Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle

I have a great one for you today! For surface pattern designers, learning Adobe Illustrator is essential and definitely a game-changer. This is why I’m so excited to introduce you to one of my favourite Illustrator teachers, Laura Coyle.

Laura has unparalleled knowledge of all things Illustrator, and the way she delivers the information is so clear and engaging that it’s always a pleasure to watch. Her courses make learning Illustrator feel effortless and fun.

Why is Adobe Illustrator such a great tool for surface designers?

Industry-standard: Illustrator files are universally recognised and often preferred when sending designs to clients or preparing for licensing.
Easy edits: Every element in your design is editable forever, making it easy to make changes whenever needed. And trust me, there will always be changes!
Infinite scalability: As a vector-based program, Illustrator lets you scale your designs without losing quality, unlike pixel-based programs like Photoshop or Procreate. You want to future-proof your designs and be able to use them in both small and large sizes.
Easy recolouring: Experimenting with colour palettes and recolouring designs is a dream in Illustrator and incredibly easy, saving you loads of time in the long run. Unless you’re like me and spend a ridiculous amount of time playing with colour!
Pattern tool: Creating patterns is a breeze in Illustrator, making it simple to design and edit seamless, intricate patterns quickly and efficiently.
Precision tools: Illustrator has precise tools for creating clean, detailed designs that look professional.
Export options: You can export your designs in various formats, ensuring compatibility with different production processes and platforms.
Creative freedom: Illustrator’s shedload of features, like brushes, image trace, symbols, and many others, give you endless possibilities for experimenting and bringing your unique ideas to life.

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Learning Adobe Illustrator is definitely a smart move for your surface pattern design career. There are a few ways to go about it: you can piece together information from various online sources, or get yourself an expert who knows all the ins and outs!

Having someone like that by your side can really help you improve your skills in leaps and bounds and take your designs to the next level.

I’m an Illustrator girl through and through. I’ve been using it for 27 years, and it’s been central to my design journey. I wouldn’t change it for the world. Back in the day, I had to teach myself how to use it, and I can’t help but think how much quicker and easier it would have been with a teacher like Laura around.

Even with my years of experience, I’ve picked up a huge amount of tips and tricks from Laura through the years. Her courses are packed with insights that even experienced users like me find incredibly valuable.

Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle - Recolor Artwork

Who is Laura Coyle?

Laura is a freelance illustrator with over 25 years of experience in the industry. She has worked with well-known clients including Disney, Hallmark, Hasbro, Nickelodeon, Papyrus, Random House, Target and Walmart.

Her passion for teaching Adobe Illustrator began in 2010 when she was invited to teach at an online school. Since then, Laura has become an Adobe Illustrator teacher and speaker, contributing to events like CreativePro Week and Adobe MAX.

In 2022, Laura became an Adobe Community Expert and opened her learning community, Laura Coyle Courses, on Circle.

Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle - Laura Coyle

I’m an illustrator with a passion for teaching, and with 25 years of experience illustrating for major brands, I deeply understand how artists and designers work. Our amazing digital tools are evolving faster than ever, and I’m excited to be a teacher and guide to fellow creatives like you.
Laura Coyle

So, as you can see, Laura’s got what it takes! She really knows her stuff, and she shares all this knowledge of Illustrator through her membership in a thorough but uncomplicated way.

Laura is the best at simplifying complex concepts, not only teaching techniques but also explaining the reasons why something works the way it works. This makes learning so much easier and helps you understand and remember the techniques and tools effectively.

For the first time, Illustrator is making sense to me on a deeper level.
Sarah Benna, Textile Designer

Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle - Zoom Session

What is the Laura Coyle Courses membership all about?

Flexible learning options: Apart from the self-paced, structured courses with video tutorials and text-based posts, there are also live group sessions for real-time Q&A and demonstrations twice a month. You also have access to all the replays from past sessions!
Interactive learning: It’s a genuine community experience, with frequent content updates, interactive sessions, show & tell, discussions, and personalised teaching based on student feedback.
Support materials: Laura includes fantastic resources like cheatsheets, worksheets, Illustrator example files, brushes, textures, and more in her lessons and some live sessions. So helpful!
Staying updated: As an Adobe Community Expert, Laura keeps members informed about the latest Illustrator updates, demonstrating the new features in tutorials and live sessions. She keeps an eye so we don’t have to!
User-friendliness: The platform allows you to bookmark posts for later reference and search for specific topics across posts, course lessons, and Zoom recordings for easy navigation and learning.
Creative challenges: Members can submit a particular challenge they’re facing, like achieving a look, a particular style or trying a different tool, and Laura demonstrates how she’d tackle it. Great for exploring Illustrator’s possibilities!
Diversity: The community has artists across various creative disciplines, including pattern design, graphic arts, fine arts, and crafts. Great for collaboration and inspiration!

Illustrator is a massive program but fortunately for us, there’s Laura. She taught me different approaches to the same task and a Workspace tip I now use every day. Patient with a warm sense of humour, Laura makes learning Illustrator absolutely doable!
Dominique, Surface Designer

Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle - Heart of Illustrator Course

What classes can I find in Laura Coyle Courses?

At the time of writing, there are eight in-depth, self-paced courses for learning Adobe Illustartor inside the membership, each focusing on key areas essential for creating beautiful, professional-looking designs. And the best thing? The library of courses keeps growing!

✨ The Heart of Illustrator

Your foundation for learning Illustrator. Perfect for beginners and anyone who wants a fresh start! You can find all the details about this comprehensive course here.

✨ Learn the Pen Tool in Illustrator

A step-by-step process for developing Pen Tool skills with a series of drawing projects in Adobe Illustrator.

✨ Illustrator Artistry

Add beautiful textures to your designs! Learn techniques for using images, Adobe Fresco, Adobe Capture, and more.

✨ Art Brush Workflows

Imagine your linework more organic and less illustrator-y. Creative projects and free brushes included.

✨ Recolour Artwork

The secret weapon for surface designers – an instant colour palette generator right inside Illustrator.

✨ Pattern Power

Understand the Pattern Editing Mode feature and let your creativity shine. A truly comprehensive course.

✨ Exploring Colour Creativity in Illustrator

Get creative with buttery-smooth gradients and the latest features like Generative Recolor.

✨ The iPad Collection

Learn how to create vector art on the go with tutorials for Illustrator on the iPad and Adobe Fresco.

Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle - Layers Lesson

This is the most I have ever done in Illustrator. I am feeling more comfortable. Thank you!! This is awesome.
Rita Patel, Artist & Textile Designer

How much is the membership?

There are three subscription plans:

Monthly: $30/month
Quarterly: $24/month (3 months for $72 – Save 20%)
Annual: $20/month (A year for $240 – Save 34%)

Laura’s courses are perfect for both beginners and intermediate Illustrator users. If you’re just starting out or need a refresher on the basics, The Heart of Illustrator course is perfect for you. The other courses are designed for intermediate skill levels.

The live sessions are for all skill levels, depending on the topic Laura covers and the questions asked by members. So, whether you’re just getting started or wanting to get better at it, you’ll find Laura’s lessons and live sessions priceless.

My first challenge win on Minted was for a pattern I created using the techniques I learned from your course. Your ability to teach and vast knowledge of Illustrator is unmatched!
Cavell Ferguson, Artist & Designer

Learning Adobe Illustrator easily with Laura Coyle - Pattern

I’ve honestly enjoyed learning from Laura so much, and I can’t thank her enough for teaching me some of Illustrator’s best-kept secrets and how to work in a more streamlined, productive way.

Getting rid of the friction of not knowing how to use your design tool of choice opens the doors to spending more time on what matters most: being creative!

If you’re serious about learning Adobe Illustrator or getting better at it, I really encourage you to give her membership a go. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

To get a taste of her teaching style and learn some amazingly useful stuff for free, check out her YouTube channel. It’s full of fabulous, bite-sized tutorials that will get you totally hooked.

Check her website for all the membership details at www.lauracoylecreative.com/learn-illustrator

You can also find what other members are saying here.

I hope I’ve inspired you to put your learning hat on and explore Illustrator’s potential. And with Laura’s help, I believe you’re in for an amazing journey!