Launched in 1987, Adobe Illustrator was originally intended to be a companion product to Photoshop. However, it has since evolved into a design program that can be used with or without Photoshop and the rest of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. Through 3+ decades of development, Illustrator has become the industry standard for vector graphic creation as well as other illustration needs.
Graphic Designers and other creative professionals use Illustrator for vector-based designs. Vectors are images created from lines and shapes, which means that they are infinitely scalable across projects of different sizes. This sets them apart from pixels, which sometimes lose quality when resizing, especially when attempting to enlarge an image past its original size. With vectors, designs are exactly the same whether they are printed on a business card or a billboard!
Learning Illustrator is a must for any aspiring creative. It can be used in a variety of design jobs and integrates easily into other Adobe Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop and InDesign, which is helpful if you are working with cross-program designs.
Illustrator Careers on Long Island
Graphic, Web, and Print Designers often use Adobe Illustrator, as do Design Directors, User Experience (UX) Researchers, and other creative positions. On Long Island and nearby NYC, the average salary for these Illustrator careers falls between $70,000 and $125,000—though you’ll need to build up your experience and portfolio for the top-tier jobs. Keep in mind that Illustrator is only one of many skills you’ll need to land most of these positions; Graphic Designers, for example, would also need knowledge in Photoshop and InDesign as well as fundamental design principles.
There are numerous Long Island and NYC career opportunities you can pursue with Illustrator and related design experience. There are over 5,500 tech companies and startups in the area, where design jobs are often in good supply. You can also find design roles at local digital marketing agencies, or even on the marketing team at a company you admire. Design skills are incredibly versatile since nearly any business can benefit from artistic marketing and branding collateral.
In-Person Illustrator Classes on Long Island
With design-focused apps like Illustrator, in-person courses are helpful because your instructor is in the same room and can give real-time feedback for your work while looking at it with you. There is also an increase in networking opportunities since you’re learning right alongside peers that have similar interests. While virtual learning has come a long way recently, it does not grant the same level of access to your instructors and peers as you’ll find in a face-to-face environment.
Illustrator Classes from Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop offers several Illustrator courses through its Manhattan location. The state-of-the-art facility is located on Madison Avenue, under a mile from Penn Station which is convenient if you’re planning to take the LIRR to class.
Noble’s in-person courses and certificates offer a fully immersive experience. Students attend classes in a hands-on environment with all of the equipment and software necessary for learning key design skills like Illustrator. With classes held in small groups, you can always get help from expert instructors who will make your learning a priority.
From short workshops to immersive certificates, Noble’s curriculum contains plenty of Illustrator courses to choose from. You might choose a quick one-day introductory class to get an overview of the program, or there is also an 18-hour Illustrator Bootcamp that delves more deeply into its capabilities. In the bootcamp, you’ll learn to use Illustrator’s many digital drawing, painting, and tracing tools to create multiple types of vector graphics for projects like logos, icons, and product packaging. For a broader scope, you might choose to learn Illustrator as part of a longer training program; it is included in both the ||CPN548|| and Visual Design Certificate.
Other Illustrator Classes
Additional providers offering in-person Illustrator training at the moment include New Horizons and Future Media Concepts. There are multiple skill levels available from beginning to advanced courses; if you already have some Illustrator experience, you can learn even more in one of the higher-level options. This is helpful if you are already on a creative career path but want to supplement your education or upskill in the available tools.
Illustrator training is also available through ONLC and Certstaffix Training. These are hybrid-style schools that offer onsite computer labs for students to attend courses taught live online by remote instructors. While most of the in-person courses are based in NYC, there is an ONLC computer lab right in Melville which is a far closer option depending on where on Long Island you are.
Virtual Illustrator Classes on Long Island
You might be surprised to learn that virtual learning provides many of the same benefits as face-to-face classes, including hands-on instruction through real projects as well as real-time interaction and feedback. Thanks to advancements in teleconferencing capabilities, it’s almost like you’re in the same room with your instructors and peers—without ever having to leave your own!
While in-person courses are a fantastic way to learn a visual program like Illustrator, it is sometimes difficult to get to a course, especially with a long commute. Noble Desktop’s full Illustrator curriculum and all related design courses are available live online. From workshops to certificates, any course you wish to take can easily be accessed from the comfort of your home or office. All you need is your own equipment (and preferably high-speed internet) to learn about all of Illustrator’s capabilities or prepare for your design career with a comprehensive certificate course.
High School Illustrator Classes on Long Island
Artistic teens looking to build skills in Illustrator and/or graphic design can do so through NextGen Bootcamp, a Noble subsidiary located in the same Manhattan facility. NextGen offers students aged 13-21 the chance to learn a new skill in a focused environment with an 8:1 student/teacher ratio which ensures that each learner gets the help they need to succeed.
NextGen’s live online Illustrator courses for high school students are part of a broader graphic design curriculum. The program teaches Illustrator in conjunction with other widely-used apps within the Adobe Creative Cloud like Photoshop and InDesign. Learning these skills early will provide younger students with a stepping stone toward a lucrative design career that they can pursue more quickly after graduating.
Corporate & Onsite Illustrator Training on Long Island
Because Adobe Illustrator is a versatile program that can be used to create a variety of business documents, many types of companies could benefit from their staff being familiar with the program. Providing corporate Illustrator training can empower employees to create and edit designs for company logos, marketing collateral, invoices, and contracts.
Through Noble Desktop’s onsite or virtual corporate Illustrator training, you can ensure that your staff is well-versed in Illustrator and other design programs. Private onsite training can be held either at your office or Noble’s Manhattan location, using existing Noble curriculum or a brand new agenda created to fit your business needs. There are also virtual training options or group vouchers for discounted Noble courses. For more information on these fully flexible Illustrator training options, email hello@nobledesktop.com.