Are Illustrator Classes Worth It?

Investing in Illustrator classes can help you better understand both basic and advanced software techniques, while also improving your overall skills in digital art and design. Whether you’re new to the software and working on the foundations, or a professional designer who wants to enhance your general knowledge, a class offers many benefits for your personal and professional life. A bit of research is recommended for those who want to choose the most efficient course for them, with course length, content, and cost being at the center. This article reviews the advantages of taking a class, as well as the most common considerations for choosing a the best course, ensuring that you can make an informed decision that best fits your needs.

Advantages of an Illustrator Course

There are many advantages to taking an Illustrator course. For social students, that includes the networking component, or the ability to learn in an interactive space with hands-on activities. For highly academic students, that might be the curriculum or the structured layout of the class. No matter your learning style, interests, and goals, a class is a well-rounded and comprehensive way to learn Illustrator’s fundamental skills while also preparing for future roles in graphic design, digital art, or a related field. Let’s dive into a few of the specific benefits. 

Structured Learning Environment

One of the biggest benefits of taking a course is the learning environment. This is especially true for in-person courses, where instruction takes place in a physical classroom, studio, or similar setting. This face-to-face format is particularly useful for students who require immediate and consistent feedback while learning. If the physical location is not a priority for you, or you prefer a more comfortable setting, online formats allow you to learn where you want. With live-online, you’ll still need to meet at predetermined times, but there is an alternative in asynchronous learning that allows full freedom and flexibility in both schedule and location. Regardless of the format, you will learn from a dedicated and experienced professional who can provide an efficient curriculum, something that is much more difficult to get with self-learning or free online resources.

Access to Resources

Through a course, students are more likely to have full access to the resources that they need. An in-person class may include a computer lab or general electronics, books, and even event opportunities. An online course may offer you the most recent version of the software, digital textbooks or tutorials, and other supplemental materials. Classes are perfect for networking. You may gain access to exclusive forums and communities that can help with the learning process, and provide a space for you to safely ask questions of your peers and instructors.

Networking Opportunities

Classes aren’t just about meeting teachers and making friends. They are prime opportunities to network with others in your field of interest. Not only can your instructor introduce you to other business professionals through workshops and guest speaker events, but depending on the course, there may be industry meetups where you can expand your professional network and explore new career paths. Securing a strong network is great for establishing yourself in an industry, learning unique tips and tricks, and gaining access to employers, recruiters, and other business professionals. With the additional help of forums and online communities, students can lean on this network for advice long after the class has finished.

Portfolio Building

You’ll want a portfolio if you intend to transition into professional work with graphic design or any other Illustrator-related field. Portfolios are useful for showcasing your skills and demonstrating your creativity, which will be extremely useful in applying for jobs and gaining new clients. A course will not only help you develop this by offering hands-on activities that can be added directly to your portfolio, but your instructors will offer you direct feedback on what you currently have so that it is appropriate for whatever industry you’d like to join. Classes guide you through industry standards and expectations, so that you can be certain your documents align.

Considerations for an Illustrator Course

A list of factors will impact whether an Illustrator course is appropriate for you. Before committing, you can look at your educational goals to see whether a program is the best course of action. Things like the curriculum, course cost, format, and flexibility all play a role. There are also resources offered that might impact whether a course is worth taking. Evaluating certain factors ahead of time will help you make an informed decision and ensure that the course supports your learning and professional development.

Course Type

It goes without saying that different class types can help you learn Illustrator differently. Workshops and seminars are often shorter versions of a full course that focus on a very specific aspect of Illustrator. For example, you may learn more about the pen tool for a day. You may learn the quickest way to pick up a vector graphic. Workshop sessions may include a one-day or multi-day project that can be done fairly quickly to familiarize you with the program. Not every course is a short course. Other class types can be much longer and more in-depth. Bootcamps range from a few days to several weeks, and learning are accelerated, in-depth learning opportunities that offer a focused curriculum. They don’t just cover one component of Illustrator, they will generally review all fundamentals, and may even help you transition from a basic user to an advanced user. A certification course is quite similar, but there’s one big difference. By the end of the course, you’ll be prepared to take the official Adobe Certified Professional in Illustrator.

Course Difficulty

It’s also important for you to find out your proficiency level before joining a course. The fundamentals of Illustrator can be found for free online, but even those who decide to take that route will need to track their skill level if they intend to take a course in the future. Intermediate and advanced courses will often build on beginner topics, so gaining confidence in the fundamentals is an important part of going into higher-level courses. To get to professional-level content, prerequisites may be required, and those will be outlined on course pages for your convenience. Taking note of any prerequisites is important, and can prevent you from spending time and money unnecessarily if you enroll in a course that you can’t fully understand.

Course Cost

Course costs vary widely depending on the class type and format. It is common for traditional courses, and full-term online courses to cost several thousand dollars. Cheaper alternatives include tutoring, on-demand learning services, bootcamps, or workshops and seminars. For those who want to invest in a longer course and are willing to pay the full amount, professional courses tailored to you and your needs are available. There is no shortage of Illustrator opportunities. But it’s important to keep in mind that cost does not equal quality, and reading reviews, course descriptions, and other details can help you understand whether the price point is equal to the value. If you’re not ready for a professional-level course, or realize that it is not yet in the budget, remember that free online resources can help you gain confidence until that time comes. There are plenty of supplemental materials and lower-cost courses that can help you practice in the meantime. 

What Will You Learn in an Illustrator Course

When you first join a beginner Illustrator course, you can expect to learn certain fundamental concepts and subjects. Illustrator boasts an intuitive interface with a large list of tools at your disposal. A class will review the toolbar and panels. You’ll learn how to use the pen tool, create and edit basic shapes, save, import, and export, and how to apply transformations to various objects. Because Illustrator is used primarily in design and other digital arts, certain courses may cover design principles, such as basic color theory or gradients. Specialty courses will teach the basics of related industries like Illustrator for graphic design or book publishing. Outside of this, you will have an opportunity to practice creating layers, grouping objects, and creating complex illustrations.

At the more advanced levels, the techniques will change. Though you will review and use all of the foundational tools from your beginner-friendly courses, there are additional topics reserved for advanced and professional users that you can pick up through higher-level courses. This can include learning grid-based designs, typography, and visualizations for graphs. It’s also possible to learn skills like animation with the help of Illustrator, but it requires the integration of other Adobe products. Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and After Effects are all complementary programs that can be integrated with Adobe Illustrator, and certain courses will cover multiple applications and software to enhance your capabilities. Other advanced topics include working with brushes and patterns, creating and editing symbols, and using the applications tools to create photorealistic illustrations. 

Though technical skills are important while using Illustrator, there are also soft skills that can be applied in any industry. The classroom can be a great place to pick up skills related to collaboration and group work. You will manage projects effectively with others, communicate ideas clearly, and take the feedback you get to improve your designs. Working on assignments can help with time management skills, and regularly working with graphics can improve your overall attention to detail. There is the added benefit of getting to work on your professional skills and building your portfolio. You will learn how to tailor that portfolio to the jobs that you want. With access to consistent feedback from peers, instructors, and industry professionals, you’ll leave with a better understanding of how to promote yourself and your Illustration skills for work in relevant industries.

Who Will Find Illustrator Courses Worthwhile

Illustrator is a great application for those joining artistic industries. Graphic designers, artists, and illustrators use this software to explore their creativity. Illustrator can be used to create branding materials like logos and business cards, which makes it a great option for small business owners. Marketing and communication professionals can create infographics and other promotional materials as needed. Some freelancers and hobbyists can use this application to better explore digital illustration. For anyone interested in developing their design or illustration skills for professional, academic, and personal purposes, Illustrator courses are a worthwhile investment.

Learning Illustrator with Noble Desktop

For those interested in learning Adobe Illustrator, Noble Desktop offers a handful of courses that can directly address your needs and goals. Their Adobe Illustrator Bootcamp is a great place to start, as it covers both basic and advanced software features including the pen tool, effects, layers, and masks. You can also learn how to make logos, icons, and packaging. There are techniques offered that can help you master this program for both personal and professional use. With the help of real-world projects, instructor guidance, lectures, and other in-class activities, you’ll leave this class feeling confident in your ability to draw and edit vector graphics. This course is perfect for beginners without design experience, graphic designers and experienced users who want to refresh their memory or learn new tips and techniques, and professionals looking to add Illustrator to their resume, portfolio, or skill set.

If you’re not able to make the time commitment to a full bootcamp, Noble Desktop also offers an Illustrator in Day course that covers the basics within one class period. In this accelerated course, you can learn how to use the pen tool, colors and layers, image tracing, and more. Despite being a shorter class, there is still a lot to learn. With the help of engaging assignments and a fun superhero-themed project, you’ll gain direct hands-on experience with brushes, the flare tool, coloring and tracing images and objects, and other essential tools and techniques needed to confidently work with Illustrator.

Certificates are an excellent credential to add to your resume and portfolio, and Noble Desktop’s Illustrator Certificate Program is a great option. This course covers both basic and advanced skills while preparing you to become a certified Adobe Illustrator Professional. The certification requires that you pass an exam, and through a combination of Noble Desktop’s bootcamp, private tutoring, and additional videos and resources, you’ll be confidently prepared to take it. Gaining certification is an ideal way to validate your skills and show other industry professionals that your capabilities in graphic design and digital illustration are profession-ready. The cost of this program includes a complimentary retake of the exam, and there are plenty of perks including a custom workbook with step-by-step exercises, six hours of private tutoring, and a bonus video suite for a pre-exam review.

While deciding which course is best can be an overwhelming decision, the choice is clear. No matter your needs with Illustration, taking a course can give you a direct advantage in both your personal and professional goals.