Super Hero | Free Illustrator Tutorial

Master graphic design with this step-by-step Illustrator tutorial. Learn how to convert sketches into vector graphics, add color and background, and apply finishing touches to make the graphic pop.

Key Insights

This tutorial covers a range of topics including Live Trace & Live Paint, Tracing hand-drawn images, Coloring Live Paint objects, Brushes, and The Flare tool.
First, a sketch is converted into vector graphics using the Image Trace feature in Illustrator. This allows for easy editing of the artwork.
To add color and depth, the Live Paint Group feature is used. This tool converts images into a format that allows for easy coloring and manipulation.
Adding a background involves placing an additional file into the Illustrator document. This file can also be converted to a vector graphic and edited.
The artwork is finalized by adding finishing touches such as action lines and solar flares, using the Paintbrush and Flare tools respectively.
The process is an example of a practical application of Illustrator, useful for students pursuing a career in graphic design.

Explore the process of converting hand-drawn sketches into vector graphics using Illustrator's Image Trace feature and learn about adding color and backgrounds to make your graphics stand out in this comprehensive tutorial.

This exercise is excerpted from Noble Desktop’s past Adobe Illustrator training materials and is compatible with Illustrator updates through 2020. To learn current skills in Illustrator, check out our Illustrator Bootcamp and graphic design classes in NYC and live online.

Topics covered in this Illustrator tutorial:

Live Trace & Live Paint, Tracing hand-drawn images, Coloring Live Paint objects, Brushes, The Flare tool

Exercise Preview

super hero done

Exercise Overview

Often you’ll want to take a hand-drawn sketch and convert it into vector graphics so you can edit it in Illustrator. The Image Trace feature makes this very easy to do. After tracing it, you will add color and a background to make the graphic pop.

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Tracing the Superhero Sketch

From the Illustrator Class folder, open the file super hero.ai.
Save as yourname-the super hero.ai, then hit Save.
In the dialog that appears, leave the default options checked and click OK.
Choose the Selection tool .
Go to File > Place.
Locate super hero sketch.psd and click Place.
Click once anywhere in the artboard to place the file at its actual size. (Do NOT click and drag, which will resize the file you’re placing.)
Make sure it’s still selected, and in the Control panel (at the top of the screen), click the Align To button and choose Align to Artboard.
Next to it, click the Horizontal Align Center button .
Also, click the Vertical Align Center button .
Still in the Control panel, click the Image Trace button.
The super hero scan has now been traced (converted to vectors) using the default options, but it’s missing a lot of details. To customize the quality and settings, open the Image Trace panel (Window > Image Trace).
In the panel that opens, go to the bottom and make sure Preview is checked on.
At the top, set the Preset to Sketched Art.
In the Image Trace panel, click the triangle to the left of Advanced to see more options.
Set Noise to 1 px and hit Tab. Notice how many lost details have reappeared.
Set Threshold to 180 and Paths to 90% (hit Tab both times).
Click the Trace button to finish. (If Trace is not clickable, this means the Preview function has already updated the changes.)
In the Control panel, click the Expand button.
Image Trace

Once you are done tweaking the Live Trace options and have a nice vector drawing, you can do one of the following:
- Do nothing, just leave the art in its current live state. This way, the Image Trace options can be tweaked later if needed.
- Click the Expand button (in the Control panel) to render the vector outlines, so you can manually refine the art using standard tools. After expanding, you cannot tweak the Image Trace options.
- After expanding, use the Live Paint Bucket tool to convert it into a Live Paint group.

Adding Some Color

Go to Object > Live Paint > Make. The image won’t change but it got converted to a Live Paint Group, indicated by the starburst bounding box handles .
Deselect the artwork by clicking off of it.
Choose the Live Paint Bucket tool . If you don’t see it, click and hold the Shape Builder tool .
Notice the color swatches above the bucket cursor.

NOTE: If you only see one color swatch above the cursor, click the Properties panel’s Fill swatch to go into the Swatches panel. Then click on any swatch.
Press the Left and Right Arrow keys to cycle through the swatches.
Move the cursor over the superhero, but DO NOT click yet! Notice that fillable regions are outlined in bright red.
Use the Arrow keys to choose the proper swatch, then click on an outlined area to fill the superhero. Refer to the image and helpful tips below as a guide.
- Be careful of the black strokes. These are actually fills that can be accidentally filled with another color. If you accidentally change them, just undo it.
- Don’t forget to fill his teeth in with white!
- Zoom in to fill small areas that are hard to target.

Adding a Background

Go to File > Place.
In the Illustrator Class folder, locate city sketch.psd and click Place.
Click once on the left side of the artboard to place the file at its actual size. (Do NOT click and drag, which will resize the file you’re placing.)
Choose the Selection tool .
Move the city sketch to the bottom of the document.
With the city sketch selected, go to the Image Trace panel and change the Preset to Silhouettes.
Under Advanced in the Image Trace panel, uncheck Ignore White.
In the Control panel or Properties panel, click the Expand button to turn it into editable artwork.
Click off the artwork to deselect it.
Choose the Group Selection tool . If you don’t see it, click and hold the Direct Selection tool .
Select the white sky above the cityscape and press Delete to remove it.
Choose the Selection tool .
Select the cityscape again.
In the Properties panel under Appearance, click on the swatch next to Fill.
In the Swatches panel that opens, give it the dark green fill.
With the city still selected, go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back.

The cityscape does not go behind the starburst because it is on a separate layer.
Select the super hero.
In the Tools panel, double–click the Scale tool .
Next to Uniform, enter a Scale of 110% and click OK.
Choose the Selection tool and position him nicely in the center of the document, if he isn’t already.
Press Cmd–Shift–A (Mac) or Ctrl–Shift–A (Windows) to deselect him.

Adding Finishing Touches

Select the Paintbrush tool .
Near the bottom of the Properties panel in the Brush section, click the Brush Libraries button (it’s on the far right). From the menu, choose Artistic > Artistic_Calligraphic.
From the panel that opens, select the 5 pt. Oval. If you’re unsure which brush it is, go to the Brush panel menu and select List View to display all the available brushes listed by name.
In the Properties panel, change the Stroke to black and make sure Fill is set to none.
As shown below, use the Paintbrush tool to create a few action lines coming out of the hero’s back to make it look like he’s flying in to save the day.
When finished, close the Artistic_Calligraphic brush panel.
Choose the Flare tool . If you can’t find the flare, click and hold on the Rounded Rectangle tool (or possibly the Rectangle tool).
At the back of the hero’s belt, click and drag out a large solar flare. If you don’t like the look of the flare, just undo and try it again.
Select File > Save and close the file. Super!