About Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator CC is an industry-standard tool in vector drawing and editing for professional design and artwork. Users can create graphic designs that go virtually anywhere including print, websites, video games, logos for brand corporations, packaging for general merchandise, as well as business cards, billboards, bus wraps and even clothes.

Illustrator CC enables graphic designers to create sketches, typography and illustrations for print, web, video, and mobile, and offers a wide set of tools, filters and effects. Illustrator works with vector graphics which are resolution independent and defined mathematically for quality control, and also with the more traditional, raster graphics.

Illustrator CC comes with thousands of royalty-free stock art and all projects can be loaded into InDesign for a complete design workflow. The solution also integrates with animation and video apps like Animate CC, Premiere Pro, and After Effects.

With the seamlessly integrated Adobe Creative Cloud, users can easily access, organize, and share creative assets with other users, as well as other Adobe desktop and mobile apps.

Adobe’s mobile apps include Illustrator Draw, Capture CC, and Comp CC that let users intuitively capture creative vision with shapes, color, and typography with their mobile devices and seamlessly continue projects on the desktop with Illustrator CC.


Key benefits of Adobe Illustrator

  • Create freeform vector designs on-the-go with the Adobe Illustrator Draw app for Android, and seamlessly move the designs over to desktop Illustrator CC.

  • Users can pull creative assets (live text, images and graphics) into the Comp CC iPad and iPhone app from the shared Creative Cloud Libraries and instantly send layouts to Illustrator CC.

  • Creative Cloud is always synced so users can browse and access colors, type styles, graphics, brushes and more anytime, anywhere, from within Illustrator and mobile apps like Sketch and Draw.

  • With the Capture CC app, users can extract a color theme or create a vector graphic using an iPad, iPhone or Android phone and load them into Illustrator for further editing.

  • Users can import / export content and projects from Photoshop and Dreamweaver with testing support for content management solutions like WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal.

  • Images

    Adobe Illustrator Software - With Illustrator CC, the touch type tool allows users to take individual letters and transform them, as well as change the text itself
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Illustrator CC users have the possibility to free transform elements in a more intuitive way
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Use images in brushes (pattern brush tool) and choose the way the image runs around corners with Illustrator CC
    Adobe Illustrator Software - The export CSS feature in Illustrator CC allows users to copy elements from the illustrator document and transfer them into CSS directly
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Search fonts quicker with Illustrator CC's font search window that enables the choice between searching entire font names or first words only
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Import multiple images and place them on the page with the integrated place gun tool that allows users to drag and place images exactly where they want them with Illustrator CC
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Illustrator CC's live corners tool lets users intuitively shape corners with on-art controls or specific values
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    Adobe Illustrator video
    Adobe Illustrator video
    Adobe Illustrator Software - With Illustrator CC, the touch type tool allows users to take individual letters and transform them, as well as change the text itself
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Illustrator CC users have the possibility to free transform elements in a more intuitive way
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Use images in brushes (pattern brush tool) and choose the way the image runs around corners with Illustrator CC
    Adobe Illustrator Software - The export CSS feature in Illustrator CC allows users to copy elements from the illustrator document and transfer them into CSS directly
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Search fonts quicker with Illustrator CC's font search window that enables the choice between searching entire font names or first words only
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Import multiple images and place them on the page with the integrated place gun tool that allows users to drag and place images exactly where they want them with Illustrator CC
    Adobe Illustrator Software - Illustrator CC's live corners tool lets users intuitively shape corners with on-art controls or specific values

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    Reviews

    Overall rating

    4.8 /5
    (8,476)
    Value for Money
    4.3/5
    Features
    4.7/5
    Ease of Use
    4.0/5
    Customer Support
    4.3/5

    Already have Adobe Illustrator?

    Software buyers need your help! Product reviews help the rest of us make great decisions.

    Showing 5 reviews of 8,476
    Jeffrey
    Overall rating
    • Industry: Retail
    • Company size: Self Employed
    • Used Daily for 2+ years
    • Review Source

    Overall rating

    • Value for Money
    • Ease of Use
    • Customer Support
    • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

    Illustrator - the standard for graphic design

    Reviewed on 24/9/2020

    Overall my experience has been great. I definitely recommend AI if you are serious about design. It...

    Overall my experience has been great. I definitely recommend AI if you are serious about design. It can handle any area of design and is a workhorse of a program - it is very flexible.

    But with great flexibility, comes great complexity. So, therefore, even though I have a pretty good understanding of how to use Illustrator, there's still more for me to learn after many years. Not to mention they always add new features.

    And I still have to take some time to creatively express exactly what I envision.

    For this reason, I also use Affinity Designer on my Mac, alongside illustrator. The reason is, Affinity Designer is much more simple and certain tasks are quicker with Affinity.

    However, anytime I need to do more complex stuff, such

    Pros

    The nice thing about Adobe Illustrator is you can do anything you want, as far as manipulating graphics and creating any digital artwork or illustration imaginable. It's so versatile in what you can do, that it also can seem very complex to the novice.

    But if you stick with it and use it consistently or take some tutorials, once you learn the ins and outs of Adobe Illustrator, you begin to realize what it's capable of. I have used Inkscape and affinity designer and though I use affinity designer (due to the simplicity and quickness at some tasks), I always turn to Adobe Illustrator when I need to do more complex tasks.

    I am old school, and typically like drawing by hand. The great thing about digital design is you can still get a tablet and draw by hand if you like. This is obvious to many people but some may not be aware or haven't made the jump over to trying a drawing tablet yet. If you haven't tried one and you love drawing with traditional media, you are going to love working with a tablet in Illustrator.

    Cons

    The biggest con I can think of is the learning curve. When first starting to use Adobe Illustrator is it can seem very complex. So when you're new, is a pretty big learning curve. With that said, I still am learning after 5+ years.

    For this reason, I recommend taking some tutorials or classes to understand what illustrator is capable of and for learning what every tool does. Taking tutorials also gives you an insight into how to creatively use tools for different purposes.

    I know when I first learned Illustrator. I had a good idea of what most tools did. But I just wasn't aware of the different use cases on how to creatively construct my artwork, actually using the tools. It was something that slowed me down, compared to just grabbing a pencil and paper and sketching out my vision.

    But once you learn to use the different tools together, you start to get a flow going and you get quicker with time.

    Alternatives Considered

    Inkscape and Affinity Designer

    Reasons for Switching to Adobe Illustrator

    I chose adobe illustrator because it is well known as being a standard in the graphic design industry. So since I knew that it was one of the top choices, I started learning AI early on. However, over the years, they changed to a subscription model, which isn't ideal for everyone, and some may opt for a one-time fee software products. If that is you, and you don't demand the top of the line features and abilities, Affinity designer is a great choice. Inkscape is also a good free version, but I don't think the latest mac OS is compatible. But if you want the best of the best, adobe illustrator is it.
    Samuel
    Overall rating
    • Industry: Media Production
    • Company size: Self Employed
    • Used Weekly for 2+ years
    • Review Source

    Overall rating

    • Value for Money
    • Ease of Use
    • Customer Support
    • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

    Illustrator, a connection to the past. But what does the future hold?

    Reviewed on 15/9/2020

    Adobe Illustrator scores above average, much more because of its solid foundation than current...

    Adobe Illustrator scores above average, much more because of its solid foundation than current features.

    It is a program that, in a way, has stopped in time. (I still expect compatibility improvements)

    It is a program that you must have, or at least give it a try. There are many possibilities, if your creativity allows it.

    If you are a design professional or student, you should give preference to AI.

    Pros

    Writing about Illustrator is very passionate. One of the most important Pros of the program is its solid foundation, built over decades. Yes! Decades.

    Therefore, the main resources of the illustration industry are here. Shapes, Fills, lines, vectors, compositions. Ease of basic understanding of features.

    Learning curve, of the basic resources is fast. Numerous editing possibilities (the limit is your creation)
    high degree of SVG compatibility.

    These are, for me, the best reasons to use AI since 2011.

    Cons

    Against the grain, AI presents a high consumption of computer resources. RAM, VRAM, Processor, these are abundantly consumed by the program. The more you have, the more it will consume.

    With the exception of the SVG format, any non-native format will have serious compatibility problems, causing constant breaks.

    The learning curve for advanced items is complex and requires more effort than other programs in the same category.

    However, in my opinion, the X of the question is: Is Adobe Illustrator the program of the future for vectors? or was he stuck in time and his Status Quo?

    aziz
    Overall rating
    • Industry: Computer Networking
    • Company size: 1,001–5,000 Employees
    • Used Daily for 1+ year
    • Review Source

    Overall rating

    • Value for Money
    • Ease of Use
    • Customer Support
    • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

    Adobe Illustrator review

    Reviewed on 12/8/2023

    It is still the best application I used, but I suggest that there are copies for weak devices and...

    It is still the best application I used, but I suggest that there are copies for weak devices and copies for self. Fewer and more simplified tools to attract novice users and make them love using it

    Pros

    I liked this application very much. I did not face any problem in dealing with it. What I like most about it is the accuracy and defining the details when I want to design something. There are also many tools that the user can benefit from when working.

    Cons

    One of the biggest problems that I encountered when using it is the difficulty in finding some toolsAlso, the application requires a computer with medium specifications so that the person can work comfortably

    Maria
    Overall rating
    • Industry: Internet
    • Company size: 201–500 Employees
    • Used Daily for 2+ years
    • Review Source

    Overall rating

    • Value for Money
    • Ease of Use
    • Customer Support
    • Likelihood to recommend 4.0 /10

    Such a powerful tool - but sometimes it's difficult to keep up with it.

    Reviewed on 28/4/2019

    Pros

    So, I've been an AI user for now almost 10 years. I've used it at it's worst, at it's best and at it's "ok" moments. It's powerful and the type of work that you can create is really just limitless. There has been a significant effort in onboarding users whenever it gets a design overhaul or new features are added. I've found that a lot of these updates do tend to boost my ability to perform or create work at a faster speed, and same goes when making edits. I'm a heavy pathfinder user and the ability to just tweak my workplace to my needs, adding different windows and condensing them into one section has been a huge time saver. So in terms of granting you the ability to really modify the space to your liking, it's great.

    Cons

    I think one of the aspects about illustrator that has over time made it a more difficult tool to rely on has been the constant updates. Yes, those updates are sometimes great and very much needed, but there is no onboarding and the existing tour points hold so much information, it's hard to keep up with it.

    I think generally speaking, I want to also be able to use the same shortcuts I have been using over time with the software, so when certain aspects of it change - sometimes it does affect my ability to perform at the same speed. I think more efforts need to be done to really create a focused on boarding for users when you introduce new features.

    Bhagyashree
    Overall rating
    • Industry: Banking
    • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
    • Used Daily for 1+ year
    • Review Source

    Overall rating

    • Value for Money
    • Ease of Use
    • Customer Support
    • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

    A Powerful and Versatile Vector Editor with a Steep Learning Curve and High Cost

    Reviewed on 6/6/2023

    Adobe Illustrator can be expensive, particularly for users who need to use it frequently or who...

    Adobe Illustrator can be expensive, particularly for users who need to use it frequently or who need to use it on multiple devices. While the software offers a wide range of features and capabilities, some users may find that other vector editors or design tools offer similar features at a lower cost.

    Pros

    Highly versatile and powerful vector editor: Adobe Illustrator is a highly versatile and powerful vector editor that allows users to create complex designs with precision and control.Wide range of features and capabilities: Adobe Illustrator offers a wide range of features and capabilities, including advanced vector tools, rasterization, and support for a wide variety of file formats.Large community of users and resources: Adobe Illustrator has a large community of users and resources, including online forums, tutorials, and user groups, which can be helpful for users looking to learn new skills or troubleshoot issues.

    Cons

    Steep learning curve: Adobe Illustrator has a steep learning curve, and may be difficult for users who are new to vector editing or design.High cost: Adobe Illustrator is a paid software, and may be expensive for users who are on a tight budget.Large file sizes: Adobe Illustrator files can be large, which can be a problem for users who need to work with large files or who have limited storage space.

    Showing 5 reviews of 8,476 Read all reviews

    Adobe Illustrator FAQs

    Below are some frequently asked questions for Adobe Illustrator.

    Adobe Illustrator offers the following pricing plans:

    • Starting from: US$31.49/month
    • Pricing model: Subscription
    • Free Trial: Not Available

    Individuals US$19.99/month Latest version of selected app ProSite portfolio website Typekit desktop and web fonts 20GB of cloud storage Business US$29.99/month (per license) Choice of one creative desktop app or the entire collection of 20+ apps Team website, premium fonts, and up to 100GB of storage for collaboration 24/7 technical support Additional pricing options for students & teachers, schools & universities.

    Adobe Illustrator has the following typical customers:

    Self Employed, 2–10, 11–50, 51–200, 201–500, 501–1,000, 1,001–5,000

    Adobe Illustrator supports the following languages:

    Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian

    Adobe Illustrator supports the following devices:

    Android (Mobile), iPhone (Mobile), iPad (Mobile)

    We do not have any information about what integrations Adobe Illustrator has

    Adobe Illustrator offers the following support options:

    Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base, Phone Support

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