First Vector

It’s shocking that I’ve gone through life without using Adobe Illustrator. I taught myself how to use Adobe Elements 4 in middle school; in high school my classmates could always find me behind a computer in the art studio using Adobe Photoshop. Yet because I have consistently practiced photography throughout my life, I never felt a need to learn how to create graphic elements.

That’s not to say I never wanted to.

My parents quickly shot down my lifelong dream of becoming a graphic designer in both high school and college; so instead I focused my energy solely on photography. How successful was I? I won a prestigious art award at my prep school (all that tuition for my name on a plaque!). Hell, I was cover editor of my college’s student-led magazine. I even had a photo selected and hung in a government building. [okay, I’m done bragging]

When COVID-19 hit, I made it a goal to learn the basics of Adobe Illustrator. I recently completed General Assembly’s Visual Design course and through the work, I quickly found that I needed this skill to fulfill a passion that’s been stuffed in the back of my childhood closet. After scouring YouTube for an intriguing beginner class, I stumbled upon Pixel & Bracket’s Flat Design Potted Plants tutorial. It took about an hour to figure out the tools, redo my flawed shapes and add the shadow elements. Yet, here it is – my first illustration. I purposely chose a poster size canvas so that I can print this out as a reminder of where I started. Stay tuned for my first sneaker vector in the coming weeks (or maybe days?)!