In this installment of Nerdy Art News I’m focusing on Adobe Illustrator, the tool many of us use for crisp vector work and licensing-ready art. Adobe brought some exciting updates at MAX 2025.
New features in Illustrator
- Turntable lets you take a flat vector graphic, duplicate it, and rotate it to see it from all sides while maintaining vector quality. This is perfect for creating 360-degree assets like packaging mock-ups or rotating product visuals.
- Improved performance makes complex vector scenes smoother and faster, thanks to AI-infused engines behind the scenes.
- Better export workflows integrate Illustrator with Photoshop, Express, and Firefly more seamlessly.
- Illustrator now works with generative AI workflows, allowing you to move Firefly images into Illustrator for tracing, editing, and rotation.
Why it matters
The Turntable tool allows me to design assets for multiple product angles faster. Smoother export workflows reduce time spent managing files and let me focus on the art itself.
What I’m going to do
- Create a vector of a book-reading motif and use Turntable to rotate the design for mugs, wrapping paper, and other products.
- Test moving output into Express or Photoshop for additional treatment.
- Explore mini animated vector mock-ups for manufacturer previews while keeping my flat graphic style.
Bottom line
Illustrator’s updates may seem less flashy than generative AI tools, but for vector-based product design they offer practical advantages that increase efficiency and flexibility. Get the Illustrator Vector Workflow Guide to explore Turntable, export smoothly, and bring your vectors to life.
