take your skills to the next level? In this course, taught by Graphic Designer Kyle Aaron Parson, we will take you from beginner to expert with Adobe Illustrator's powerhouse tool, the Pen Tool! Join Kyle as he teaches you the fundamental building blocks of vector illustration through mastering the pen tool in Adobe Illustrator. You will learn how to create smooth shapes and lines, as well as speed up your workflow by exploring a variety of methods on how to use this robust tool. By the end of the course, you'll be able to create logos, icons, graphics, illustrations, and so much more. The Pen tool Plus Course is perfect for those just starting out with Adobe Illustrator, as each lesson will build upon the skills taught in the previous lessons and is demonstrated in an easy-to-follow pace. As the new concepts are introduced, you will develop understanding through repetition and practice, so your knowledge and understanding of the Pen Tool will gradually develop. For more Intermediate Users of the program, you can skip over the basics and jump into the Pen tool Methods so you can master a variety of ways to use this powerful tool to get the most out of your illustrations. Who Should Take This Course: This course is perfect for traditional artists looking to take their art to the digital world or anyone who wants to take their pen tool skills to the next level. Whether you're a beginner or experienced with the pen tool, this course will teach you the skills necessary to create smooth, clean vector illustrations. Course Requirements: * Adobe Illustrator installed on your computer * Basic knowledge of Adobe Illustrator The pen tool is Adobe Illustrator's most versatile tool, and by mastering it, you'll be able to create amazing vector illustrations. Enroll in this course today and take your art to the next level! Instructor bio: Kyle Aaron Parson is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He has been creating illustrations for most of his life, from coloring books to large-scale event banners, and brings years of hands-on creative experience to his teaching. Kyle published his first online class in 2021, the same year he became a proud dad to his son Timothy — an inspiring milestone that continues to shape his outlook and creativity. His courses distill the most valuable tips and techniques he has learned over years of practice, with a focus on helping learners grow their own creative skills without unnecessary complexity. Passionate about illustration and design, Kyle strives to share practical knowledge in a way that’s accessible, inspiring, and directly useful for students at any stage of their journey.