bRINGING HOME THE BACON
A creative resource for designers, makers, and growing brands.
How to Make Custom Arrow Brushes in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to build a custom arrow brush in Adobe Illustrator that scales evenly, stays editable, and adds style to your designs.
How to Create a Checkered Pattern Brush with Working Corners in Illustrator
Struggling to get your checkered brush corners to align? Here’s the exact step-by-step fix that solves it—and why Illustrator behaves this way.
How to Create a Vintage Sunburst Pattern Brush in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to design a hand-drawn sunburst brush in Adobe Illustrator—perfect for logos, badge designs, and illustration accents with a vintage feel.
Stop Struggling with the Rotate Tool—Try This Radial Repeat Trick in Illustrator
Learn why the radial repeat feature is a smarter, faster alternative to the rotate tool in Adobe Illustrator—no more skewed shapes or manual math.
How to Add 3D Perspective to an Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to add depth and dimension to a flat heart gem illustration using anchor point cleanup, zig zag lines, and the 3D & Materials panel in Illustrator.
Easy Isometric Illustration in Adobe Illustrator (Step-by-Step Guide)
Learn how to create clean, 3D isometric shapes in Illustrator using grids, transform tools, and custom actions—perfect for designers and illustrators.
Easy Halloween Shape Hack in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create spider webs and Halloween shapes in Adobe Illustrator using smart tools like the star and rotate tools—no pen tool needed.
Illustrator’s New Gradient Image Trace Tool (2025 Update)
Discover Illustrator's new gradient image trace tool in the 2025 update. Learn how to convert photos to clean, editable gradient vectors in just a few steps.
Step-by-Step: How I Draw Character Mouths in Adobe Illustrator
Learn how to create clean, symmetrical character mouths in Adobe Illustrator using the curvature tool, object on path, and shape builder. A quick, step-by-step tutorial for designers who want sharper results—and a smoother workflow.