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How to Make Glitter in Illustrator

Cynthia Jul 13, 2026

Ever wanted to add that extra sparkle to your designs? Glitter in Illustrator can help you achieve just that. This powerful vector graphics editor allows you to create stunning, shimmering effects that can transform your projects. Let's dive into the world of Adobe Illustrator and learn how to make glitter with ease.

how to make glitter letters and numbers for kids's art projects, including letter recognition
how to make glitter letters and numbers for kids's art projects, including letter recognition

Before we get started, ensure you have the latest version of Adobe Illustrator. For this tutorial, we'll be using Illustrator CC. Now, let's get glittering!

Glitter Effect | Illustrator Tutorial
Glitter Effect | Illustrator Tutorial

Creating Your Glitter Base

To create glitter, we'll first need a base to apply our sparkles. A simple circle or shape will do. Let's use a circle for this example.

an info sheet showing different colors and shapes for the computer screen, with text below it
an info sheet showing different colors and shapes for the computer screen, with text below it

Open a new document in Adobe Illustrator and use the tool to draw a circle. You can adjust the size of the circle using the + '<' or + '>' shortcuts.

Filling Your Shape with Color

sparkles tutorial in illustrator
sparkles tutorial in illustrator

Now that we have our base, it's time to fill it with color. You can use the tool (

) or the panel ( + + for Mac, + + for Windows).

Select your circle and choose a vibrant color for your glitter. For this guide, we'll use a bright pink (#FF69B4).

Applying a Gradient

the different shades of glitter for makeup and how to use them in your own design
the different shades of glitter for makeup and how to use them in your own design

To create a more dynamic glitter effect, apply a gradient to your circle. Gradients not only add depth but also create the illusion of light reflecting off the glitter.

With your circle still selected, open the panel ( > ). In the panel, click and drag the slider to add two colors to your gradient. For a subtle glitter effect, use closely related colors, such as white (#FFFFFF) and your chosen glitter color.

Duplicating and Distorting Shapes

Glitter Effect Illustrator - Glitter Texture - Glitter Text - Illustrator Tutorial
Glitter Effect Illustrator - Glitter Texture - Glitter Text - Illustrator Tutorial

Now that we have our base and gradient, it's time to create theier look of glitter. We'll do this by duplicating and distorting our shape.

Before we start duplicating, it's a good idea to lock the original shape. Select the tab and click on to protect your base from accidental edits.

a woman sitting in front of a computer screen with the words how to add glitter to your art
a woman sitting in front of a computer screen with the words how to add glitter to your art
How to create glitter texture in tutorial; Video tutorial
How to create glitter texture in tutorial; Video tutorial
How to Make a Glitter Texture in Procreate - Maple Tree Makery
How to Make a Glitter Texture in Procreate - Maple Tree Makery
Procreate Glitter!!
Procreate Glitter!!
an image that is being edited in photoshopped
an image that is being edited in photoshopped
How to color glitter (easy step-by-step tutorial)
How to color glitter (easy step-by-step tutorial)
the glitter effect is being used to create this craft project for children's art and crafts
the glitter effect is being used to create this craft project for children's art and crafts
glitter brushes procreate | GLITTER TEXTURE | ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR TUTORIAL FOR BEGINNERS
glitter brushes procreate | GLITTER TEXTURE | ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR TUTORIAL FOR BEGINNERS
how to create Glitter text effect easy way in adobe Illustrator / clipping mask in Illustrator
how to create Glitter text effect easy way in adobe Illustrator / clipping mask in Illustrator

Duplicating and Scaling

We'll start by duplicating our circle and scaling it down. Select the tool () and hold down to duplicate your circle. With the duplicate still selected, use the tool () to scale it down by decreasing its width and height.

For each new circle, apply a different gradient color. This creates variations in your glitter, making it look more natural and less uniform.

Distorting Shapes

To give your glitter that certains, we'll distort some of our shapes. Distortions can be subtle, such as gently pulling on the corners of a circle, or more pronounced, like pulling and stretching the shape into an oval or teardrop.