Toucan Artwork with Grain Texture
This speed art video shows a toucan being drawn in Adobe Illustrator and then finished with a noise and grain texture, which is a popular way to make flat vector art feel more like a print or a painting. The full step-by-step version of this artwork was made for members.
The artwork
The toucan sits on a branch in profile, with its large yellow and orange beak, black body, white throat and a bright blue ring around the eye. Behind it are dark leaves and a warm brown background lit from behind, so the bird pops forward. The grain is visible in the shading of the beak and feathers, where the tones blend with a soft, speckled texture instead of hard gradient steps.
What to look for
The bird is built from clean flat shapes first, then shading is added, and the grain is applied on top of the shaded areas. Notice how the texture is used mainly in the transitions between light and dark, which is where it reads best. If you want to try texture yourself, the “How to Add Texture in Illustrator” and “Grain Effect” tutorials on this site cover the methods in detail.
This is a speed art video, not a step-by-step tutorial. It is meant to show the process and give you ideas. For guided lessons, see the step-by-step tutorials linked below.
Links from the video
- Envato Elements (video sponsor): https://bit.ly/30Whw17
- Step-by-step tutorials playlist: http://bit.ly/31EXG6G
