Illustrator guides

How we create illustrations

An inside guide to the tools, file-handling habits, and workflow standards that help illustrators at Scandlearn create polished, consistent artwork that’s easy for the wider team to use.

19-11-25

Viktor Chornobay Viktor Chornobay, Lead Illustrator, Graphic Designer

The tools we use

Our illustration team works mainly with Adobe Creative Cloud apps — so every illustrator needs a subscription to access the latest versions of Photoshop, Illustrator, Bridge, and Acrobat. These come packed with new features, AI tools, and access to the shared asset library.

Besides the Adobe library, we also use a shared Dropbox folder with extra materials.

Adobe Bridge + Dropbox = File management magic

Adobe Bridge is our go-to image browser for organizing and previewing both vector and raster graphics. On the left panel, you’ll find quick access to our Adobe asset library.

File Search and Naming

In the top-right corner of Adobe Bridge, there’s a search bar where you can enter a keyword to quickly locate the file you need. And believe me — once your hard drive fills up with hundreds of illustrations, finding the right one can become quite a challenge.

That’s why it’s so important to name your files clearly and consistently when saving them. A well-structured naming system makes future searches much easier and saves a significant amount of time.

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For example:

If you’ve created a vector icon of rainy weather: 2d_icon_weather_cloud_rain_v01.ai

If it’s a vector illustration of a flight attendant demonstrating how to use a life vest:
2d_char_flight_attendant_Sol_life_vest_v01.ai

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If it’s an anatomical illustration showing different biological systems:
2d_Human_Body_Bio_System_v01.ai

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In Adobe Bridge, make sure the following file details are visible:

  • Date modified
  • Dimensions
  • Keywords
  • File size


These are the most useful attributes when browsing or organizing your files.

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Dropbox workflow

Once a page is completed and approved by the instructor, all related assets are uploaded to the appropriate Dropbox folder.

Dropbox search supports:

File names — the most basic and reliable way to find content.

Tags — custom tags can be added to files and folders to help organize and locate materials more efficiently.

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To improve searchability, it’s recommended to tag your files with relevant keywords, such as: #2d, #character, #flight attendant, #life vest, #instruction, # safety demonstration.

Illustration workflow

For us, the canvas, brushes, pens, and paints all live inside Photoshop or Illustrator. Medieval artists would be amazed!

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It’s hard to imagine a modern digital illustrator without a pen and tablet. So once you’ve got your Wacom (or similar device) ready, open the pre-made template that includes our brand colours and brush pre-sets, turn on some ambient music, and start creating.

A toolkit full of creative magic
Illustrators Kit

Illustrator template (.ait) — why use it?

Besides brushes and colours, the template’s artboard matches the final animation size: 2000×1600 pixels.

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Personally, I keep my Illustrator template on my desktop. Every time I start a new illustration, I open it and rename the file based on its content — using the naming method described above. I recommend doing the same — it’s simple and efficient.

Layer naming — why it matters

Whether you’re working in Illustrator (.ai) or Photoshop (.psd), your file will likely contain multiple layers — for example, a background (sky, airport, or a standard dark blue), and a character split into separate layers (body, arms, head) to make animation easier.

Here’s the key point: in After Effects, layer thumbnails aren’t visible. So if your layers are named “layer 2,” “capa,” or “vector smart object,” animators won’t know what’s inside — and they’ll waste time figuring it out.

Giving layers clear, descriptive names is a sign of respect for your animation colleagues — and part of our team culture.

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Style of our illustrations

From the very beginning, Scandlearn course characters have followed the “Archer” style — and we continue to stick with it. You can find references in our shared folders.

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Viktor Chornobay Viktor Chornobay, Lead Illustrator, Graphic Designer
Creativity is cleared for takeoff
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