Adobe Illustrator CC – Advanced Training Course (Udemy.com)
In this Adobe Illustrator Advanced course we'll learn Advanced techniques for graphic design, logo design & illustration
Created by: Daniel Walter Scott
Last updated January 2025
Our take
Based on the ratings of 10,960 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in January 2025. No course pays to be reviewed.
This is the follow-on to Dan Scott's Illustrator Essentials course, and it assumes you already know what an anchor point is and can draw a simple icon. Across 10 hours and 102 lectures it covers the tools most self-taught users never open: Shape Builder versus Pathfinder, compound paths, global swatches, Pantone spot colors, blend modes, puppet warp, envelope distort, and a run of effects like linocut, duotone and neon glow. There are 30 assignments and a short section on the newer AI features, Text to Vector and Generative Recolor. The fit is designers who use Illustrator every week but suspect they're only using half of it.
Reviewers love the teaching. Of nearly 11,000 reviews, about 7,700 are five stars and only around 100 are one or two. Students say he makes the material fun and easy to follow, and a designer with 25 years in the field says he still learns plenty. The complaints are small but real. One reviewer finds the jokey manner distracting and just wants him to teach. Another says it isn't truly advanced and reads more like a thorough tour of the basics. One student couldn't find the Text to Vector beta option in her copy of Illustrator, so the AI section may not match every install.
It was last refreshed in January 2025, so it isn't showing its age. At 10 hours it's a manageable follow-up rather than a marathon. The Mega Course beside it runs from beginner to advanced in one package; this one is the better pick if you already have the basics and want the tools that separate a hobbyist file from a print-ready one. Recommended, with the caveat that seasoned pros may find some of it familiar.
Pros
- Picks up exactly where the Essentials course ends, so returning students say it flows naturally.
- 30 assignments tied to lessons, plus a short section on Adobe's AI tools like Text to Vector.
- Refreshed January 2025; about 7,700 of nearly 11,000 reviews are five stars.
- A designer with 25 years in the field says he still learns plenty from Dan's courses.
Cons
- One reviewer finds the instructor's goofy humor distracting and wants him to just teach.
- One reviewer says it isn't very advanced and mostly taught them more about the basics.
- One student couldn't find the Text to Vector beta in her panel, so the AI section may not match your install.
I've been a graphic designer for over 25 years, yet I still learn lots from Dan's courses!
Intermediate is right: you need to know anchor points and simple icons. Complete beginners should do the Essentials course first.
What you will learn
- 101 Lectures 10+ hours of content
- How to use Text to Vector Ai
- How to use Text to Pattern Ai
- How to use Generative Recolor
- When to use the Scissor Tool, Eraser Tool & Knife Tool
- Advanced Shape Builder Uses
- The differences between the Pathfinder Vs Shape Builder
- How to use the Join tool & Joining Path Ends
- Advanced Pen Tool Tricks
- Width Tool Advanced Techniques
- The Curvature Tool
- How to master corners with corner widget effects
- How to work with Compound Paths
- The difference between Expand & Expand Appearance
- How to create Graphic Styles
- How to make Symbols
- How to use the Smooth ToolAdvanced use of Simplify Path
- What Live Shape Effects are for
- How to make Repeating Grids & Concentric Circles
- How to make Random Objects
- Advanced Keyboard Shortcuts in Illustrator
- How to add a Gradient on a Stroke
- How to add a Gradient in Text
- How to use the Freeform Gradient tool
- How to use Advanced Color Swatches
- How to use Global Color Swatches
- What is the difference between RGB vs CMYK color modes?
- How to proof colors
- How to use Pantone Spot Colors
- Recolor Artwork & Changing all colors at once
- How to use Blending Modes
- How to work with Images & Blending Modes
- How to make Black & White Images
- Learn Advanced Workflow Tricks
- All the Super Selection Mastery
- How to use the History Panel
- Advanced Fonts Tricks & Tips
- Use Retype to know what Font is being used
- How to put Text Inside a Letter or Shape
- How to use the Touch Type Tool
- How to add a Connected Stroke Around Multiple Shapes
- How to Offset a Stroke with Text
- How to make a Bar Chart in Illustrator
- How to make a Pie Chart in Illustrator
- Layer Power Moves
- Advanced Artboard & Pages Tricks
- How to Unlink vs Embedded Images
- How to Crop Images Rather than Mask
- How to Mask Inside Text & Multiple Shapes
- How to you use the Puppet Warp Tool
- How to use the Distort Envelope Shape & Type
- How to use the Envelope Mesh
- How to blend lines together
- How to make a Linocut Effect
- How to make 3D Gradient Lettering Blends
- How to spin text into a ring
- How to turn text into a 3D donut shape
- How to make a Duotone image effect
- How to make a Roughen Stamp Vector Effect
- How to make a Neon Sign Glow Effect
- How to use a Halftone Effect using Plugins
- Advanced Exporting Assets Tricks in Illustrator
- How to use the Dimension Tool
Course content
17 sections · 102 lectures · 10 hours of video 30 assignments, 1 article
- 1Overview 1 free preview1 lecture · 2 min
- 2Getting Started 2 free previews2 lectures · 7 min
- 3Ai - Artificial Intelligence 2 free previews5 lectures · 2 quizzes · 30 min
- 4Drawing24 lectures · 6 quizzes · 2.8 hours
- 5Keyboard Shortcuts1 lecture · 14 min
- 6Colors & Patterns18 lectures · 5 quizzes · 1.5 hours
- 7Workflow Speed3 lectures · 30 min
- 8Typography6 lectures · 2 quizzes · 44 min
- 9Lines & Strokes4 lectures · 2 quizzes · 14 min
- 10Charts & Graphs3 lectures · 1 quiz · 21 min
- 11Artboard, Layers & Pages2 lectures · 22 min
- 12Images3 lectures · 9 min
- 13Transform, Distort & Blend9 lectures · 4 quizzes · 50 min
- 14Effects14 lectures · 7 quizzes · 1.2 hours
- 15Plugins2 lectures · 1 quiz · 11 min
- 16Exporting3 lectures · 25 min
- 17What's Next2 lectures · 4 min
Who it is for
The instructor says it suits
- Creative adventurers who already have a basic understanding of Illustrator.
- Self-taught Illustrator enthusiasts yearning for structured guidance.
- Graduates of my Illustrator Essentials Course, hungry for more knowledge and skills.
- Visionaries who have developed their own unique Illustrator approach but crave exploration of the vast universe of tools, updates, and time-saving techniques.
What you need before you start
- Any version of Adobe Photoshop, preferably the CC (Creative Cloud) version.
- Basic knowledge of Illustrator is required. I recommend watching my Illustrator Essentials course before this course.
- If you know how to draw simple icons & you already know what an anchor point is. Then this course if for you.
How it compares
Against the other 100 rated Udemy courses in Illustrator on CourseDuck:
- Rating4.8 out of 5higher than 89% of them
- Reviews10,960#3 of 101 by number of reviews
- Length10.2 hourslonger than 83% of them
- Last updatedJanuary 2025more recently than 91% of them
Quality Score
Overall Score : 96 / 100
Course Description
Do you know you're only using 50% of Illustrator's capabilities? Ready upgrade yourself? Then this course will take to you the top level of Illustrator mastery.
Hey there, I'm Dan Scott, an Adobe Certified Instructor with over 16 years of design experience under my belt, I'm part of the Adobe Expert program, and my online and in-person classes have been attended by more than a million people, just like you! Join me as we dive into the exciting world of Adobe Illustrator Advanced! In this course, you're not just leveling up in Illustrator, you're transforming into an Illustrator SuperHero!
In this course you will work on a bespoke brief designed to ignite your imagination, coupled with immersive course videos, you'll be crafting jaw-dropping graphics in no time. Throughout our journey together, you'll flex your creative muscles and construct projects that will elevate your portfolio to new heights. So, let's dive in and unleash your creativity!
You’ll learn:
How to use artificial intelligence to boost your creativity in ideation.
The quick way to take hand-drawn sketches and vectorize and color them.
The building blocks needed to set you loose on a huge variety of beautiful effects and techniques.
To make beautiful charts and graphs for your documents.
Color mastery to make quick color adjustments, Pantones, and blend it all together beautifully.
How to master images inside of your illustrator workflow.
To harness all the secret gems that'll help you level up your typography skills.
All the tricks of the trade for drawing complex shapes easily.
To double your creativity with the Transform and Distort section.
To speed up your personal workflow to get the most out of your creative day.
Explore the full course outline for a comprehensive list of topics that will expand your Illustrator prowess beyond imagination.
If you're already comfortable navigating the basics but want to unlock the true potential of Illustrator, then this Illustrator Advanced course is your ticket to becoming a master of Illustrator! So join me and the ranks of design superheroes and let's embark on this thrilling journey together.
Instructor Details
- 4.8 Rating
10,960 Reviews
Daniel Walter Scott
Sharing is who I am, and teaching is where I am at my best, because I've been on both sides of that equation, and getting to deliver useful training is my meaningful way to be a part of the creative community.
I've spent a long time watching others learn, and teach, to refine how I work with you to be efficient, useful and, most importantly, memorable. I want you to carry what I've shown you into a bright future.
I have a wife (a lovely Irish girl) and kids. I have lived and worked in many places (as Kiwis tend to do) – but most of my 14+ years of creating and teaching has had one overriding theme: bringing others along for the ride as we all try to change the world with our stories, our labours of love and our art.
I'm a certified Adobe instructor (ACI) in Ireland. I'm also an Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) and have completed the Adobe Certified Associate training (ACA). And I don't just do Adobe. Remember, media is a very broad term – digital blew out the borders, so we are all constantly learning.
I've been teaching for 14+ years. I come from being a media designer and content creator – so I understand exactly where you're at now. I've been there. I love this stuff. Print, digital publishing, web and video. I can see how it all connects. And I can see how we can share those connections.
More courses by Daniel Walter Scott
User Experience Design Essentials - Adobe XD UI UX Design (2025)
4.7 (46,830 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 9.7h
$189.99
Adobe Photoshop CC – Essentials Training Course (2025)
4.8 (36,753 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 11.6h
$189.99
Adobe InDesign CC - Essentials Training Course (2026)
4.7 (19,611 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 11.9h
$149.99
UX Design & User Experience Design Course - Theory Only (2025)
4.3 (11,988 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 2.5h
$109.99
Adobe Premiere Pro CC – Essentials Training Course (2025)
4.7 (11,647 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 15.8h
$129.99
More Illustrator courses
Adobe Illustrator CC - Essentials Training Course (2025)
4.8 (33,107 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 12.1h
$124.99
Adobe Illustrator Advanced Vector Artwork (2020)
4.8 (1,988 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 8.3h
$14.99
Adobe Illustrator - Beginner to Pro Level With New AI (2026)
4.8 (1,368 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 13.7h
$89.99
How to create flat design icons in 15 minutes in Illustrator (2023)
4.8 (335 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 5.4h
$124.99
Logo Design Mastery In Adobe Illustrator (2022)
4.7 (5,700 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 5.8h
$139.99
Photoshop and Illustrator speed illustration workflow (2019)
4.7 (787 Reviews)
Provider: Udemy
Time: 12.1h
$64.99
Reviews
By Tracy Vernol on 7/2/2026
I am so glad that I decided to take this course. I did the essentials class for Illustrator and loved it. It definitely helped me use Illustrator with more confidence which in turn helped me perform better at my job. Then when I heard about the Advance class also taught by Dan, I was so excited to get started. I've learned several new tricks, lots of tips already. Can't wait to see what else is in store for me. Dan is such a great teacher he makes learning not only easy but fun.
By Pamela Boynton on 5/12/2026
I love the teacher , it was just I could not find the Text to Vector Graphic Beta in my drop down or my properties panel, I reached out to my teacher but would have been better if I could have followed along. just an fyi
By Rick B on 4/18/2026
Dan Scott’s Adobe Illustrator Advanced course is yet another excellent learning experience. While the Essentials course gave me the confidence to finally master the software, the Advanced curriculum pushed me into the realm of professional-grade workflows. I moved beyond simple shapes into complex, generative techniques—using the Blend Tool to build architectural, low-poly portraits and the Appearance Panel to create intricate, layered graphical effects. Dan’s instruction is exceptionally well-structured and fun, making high-level concepts like non-destructive editing and advanced path logic feel intuitive. I highly recommend this to anyone ready to stop just 'using' Illustrator and start truly 'designing' with it.
By Ana Popovic on 4/11/2026
The course is fantastic! The idea of designing a solution for a fictional client was great. I was looking forward to each class project! Dan is enthusiastic, fun, and the best teacher overall! Highly recommended!
By Kawther Natiq on 3/27/2026
I truly enjoyed all the wonderful lectures. It was an amazing experience, and I learned so, so much. In the end, I can only express my gratitude to the amazing instructor, Mr. Daniel Walter Scott, for all his great efforts. I have also purchased the Photoshop course, and I will start studying it soon. Thank you very much once again.
By Pamela Bell on 3/24/2026
Absolutely loved this course - especially after taking the Essentials course first. The repetition of shortcuts and continued practice really helped everything stick. I feel so much more confident as a graphic designer, and honestly surprised by how much I didn’t know in Illustrator. I’ve picked up tons of useful tools and tricks, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to sharpen their skills.
By Quinty Bos on 2/11/2026
Een zeer gedetailleerde Illustrator‑training. Dan legt op een fijne en enthousiasmerende manier uit wat voor designs je kunt maken met de verschillende tools en elementen binnen Illustrator. Heel inspirerend, vooral omdat je werkt met effecten die ik zelf niet zo snel zou kiezen, maar waar je juist veel van leert. Een halve ster minder, simpelweg omdat het tijdrovend is en niet alle stijlen volledig aansluiten bij de moderne designtrends van nu. Maar al met al is het absoluut de moeite waard!
By Judith D Krigman on 2/2/2026
I love how well Daniel breaks each section down and provides examples.I have leaerned a lot.I feel like his way of explaining really makes things click for me. He doesn’t rush through anything and takes the time to make sure every detail is clear. Plus, the examples he gives are super helpful—t
By Rico Moreno on 11/25/2025
After having taken more than a few courses from Dan and BYOL, I can genuinely say that I have learned a ton. Dan might be one of the best teachers out there for graphic design. Dan is easy to follow; He is easy to understand (for the most part ;) jk) and the strategy/development behind the course material seems well thought out and relevant. I am eager to continue BYOL courses with Dan and I am grateful that I can look forward to revisiting some of these course as they are updated in future. On to the next one!
By Crimson on 11/24/2025
After taking the essentials course and finishing it, I didn't think it could get better than that, but apparently it can when you have such an incredible instructor such as Dan and a course rich of solid content, useful tips and tricks, assignments, engaging and experienced instructor and many other things that I don't have enough space to count them here but just to give a brief idea on how good and practical this course was, I had 150+ projects done by the end of both essentials and advanced courses. Thanks again Dan for being such an amazing instructor, and thanks to your team for putting the effort into making these courses, you guys are doing amazing work and providing premium content for such an affordable price, keep going with it and I wish you all the best. PS, I felt really sad and happy at the same time by the end of this course, the kind of feeling you get when you graduate and leave your favorite teachers in high-school.












