How to create a Grain Texture in Adobe Illustrator | Tutorial for Beginners

In this video tutorial you will learn how to add a simple grain texture to your designs in Adobe Illustrator. This texture can be used as a creative way of adding shadows and highlights to your flat vector illustrations, giving them another level of depth and character.
Please feel free to download a copy of the tree working files used in this tutorial -
www.sofiavarano.com/blog/grai...
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Music featured in this video -
Shine on by Jeremy Black
Watch your Back by Jeremy Black
Soft Feeling by Cheel
Cat Circus by Doug Maxwell
Thanks for watching!

[@ej-cc6zr]

Great tutorial! Really simple, clear and easy to follow, and the effect is so useful. Thank you!

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much for the feedback, really glad to hear you enjoyed it!

[@erwansoyer3992]

Bravo, this is the real Grain effect tutorial, thank you Sofia

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thank you! Glad you found it useful :)

[@amandac135]

I'm relearning some Illustrator techniques after not touching it for several years, this is really helpful and concise. Thank you!

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much for your feedback! Glad you found it helpful :)

[@jackgipson9110]

Thanks! Clear, concise and short.

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks Jack! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@toonverberg1313]

Thanks Sofia, for sharing your expertise with us. Excellently explained tutorial. Subscribed and looking forward to your next video!

[@Onnya-Lemox]

Hi, I've tried this tutorial many times before I could make it work. If you're frustrated too, this is what you're probably doing wrong: when you cut the texturized gradient, you don't have to paste it again on the artboard, but on the black miniature of the opacity mask, in the transparency panel (select the black square first).

[@yanjunliu8241]

so helpful! exactly what I'm looking for.

[@sofiavarano7959]

Great to hear Yanjun, thanks for your feedback :)

[@luisferr2001]

Thanks so much for the great tutorial. Very useful tips. Love the doggo 🐕🐶!

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much! So glad you liked the tutorial and my dog :)

[@claytonwest9299]

Awesome tutorial,..and I can't resist subscribing when a dog tells me to.

[@sofiavarano7959]

😂

[@bbanggitanggit9320]

amazing turtorial, love It

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much!

[@Artistram3d1]

This is utterly Brilliant! I will use this to add some texture to some gradient mesh fruit. Newly subscribed, thank you so much!!

[@sofiavarano7959]

You're very welcome!

[@fiddlermom9629]

Ok, you have a new subscriber! Very easy to understand, and the variations show different creative options.

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much for the lovely feedback :)

[@onetuffmmedia2168]

Nice dog and tutorials and knowledge of Sofia.

[@shenzishenzi]

Thanks! this is awesome and clear :)

[@sofiavarano7959]

Glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for your feedback :)

[@gregconley2563]

Keep up the good work. 🔥🔥 Looking forward to future videos

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much for your support!

[@Loki.Variant]

great tutorial, thank you

[@sofiavarano7959]

You're very welcome :)!

[@michaelmccrory2220]

An interesting and creative technique, easy to follow examples, I will certainly be using them in my next project.
Thank you for sharing.
👍

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks Michael! glad it was helpful.

[@michaelmccrory2220]

@@sofiavarano7959
I've been using illustrator for many years, and only recently have I been delving more into its creative functionality. Enjoyable tutorials such as yours, help me to gain confidence and add to my artistic armoury.
👍

[@bekanimal]

Okay, the end of this video is what got me!!!!! 😍 ADORABLE.

[@sofiavarano7959]

haha thank you!

[@TatianaVLOG_co]

Hey! This is an amazing tutorial. Thanks for your content ♥

[@sofiavarano7959]

You're very welcome and thanks for your kind words! :)

[@solimankraza6597]

great vid, thank you so muchhhh

[@sofiavarano7959]

You are very welcome! :)

[@wavy_w.3773]

thank you, good and easy discription

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks Susanne!

[@nichobandri5302]

you are love ,, great tutorial

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed!

[@willillustration]

Great ❤️

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks!

[@dominicspencer3223]

Thanks. great, steady place for an old crock like me.

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks Dominic! Glad it was easy to follow :)

[@sanpls]

Very helpful tutorial. 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@sofiavarano7959]

So glad to hear that! Thanks so much.

[@comptinesrigolotes]

I was looking for a clear, simple and not too long tuto to be able to work quickly. I found it! And moreover I discovered a funny girl and a very convincing dog ;) Ok, I subscribe !

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thanks so much for your feedback! Glad to hear you found the tutorial easy to follow :)

[@fernandocamacho1708]

Thank you so much
and nice dog :D

[@sofiavarano7959]

You're welcome and thanks :)

[@imytipstricks3409]

Nice keep moving

[@LikoKZN]

Спасибо за урок!

[@sofiavarano7959]

пожалуйста!

[@fernandooriginal]

SAVE MY LIFE GIRL ! TKS!!!!

[@sofiavarano7959]

Glad I could help! :)

[@sikekill]

we love ricky!!

[@sofiavarano7959]

hehe thank you!!

[@djdepressedkirby6815]

Hey I was wondering if you know how to apply this affect to text, my problem is that there is a gradient on each letter instead of from one end of the word to the other.

[@harrycartwright466]

Would be really useful to see the keyboard shortcuts on screen (like paste in place) as you go ! Thank you!

[@sofiavarano7959]

This is a great idea! I will definitely keep this in mind for future tutorials :)

[@pedrocampos4609]

LoviT

[@sofiavarano7959]

Thank you!

[@ledusko]

Is there a way to change the scale of the grain? The grain are always very large even if the settings are down

[@chelsea7755]

What do you mean "again, paste in place". Every time I do that it pulls the first image to the front. But when I try to add grain texture to the gradient, it says I've got nothing selected....

[@henriquemachado1632]

1) Meu nome é Rick 😤.... 2) Grande aula! ....e 3) Me inscrevi por causa do Rick.... 3.5) Eu amo o Rick!

[@sofiavarano7959]

Obrigado Rick! Ricky é a estrela do vídeo! :)

[@glennsak]

Thumbs up for the doggie.

[@sofiavarano7959]

haha thanks, he's the best!

[@irierocio]

this is driving me nuts... i can't figure out why the copied layer disappears altogether when the grain is applied, the original layer is gone.. what am i doing wrong -_______-

[@irierocio]

OK...i got it but it didnt work in exactly this order working from this AI file.. FIRST, when selecting the object, UNGROUP. And when selecting the specific object, you must copy and past that object in the TRANSPARENCY window and then select in the desired contrast color and THEN apply the gradient and then the texture.. it maybe the newer versions Illustrator thats messing this up.. but i got it..

[@sofiavarano7959]

Hi sorry for any confusion! Glad it finally worked :)

[@sahhaBoy]

after i created the mask, i cant seem to be able to select the items behind... i really hate illustrator, the most overcomplicated and frustrating program in the world

[@sofiavarano7959]

Hi Hernán A, Sorry to hear this! Did you manage to work it out?