Happy New Year!
With 109 articles published on the Astute Graphics Blog in 2011, many of which being comprehensive new and unique tutorials, we feel safe in justifying a de-rigueur “Best of 2011″!
This “Best of” list is based on visitor levels, feedback and our personal preferences. Enjoy!
Guest authors
We are proud of having signed-up the prolific and popular vector artwork tutorial writer Iaroslav Lazunov in the second half of 2011. Many of the the articles featured here are his work.
As part of our ongoing commitment to our customers, we wish to introduce further special guest authors throughout 2012. We have already received wonderful feedback based on the articles published to date, many of which point to the benefits of getting the most out of VectorScribe and Phantasm CS.
Being informed of the latest articles
The quickest and easiest way to stay informed of the latest AG Blog articles is by following us on Twitter: @astutegraphics.
Vector design tutorials
Most of these tutorials feature VectorScribe and Phantasm CS tools. If you use either of these, or just vanilla Adobe Illustrator, they are highly recommended reading to help you got more from your vector design workflow.
How to Create Vector Denim Texture : Receiving the most response via the blog, Twitter, email and more, this article by Iaroslav demonstrated what must be the most realistic vector demon texture ever. Final artwork freely available to download at the end of the article.
Happy Drummer : A wonderfully comprehensive tutorial which shows how to work faster in basic vector shape creation. Final artwork freely available to download at the end of the article.
How to Create a Hologram Sticker : Visually striking, the resultant artwork from this tutorial caught reader’s imagination. Dynamic and fully editable whilst making use of the very popular VectorScribe Dynamic Shapes tool.
How to Create a Night City scene : With the car’s lights streaking by, the lights glowing from the skyscrapers and a glow in the sky, the secrets behind the creation of this atmospheric scene is laid bare.
How to Create Proper Gears : Gears; you see them featured in so many designs. And yet many people wince at the inaccurate cartoon style of many examples. Here, Iaroslav makes use of VectorScribe to draw out some that look that they could actually work. Nice.
How to Create a 3D Film Strip : Using the 3D tools in Illustrator appeared to be a popular topic in 2011. This great tutorial jumped firmly in the front seat of this bandwagon and showed how, with the help of VectorScribe, a wonderful result could be achieved. Final artwork freely available to download at the end of the article.
Create a Steaming Kettle : A personal favourite here as Astute Towers; both for the streamlined methods of drawing in vector (with the help of VectorScribe‘s tools) but also for the very realistic vector steam effect. Final artwork freely available to download at the end of the article.
How to Create a Tennis Ball : A ball. Seems simple, right? Well, this is a mighty step better featuring a random texture and accurate dividing curvature around the surface. The related quick tip on how to create a grass background is likely to be of interest too.
And much more…
Shortcuts : Work quicker and smarter when using VectorScribe and Adobe Illustrator. These series of articles show each available shortcut.
New advanced Ink Coverage tool in Phantasm CS Publisher version 2 : 2011 saw the release of Phantasm CS Publisher version 2 which brought major enhancements for the pre-press operators and designers. The improved Ink Coverage tool was a great hit! This article shows it in action on a hi-fi color image.
An initial series of fashion-related articles started appearing in 2011. This follows the increasing number of fashion designers using both VectorScribe and Phantasm CS from leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, Bench. and Esprit. More articles directed to the fashion industry is planned for 2012.
What happens if the Phantasm CS plugin is not present? This is a question often received. Don’t panic! The news is good. And this full story could be found in this article.
Vector Basic Training book by Von Glitschka : Learn more and do more. This shouldn’t just be restricted to reading blogs (yes – we realise THIS is a blog…!) but remember that medium called “books”? Thankfully the very talented vector designer Von Glitschka did and wrote a wonderful and deservedly popular book about our world. Here was our review which partly led to us bringing him over to the UK to give a free talk at the London IT Show in October.
Free and Useful Adobe Illustrator Scripts with Scriptographer : Showing the possibilities on offer with the premier free Illustrator plugin was enlightening for many. Scriptographer allows for wonderful and flexible vector artwork results. Worth looking into.
The German-language publication Illustrator Service, part of MEV Verlag’s 
