5 Tools I CAN’T Live Without
Are you wanting to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator, but have no idea where to start? You’ve come to the right place! In this article, I’ll be showing you 5 tools I absolutely CAN’T live without in Adobe Illustrator.
#1: The Pen Tool
This tool is ESSENTIAL to learning Adobe Illustrator, and once you’ve mastered it will be your best friend. The pen tool is the key to having beautiful curved lines and defined edges that help enhance your graphics, and with it you can make anything your heart desires!
#2: The Shape Builder Tool
This tool is a go-to whenever I’m trying to make complex, detailed shapes. Instead of trying to build it by hand with the pen tool, I can make lots of smaller shapes and connect them all together using the shape builder! Overall, a very simple tool to master and one that will save you tons of time.
#3: The Pencil Tool
This tool is a lifesaver when I want to trace something by hand, whether it’s to outline an already existing image, or to trace a sketch I made in order to vectorizeit. This tool is able to do what the pen tool can but faster, though you might have to look over your path and refine it as it tends to leave some sharp corners and weird bumps sometimes.
#4: The Eyedropper Tool
Find an image online that has vibrant colors that speak to you? The eyedropper tool can help you pick out those colors for you to use on your own projects! Simply paste the image onto your artboard, and use the eyedropper tool on the color you want. That color will then be set to your active color to be used as you please! If you have a shape selected, it will take on the color you’ve selected.
#5: The Width Tool
This tool is a personal favourite of mine, with lots of useful applications. It can be used to add interesting dynamics to your illustrations, though at times it can be a bit finnicky. As the name suggests, it can be used to widen the stroke of a path in certain places, or thin out the stroke in other areas, adding depth to your lines!
Mastering these tools can take some time, but I promise it’s well worth it! Be sure to comment on this post to let me know your favourite tools and how you use them!