Create an Illustration in Figma
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Use the vector tool in Figma to create an illustration from scratch
Figma Handbook
1
The Figma Design Tool
0:54
2
The Editor in Figma
1:17
3
Basic Tools
2:14
4
Position, Size, Rotation, & Corner Radius properties
1:27
5
Color Styles
1:13
6
Masks
1:47
7
Dark Mode with Selection Colors
1:17
8
Gradients
1:36
9
Creating Backgrounds
2:37
10
Blending Modes
2:02
11
Alignment, Distribution, & Tidy up Properties
1:24
12
Union and Corner Radius
2:53
13
Shadow and Blur Effects
1:48
14
Using Images
2:00
15
Fill, Stroke, & Advanced Stroke
3:21
16
Text Properties and Styles
1:37
17
Google Fonts and Custom Fonts
1:13
18
Accessibility
19
Responsive Design
3:07
20
Constraints
1:11
21
Layout Grid
2:00
22
Auto Layout in Figma
8:17
23
Vector Mode
0:55
24
Vector Network
1:19
25
Perspective Mockups
2:00
26
3D Mockups
1:20
27
Using Illustrations in Design
2:03
28
Booleans
2:24
29
Icon Design
1:48
30
Components
1:50
31
Team Library
2:14
32
Creating Confetti
1:59
33
Looper Shape Duplication
1:41
34
Apple Watch Ring
2:23
35
Exporting Assets in Figma
1:39
36
Exporting CSS Code
1:04
37
Designing with Data
1:57
38
Prototyping
2:25
39
Version History
1:25
40
Multiplayer, Commenting, & Previews
1:36
41
Variants
5:39
42
Interactive Components
5:40
43
UIKits
4:47
44
Plugins
5:47
45
Blob Background
4:45
46
Wave Background
6:46
47
3D Shapes
12:27
48
Parallax Prototyping in Figma
7:52
49
3D UI Perspective Design
7:16
50
Glass Icon
9:16
51
Crystal Ball with Water Effect Animation
12:54
52
Design and code a line animation with letters
29:38
53
Futuristic line animation
19:30
54
Import from Adobe Illustrator to Figma
3:16
55
Create an Illustration in Figma
4:07
56
Remove BG plugin
2:27
57
Circular Lines Advanced Stroke
3:27
58
Publish Design to Community
4:49
59
Turn Image into Vector
3:11
60
Prototype with Scrolling Content
3:42
61
Hug Content and Resizing
2:04
62
Advanced Auto Layout
4:13
63
Circular Text on Path
5:57
64
Mirror Prototype
2:39
65
Sticky Nav and Tab Bar Prototyping
4:37
66
Video in Figma Prototype
5:04
67
Mesh Gradients
3:03
68
Figma Sections
3:53
69
Unsplash Stock Photos
2:07
70
Angular Gradient
4:17
71
Radial Gradient
5:11
72
After Delay Animation Prototyping
3:14
73
UI Wireframe
2:53
74
Lottie Animations
3:55
75
Design Sign Up Screen
6:42
76
Content Generator
2:53
77
Design Lint Missing Style
2:36
78
Slice Tool
2:04
79
Adaptive Layout with Breakpoints
6:25
80
Chart Designs
4:51
81
Design Modals
4:08
82
Batch Rename
2:35
83
Design Onboarding Screen
2:28
84
Animated Button Prototype
3:06
85
Smart Selection
2:15
86
Component Properties
4:37
87
RedLines
2:54
88
Interactive Calendar
7:46
89
Measure Distance
3:33
90
Variable Fonts
2:51
91
AI Plugins
6:16
92
Text Animation
3:11
93
Resize Layers
2:36
94
View Layer Outlines
2:23
95
Prototype Connections
2:38
96
Export SVG Files and Code
2:47
97
3D Illustrations
4:14
98
UI Placeholder
2:38
99
Dark Mode Switch
4:23
100
Dev Mode
6:26
101
Dark Mode Variables
10:04
102
Figma to HTML
10:51
Illustration Process
1. Define your goal
Whenever you are starting an illustration, you should definitely not rely on your imagination - unless you're an artist. In case you are an artist, you can, but not as a creative designer. You need to know what is the goal of what you are designing and trying to achieve.
Some examples of goals:
- Explain a process in steps
- Awake a feeling in users: love, hope, calm, anger
- Help in bringing awareness in a subject or area
- Catch the user's attention on a subject swiftly
- Express a complicated product or business in just a glimpse
2. Define a style
There are plenty of illustration styles out there. Each style has its own use and can capture an idea in a better or worse manner.
Example: We can't use futuristic, tech styles if we create an illustration for a caring cause. Be aware to develop something that is suitable for the business/product you are working on.
3. Browse for inspiration
"Steal like an artist" has many meanings. Browsing for inspiration done in the right way involves keeping in mind the following steps:
- Don't spend too much time on a single designer's page
- Build a Moodboard with real photos instead of illustrations
- Don't try to mimic others
- Try to fill your mind with as many creative things as possible
- Don't "remix" somebody else's design
- Look at the work of some really cool photographers
There are some sites that inspire me, like Unsplash, Pinterest and Pixabay.
4. Start sketching
Use whatever you want: a pen and paper, a Wacom tablet, an iPad Pro. Just focus on getting ideas out, as many as possible. Whenever you like something, try to sketch more versions of that, maybe you'll end up with something better.
5. Design it in Figma
Now that you've done all the steps, it's time to design your illustration in Figma using shapes, pen tool, and even the pencil.
You can create a character just by using simple shapes. Using the bend tool, you can soften edges to create more interesting and much friendlier/real shapes.
Very complex illustrations can be created in Figma, like these examples I did. All of these are done using only Figma. 👇
Exercise: Simple Illustration in Figma
Start by making a new frame on your empty page, by either pressing "F" > and draw a frame yourself or select a predefined frame size from the inspector on the right.
You can find the Frame option in the toolbar too.
Let's make a character portrait using simple steps and shapes. Select the rectangle tool by pressing "R", from the toolbar menu. Draw a long rectangle, in Vertical position.
Press "V" to get the select tool, and select the shape. Go to the corners and pull the radius until all the corners are fully curved.
Pick a fill color for the shape, from the inspector on the right.
Press "O", or select Ellipse from the Shape toolbar menu. Select a black fill color. Draw a circle by pressing and holding Shift, so you get a perfect circle.
Select the circle, hold shift and the Option key ⌥ on a Mac, or shift the Alt key on Windows, and drag to duplicate the circle, to make the second eye.
Press "P" to select the Pen tool, and starting from the middle spot between the eyes, draw a nose. To make curved lines, just hold the right left click. Once you are done, click the "Esc" key twice.
Now go under the nose, on the left part of the face (or right, wherever you want), and draw a mouth using the Pen tool. (Press "P" for pen tool, or select it from the toolbar menu). Don't forget to hold the right click on the mouse when you are drawing curved lines.
Select both the nose and mouth lines, go to the inspector on the right, and choose a bigger stroke value, 3 px. Then go to 3 dots button on the right, to enter the advance values for the strokes, and choose the round option for the caps.
Make the ears using the same steps from the head. Draw a rectangle, and make its corners fully curved. Duplicate the rectangle to make the second ear. Move the shapes of the face(ears, eyes, nose, mouth) in different positions until they "look right".
Draw a rectangle over his eyes and forehead, give it a fill color of your choice, make the corners a bit round, then send the shape to back by clicking and holding the shortcut ⌥ + ⌘ and [ on a Mac, or Alt + Ctrl + [ on Windows. Now you have hair for your character.
Draw the neck drawing a rectangle, using the same technique as for the ears and head. Send the neck shape to back ⌥ + ⌘ and [ . Select the neck and ears shapes and give them a 20% darker or more saturated color than the face.
Draw a large rectangle starting from under his jaw. Give the shape a fill color of your choice. Send the rectangle to back, and make its corners fully curved.
Let's make our character more interesting by drawing some eyebrows, with the same color and values as the nose and mouth strokes, and let's also add a shape behind the character.
Please select the face shape, right click and click Flatten, or use the shortcut ⌘ + E on Mac, or Ctrl + E on Windows.
Let's modify the shape of the head, and make it more interesting. Press "V" for the select tool, and double click on the shape of the head. Grab the anchor point on the top of his head and pull it down a bit. Then grab the anchor point from the jaw, and pull it up a bit.
Draw a shape over the lower middle of the blue shape > select the new rectangle shape and the blue shape > go to union selection in the toolbar menu > select subtract selection.
Then select the background shape and the blue shape again > send to back
Conclusion
Don't underestimate what consistency can bring to your skills. Designing small things everyday will help you grow your skills quickly. Designing with a purpose and clear goals is what will help you unlock your "creativity". Not having a goal will just make you more prone to imitate and feeling blocked.
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Videos
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ePub
Subtitles
1
The Figma Design Tool
Getting started with Figma as your design tool
0:54
2
The Editor in Figma
Getting familiar with the Figma interface
1:17
3
Basic Tools
Getting to know the tool panel in Figma
2:14
4
Position, Size, Rotation, & Corner Radius properties
Working with Position, Size, Rotation, & Corner Radius properties
1:27
5
Color Styles
Working with color styles on Figma
1:13
6
Masks
Using masks to clip content and compose your design in Figma
1:47
7
Dark Mode with Selection Colors
Learn to design and adapt for designs for Dark Mode with Selection Colors
1:17
8
Gradients
We'll walk through all the different ways to use gradients in your work, as well as techniques when creating them
1:36
9
Creating Backgrounds
Design backgrounds in Figma
2:37
10
Blending Modes
Learn to interesting techniques with Blending Modes
2:02
11
Alignment, Distribution, & Tidy up Properties
Exploring Alignment and Tidy up in Figma
1:24
12
Union and Corner Radius
Working on union and corner radius
2:53
13
Shadow and Blur Effects
Exploring ways to incorporate shadows and blur to your design
1:48
14
Using Images
Steps on how to use images in Figma
2:00
15
Fill, Stroke, & Advanced Stroke
Get to know more about the Fill and various Stroke options in Figma
3:21
16
Text Properties and Styles
Explore and learn about Figma's type properties
1:37
17
Google Fonts and Custom Fonts
Explore the differences between Google Fonts and custom fonts for your website
1:13
18
Accessibility
Exploring a11y in design
19
Responsive Design
Designing responsive layouts in Figma using Constraints and Auto Layout
3:07
20
Constraints
Working with Constraints in Figma
1:11
21
Layout Grid
Learn to design using grids, columns, rows and margins.
2:00
22
Auto Layout in Figma
Working with Auto Layout for responsive design
8:17
23
Vector Mode
Exploring vector mode to edit and customize vector shapes
0:55
24
Vector Network
Learn to use vector networks and design icons
1:19
25
Perspective Mockups
Use realistic mockups to present your designs
2:00
26
3D Mockups
Adding 3D mockups to design
1:20
27
Using Illustrations in Design
Incorporate illustrations into your design
2:03
28
Booleans
Using booleans to design icons
2:24
29
Icon Design
Learn how to design icons using the tools provided by Figma
1:48
30
Components
Make your design more reusable by using components.
1:50
31
Team Library
Publishing your design styles and components
2:14
32
Creating Confetti
Working with Confetti plugin
1:59
33
Looper Shape Duplication
Working with Looper Figma plugin
1:41
34
Apple Watch Ring
Creating apple watch ring in Figma
2:23
35
Exporting Assets in Figma
Learn about exporting assets in Figma for implementation
1:39
36
Exporting CSS Code
Working with CSS code on Figma
1:04
37
Designing with Data
Plugins to help you design with real content
1:57
38
Prototyping
Quickly create an entire flow for your app design in Figma
2:25
39
Version History
Working with version history on Figma
1:25
40
Multiplayer, Commenting, & Previews
Learn about collaboration & sharing with Figma
1:36
41
Variants
Combining similar components into variants
5:39
42
Interactive Components
Creating reusable interactions using interactive components
5:40
43
UIKits
Designing using UIKits in Figma
4:47
44
Plugins
Exploring and Designing using Plugins in Figma
5:47
45
Blob Background
Create a simple blob background in Figma
4:45
46
Wave Background
Create a wave design in Figma using the Bend tool and the Wave plugin
6:46
47
3D Shapes
Create 3D-looking shapes using vector tools in Figma
12:27
48
Parallax Prototyping in Figma
Learn how to create a parallax scrolling animation technique where the background and the foreground layers move at different speed
7:52
49
3D UI Perspective Design
Transforming your user interface with the power of three-dimensional perspective
7:16
50
Glass Icon
Learn how to design a creative icon using background blur
9:16
51
Crystal Ball with Water Effect Animation
Animate waves in a crystal ball using the prototyping tool
12:54
52
Design and code a line animation with letters
Learn how to animate lines using CSS in CodeSandbox
29:38
53
Futuristic line animation
Learn how to create a futuristic background with lines using the pen tool in Figma
19:30
54
Import from Adobe Illustrator to Figma
Best practices for importing an Illustrator file to Figma
3:16
55
Create an Illustration in Figma
Use the vector tool in Figma to create an illustration from scratch
4:07
56
Remove BG plugin
Remove an image background with the RemoveBG plugin in Figma
2:27
57
Circular Lines Advanced Stroke
Design a camera controller with clock lines in Figma
3:27
58
Publish Design to Community
Publishing design files in the Figma Community
4:49
59
Turn Image into Vector
Convert an image into vector in Figma
3:11
60
Prototype with Scrolling Content
Add vertical and horizontal scrolling on your Figma Prototype
3:42
61
Hug Content and Resizing
Learn how to choose the right resizing options including hug content, fixed width or height, fill container and text truncation
2:04
62
Advanced Auto Layout
Learn how to use spacing mode, canvas stacking, text baseline alignment, stroke values in advanced layout
4:13
63
Circular Text on Path
Make a circular text on path using ARC plugin in Figma
5:57
64
Mirror Prototype
View your prototypes on your mobile device using the Figma mobile app
2:39
65
Sticky Nav and Tab Bar Prototyping
How to fix the position with sticky Nav Bar and Tab Bar
4:37
66
Video in Figma Prototype
Apply a video as a fill using any vector network on your prototype
5:04
67
Mesh Gradients
Create beautiful and wave shaped gradients using shapes or the mesh gradient plugin in Figma
3:03
68
Figma Sections
Use sections in Figma to organize designs better and make it easier for collaboration
3:53
69
Unsplash Stock Photos
Insert beautiful images from Unsplash straight into your designs
2:07
70
Angular Gradient
Step-by-step guide to creating and customizing an angular gradient in Figma
4:17
71
Radial Gradient
Creating vibrant radial gradients in Figma for a professional design look
5:11
72
After Delay Animation Prototyping
The easiest way to animate anything on the web using simple after delay interaction in Figma
3:14
73
UI Wireframe
Use various tools and plugins to create a wireframe that helps you easily plan and design your user interface
2:53
74
Lottie Animations
Step-by-step guide to using Lottie animations in Figma to improve collaboration and enhance your designs
3:55
75
Design Sign Up Screen
Easily design a sign up screen in Figma for your app or website
6:42
76
Content Generator
Useful plugins that can help designers design with real content and save time
2:53
77
Design Lint Missing Style
Save time finding and fixing errors in your Figma designs with Design Lint
2:36
78
Slice Tool
Export your designs using the slice tool in Figma
2:04
79
Adaptive Layout with Breakpoints
Creating flexible and responsive web designs with adaptive layout and breakpoints
6:25
80
Chart Designs
Exploring the endless possibilities of chart designs for data visualization
4:51
81
Design Modals
How to design modals that enhance user interfaces
4:08
82
Batch Rename
Quickly and easily rename multiple files in Figma using the Batch Rename plugin
2:35
83
Design Onboarding Screen
Creating an engaging experience to drive user retention with onboarding design
2:28
84
Animated Button Prototype
How to create a dynamic interactive button
3:06
85
Smart Selection
Arrange layers more efficiently with smart selection
2:15
86
Component Properties
Reduce the number of variants in your design system by using component properties and editing them directly in the properties panel
4:37
87
RedLines
Measure distances and annotate your Figma designs before handoff with Redlines Figma plugin
2:54
88
Interactive Calendar
Learn how to use interactive components in Figma to create an interactive calendar with hover and clicked-on states
7:46
89
Measure Distance
Place your design elements in the right place with measure distance in Figma
3:33
90
Variable Fonts
Learn how to replace static fonts with the variable font version
2:51
91
AI Plugins
Enhancing design efficiency by exploring advanced AI tools in Figma to optimize your workflow
6:16
92
Text Animation
Create an impressive motion text animation using interactive component and after delay
3:11
93
Resize Layers
Resize layers using the scale tool
2:36
94
View Layer Outlines
Understanding and organizing your design with view layer outlines
2:23
95
Prototype Connections
Configure your prototypes so that anyone with view access can see the interactions
2:38
96
Export SVG Files and Code
Exporting your artwork as an SVG file allows you to easily embed it in your HTML and CSS code
2:47
97
3D Illustrations
Enhancing Project Design with 3D Illustrations
4:14
98
UI Placeholder
Insert a temporary element to visualize the design
2:38
99
Dark Mode Switch
Transform your design into dark mode in just one click
4:23
100
Dev Mode
Explore Figma's Dev Mode, your essential tool for simplifying design-to-code workflows
6:26
101
Dark Mode Variables
Learn how Figma's dark mode variable feature enhances design by allowing seamless transitions between themes
10:04
102
Figma to HTML
From Figma to Web: Simplifying HTML Export with Anima
10:51
Meet the instructor
We all try to be consistent with our way of teaching step-by-step, providing source files and prioritizing design in our courses.
Akson Phomhome
UI Designer
Designer at Design+Code.
13 courses - 60 hours
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This comprehensive SwiftUI course combines cutting-edge AI assistance with hands-on development, guiding you through the process of transforming Figma designs into fully functional iOS applications. Leveraging Claude 3.5 Sonnet, you'll learn to efficiently generate and refine SwiftUI code, create reusable components, and implement advanced features like animations and responsive layouts.
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