Illustration & Lettering

Flat Illustration

Make flat illustration that looks designed, not default

12 lessons4 modules9h 35m durationbeginner level

Instructor: StretchLearn Faculty

About this course

Flat illustration looks simple but the good work is engineered: a small locked palette, a single light direction, and depth built from flat shapes instead of gradients. This course teaches the whole pipeline from grid and shape language to a reusable component set, using Figma, Illustrator, and a tight color system. You finish with a cohesive spot-illustration set you can drop straight into a real product.

Curriculum

Module 1: What Flat Illustration Actually Is3 lessons

Flat, semi-flat, and flat 2.0 on one spectrumPreview45m
Why flat became the default of the 2010s🔒45m
Setting up Figma or Illustrator for flat work🔒45m

Module 2: Color and Shape: The Engine of Flat3 lessons

Building a limited palette that still has range🔒50m
Constructing anything from primitive shapes🔒50m
Silhouette, negative space, and readability🔒45m

Module 3: Depth Without Gradients3 lessons

One light source, flat shadow shapes🔒50m
Long shadows, highlights, and the semi-flat step up🔒50m
Designing flat characters that have personality🔒50m

Module 4: Scenes, Sets, and Shipping3 lessons

Composing a full flat scene🔒50m
Building a consistent illustration set🔒50m
Exporting, naming, and handing off to developers🔒45m