How to Create a Vintage Sunburst Pattern Brush in Adobe Illustrator
Design a Hand-Drawn Sunburst Brush in Illustrator for Logos, Badges & Illustrations
Pattern brushes in Adobe Illustrator are one of the quickest ways to add personality to your designs—especially when you're after hand-drawn flair without redrawing elements for every curve or corner. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how I create a vintage-inspired sunburst brush, perfect for logos, seals, merch graphics and more.
By combining strokes, hand-drawn tweaks, and a textured edge, you can make something that feels polished and organic—and the best part is, you can reuse it across multiple projects with just one click.
Want More Hand-Drawn Brushes?
I’ve created a range of Illustrator brushes and template tools for designers who want pro-level detail with a handmade touch. The brush set below doesn’t include the starburst, but you will find tons of other useful brushes!
You can check out this video (and lots more!) over on my Instagram Page @hannah.bacon.design
Create a Vintage Sunburst Pattern Brush
1. Draw the Base Lines
Start by drawing a single line. Then:
Duplicate it five times to build the start of your sunburst
Scale the lines up and down to create a dynamic, repeating pattern
2. Add Variation with the Scissor Tool
Use the Scissor Tool (C) to cut into a few of the lines
Vary the bottom lengths of the segments to make the burst feel more handmade and irregular
3. Stylise the Strokes
Head to the Stroke Panel and round off the ends to get a softer, stamped effect
Use the Width Tool (Shift + W) to vary the thickness of each stroke—it adds movement and character
4. Expand the Artwork
Go to Object → Expand Appearance
Then apply the Roughen Effect via Effect → Distort & Transform → Roughen
(Use subtle settings for a textured, ink-bleed look)
5. Expand Again + Make a Brush
Expand the appearance again so it’s fully vector
Open the Brush Panel → New Brush → Pattern Brush
Leave the corner set to Auto-Centre (since this brush is for radial or curved use)
Save your brush and give it a name!
Using Your Sunburst Brush
You can now:
Apply it to circular or curved paths (like around a badge or logo)
Adjust the line weight for different looks
Edit the stroke on the fly—it’s still live!
Expand the brush stroke to recolour and edit the texture further
Want More Time-Saving Tools and Freebies?
This process is just one of the techniques I share across my design templates and digital assets, made especially for designers who want professional results—without starting from scratch every time.
