Exporting your images 101
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Overview
Get ready to dive into the mesmerizing world of Adobe Illustrator, where we'll craft stunning looking graphics. But we won't stop at just learning the tools; we're about to unleash our creative powers by creating real-world, practical, and portfolio-ready projects. Together we will learn to:
• Master the art of drawing with simple shapes and lines.- • Unleash your creativity by combining and subtracting shapes using the Shape Builder.
- • Create advanced custom logos and graphics.
- • Explore the world of creative brushes, lines, and strokes to elevate your designs to the next level.
- • Use the Width tool to enhance your lines and strokes adding a style.
- • Conquer the pen, pencil, and curvature tools like a pro.
- • Dive into the wonderful world of fonts and the art of mastering type.
- • Use the intertwine feature to create interesting overlapping illustrations.
- • Learn the art of masking images and graphics.
- • Discover the magic of distorting, bending, warping, and liquefying illustrations.
- • Select and use color combinations like a true master of design.
- • Craft your own unique repeating patterns.
- • Transform real drawings into captivating stencil-style images.
- • Export your creations for print, web, social media, and more.
- • Acquire the techniques used by professional graphic designers.
- • Work with your own mini-brief - creating a unique Farmer's Market brand and bringing it to life.
- • Harness the power of Adobe's Generative AI features to push your creative boundaries.
- • Working with mood boards to gather inspiration.
- • Create realistic mockups to enhance your designs even further.
- • Engage in a wealth of class projects to put your skills to the test.
- • Stay ahead with a handy printable PDF cheat sheet.
- • Access downloadable exercise files to help you practice and refine your skills.
- • Benefit from forum support provided by the BYOL Teaching Assistant Team.
- • Discover professional workflows and shortcuts to work more efficiently.
- • Gain access to a treasure trove of additional resources and websites to supercharge your career.
But that's not all! I'll unveil Illustrator's hidden gems that will transform you into a pro at discovering and utilizing breathtaking vector based graphics. We'll dive into the latest Illustrator tools, including the mind-blowing Generative AI features that allow us to craft illustrations that were once thought impossible.
Whether you've never even opened Illustrator or have struggled with it in the past, I'm here to show you the easy way to create breathtaking artwork and portfolio projects to be proud of. Join me as we go from Illustrator zeros, to Illustrator superheroes!
Who this course is for
• Absolutely no previous Adobe Illustrator experience is required.- • This course is designed for newcomers to Illustrator and design in general, so no prior design, drawing, or illustration experience is necessary.
- • This is a relaxed, well-paced introduction, perfect for producing a wide range of drawings, illustrations, logos, and portfolio projects. Only basic computer skills are necessary - if you can send emails and surf the internet, you're more than capable of mastering this course.
What you'll learn
- • Drawing with Shapes & Lines
- • Drawing with the Shape Builder
- • Creating a custom logo
- • Working with Brushes
- • Drawing with the pen, pencil & curvature tool
- • Learn how to work with type & fonts.
- • How to vectorise an image in Illustrator
- • How to curve text in illustrator
- • How to trace an image in illustrator
• How to warp text in illustrator
• How to embed images in illustrator
• How to mask images & graphics.
• How to distort, bend, warp & liquefy illustrations.
• How to make 3D illustrations.
• How to make your own repeating patterns.
• How to create stencil style images from real drawings.
• How to save, print & export for Print, web & social media.
• Lots of real world exercises for you to practice.
• Loads or class projects for you to complete.
• Printable Cheat sheet.
• You will get the finished files so you never fall behind.
• Downloadable exercise files.
• Techniques used by professional graphic designers.
• Professional workflows and shortcuts.
• A wealth of other resources and websites to help accelerate your career.
Daniel Scott
Founder of Bring Your Own Laptop & Chief Instructor
I discovered the world of design as an art student when I stumbled upon a lab full of green & blue iMac G3’s. My initial curiosity around using the computer to create ‘art’ developed into a full-blown passion, eventually leading me to become a digital designer and founder of Bring Your Own Laptop.
Sharing and teaching are a huge part of who I am. As a certified Adobe instructor, I've had the honor of winning multiple Adobe teaching awards at their annual MAX conference. I see Bring Your Own Laptop as the supportive community I wished for when I was first starting out and intimidated by design. Through teaching, I hope to bring others along for the ride and empower my students to bring their stories, labors of love, and art into the world.
True to my Kiwi roots, I've lived in many places, and currently, I reside in Ireland with my wife and kids.
Certificates
We’re awarding certificates for this course!
Check out the How to earn your certificate video for instructions on how to earn yours and click the available certificate levels below for more information.
Downloads & Exercise files
How do I export an image from Adobe Illustrator?
Go to File > Export > Export As, choose WebP or PNG, select where to save the file, then use medium resolution. For a simple, reliable export, choose lossless WebP at 150 ppi. Use PNG instead when the destination does not accept WebP.
How to Export from Adobe Illustrator: WebP and PNG Basics
Exporting can get wonderfully nerdy, but there is no need to disappear down that rabbit hole just yet. The important thing is getting your Illustrator artwork out of the app in a format that looks great, stays reasonably small, and can be shared or uploaded without drama.
For most image exports, there are three main formats worth knowing: PNG, JPEG, and WebP. The best starting point here is WebP, with PNG as the dependable backup plan.
Start with Export As
To export artwork from Adobe Illustrator, go to:
Select File in the top menu.
Choose Export.
Click Export As.
Choose a save location and select the file format from the format drop-down menu.
It is a good idea to make a dedicated exporting folder somewhere easy to find, such as the desktop. That keeps exported files separate from your working Illustrator files and prevents the usual “where on earth did I save that?” situation.
The Export As dialog is where you choose both the destination folder and the image format.
Why WebP Is the Best Default Export Format
WebP is the format to use by default for artwork that will be uploaded online or shared digitally. It delivers very good image quality while keeping file sizes impressively small, which matters a lot on the internet.
WebP may feel like the new kid on the block, but it is now broadly supported. In most cases, it is the sensible choice because you get an image that looks sharp without creating a needlessly hefty file.
Recommended WebP export settings
After choosing WebP and clicking Export, Illustrator opens the WebP options. Keep this simple:
Compression: Lossless
Resolution: Medium, which is 150 ppi
Other settings: Leave them as they are for now
Screen resolution is generally too small for this kind of work, while High is more than is needed unless the image is intended for print. Medium sits nicely in the middle and produces a strong result for normal digital use.
For a straightforward WebP export, lossless compression and medium resolution are the useful settings to reach for.
With those settings, click OK. You should end up with a small file that still looks great.
When to Export a PNG Instead
WebP is excellent, but occasionally an upload form, print provider, or older system will refuse it. Some places simply do not recognise the format yet. When that happens, do not wrestle with it. Export a PNG instead.
Return to File > Export > Export As, choose PNG from the format menu, and export the same artwork.
Recommended PNG export settings
Use the same simple resolution choice:
Resolution: Medium
Other settings: Leave the defaults alone unless a specific destination requests something different
PNG is the reliable fallback when a service or printer does not accept WebP files.
The resulting PNG will look very similar to the WebP export. The noticeable difference is file size. A PNG can easily be around twice the size of its WebP equivalent while offering no visible quality advantage in this situation.
WebP vs PNG: Which One Should You Choose?
The decision is pleasantly uncomplicated:
Choose WebP for course uploads, websites, digital sharing, and anywhere that accepts it.
Choose PNG when WebP is rejected or when a printer, sticker supplier, T-shirt printer, or other service explicitly asks for PNG.
For print work, the larger PNG file size is usually not much of a concern. Compatibility is more important there. For online work, smaller files are useful, so WebP gets the first vote.
The Quick Illustrator Export Recipe
If all you need is a good image file right now, use this:
Go to File > Export > Export As.
Select WebP.
Choose a sensible save location.
Set compression to Lossless.
Set resolution to Medium, 150 ppi.
Click OK.
If WebP is not accepted, repeat the process with PNG.
That is enough to get excellent exports without getting bogged down in raster settings, compression trade-offs, and every other export option Illustrator can throw at you. There is plenty of time to get properly nerdy about those later.
FAQ's
Should I export from Illustrator as WebP or PNG?
Use WebP as the default for online images because it offers great quality with smaller file sizes. Use PNG when the place you are uploading to does not support WebP.
What resolution should I use when exporting from Illustrator?
Medium resolution, or 150 ppi, is a strong general setting for digital exports. Screen resolution is often too small, while High is unnecessary unless the file is intended for print.
Why is my PNG file larger than my WebP file?
PNG files are commonly much larger than WebP files even when the images look virtually identical. WebP is designed to keep image files smaller while maintaining strong visual quality.
Written by Daniel Scott — Founder of Bring Your Own Laptop & Chief Instructor
