In this tutorial, we will see how to draw vector icons in a sketch style using Adobe Illustrator CS3. In many cases, sketch style graphic elements (backgrounds, icons, texts) are popular especially for designers’ websites as most of designs come from the very basic sketch drawings. Examples can be found everywhere (e.g. Web Designer Wall, Carphone Warehouse).

Many design would draw these icons by hand and then scan them into the computer, clean up a little bit and use them. Actually, to draw some vector icons in this style is not as complicated as it looks like. Thanks to some distortion functions in Adobe Illustrator. Here we will share some easy steps of drawing an RSS icon and a MP3 file icon. Once you master this technique you can create similar icons for use in other projects like printed brochure layouts.

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In this tutorial, we will create a vector icon of CD using Adobe Illustrator CS3. This can be done in only 5 minutes. Here we use Illustrator rather than Photoshop as we want to make a vector icon. This CD icon can be incorporated into club flyers or postcards promoting a band or show.

In Photoshop there is a function called Angle Gradient which is able to give an easy way to draw a nice stripe of colour spectrum on the CD surface. However, there is no Angle Gradient function in Illustrator which makes drawing a little bit difficult.

I did read some article or tutorial related to how to draw a CD icon using illustrator. But I think they are not simple enough and not good enough. Here we will see some simple steps of drawing an icon of CD.

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