Isometric art adds a sense of depth and structure to your game’s visuals all without diving into full 3D. It’s perfect for building everything from cozy towns to tactical maps and sleek UI elements. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create an isometric grid in Illustrator, ideal for laying out game environments, UI elements, or icons.
What You’ll Need:
Adobe Illustrator (any recent version will do, but CC 2020+ is recommended)
A basic understanding of Illustrator tools like the Rectangle Tool, Transform, and Layers
⏱️ Total Estimated Time: 15–20 minutes
Why Use Isometric Grids for Games?
Isometric grids simulate 3D depth using a 2D perspective. This gives your game scenes a unique visual appeal without needing true 3D rendering. They’re especially popular in:
Tactical RPGs
City builders
Puzzle games
Inventory/UI design
Step-by-Step: Creating an Isometric Grid in Illustrator
Step 1: Set Up Your Document
Open Adobe Illustrator.
Go to File → New, and create a document with 800×800 pixels.
Step 2: Use Rectangular Grid Tool
You’re going to use the rectangular grid tool to create your basis.
Go to the bottom left and click on the three dots “…”.
Select the Rectangular Grid Tool.
Hold Shift and draw a perfect squared grid from top right corner to bottom left that covers all 800x800px.
If this does not work for you, you can also click to bring up the Rectangular Grid Tool Options and write in your preferred size manually.
You should now have a grid of rectangles that covers your entire canvas!
Step 3: Scale Your Grid
Now we are going to scale the grid vertically!
Right click the grid and go to Transform > Scale
Select “Non-Uniform”.
Enter for:
Horizontal: 100%
Vertical: 86,602%
Select in Options: “Scale Corners” and “Scale Strokes & Effects”.
Click Ok.
Step 4: Set Shear & Rotate
Right click the grid and go to Transform > Shear
Change the Shear Angle to 30°.
Click Ok.
Right click the grid and go to Transform > Rotate
Change the Angle to minus 30°.
Click Ok.
Step 5: Make Guide or Export
Now we are almost done! The last thing missing is either to create guides or export as PNG.
If you want to continue working in Illustrator:
Go to the top and click View > Guides > Make Guides.
If not:
Go to File > Export Selection.
Click on “Asset 1” which should be your grid.
Click Export Asset.
Now you have either a Guide inside of Illustrator or a PNG you can use for Photoshop or any other Software!
Want to Skip the Manual Work?
Don’t worry! Sometimes things need to go fast and we know that from own experience! You can download the PNG grid from the tutorial right here!
Design your isometric tile in vector or large canvas sizes like 500×433.
Keep all math exact.
Export assets as raster PNGs at the needed size, use tools like Illustrator, Aseprite, or Photoshop’s “Export As”.
Avoid rounding errors in engine by snapping positions to a grid or tilemap system.
✨ Ready to Build Something Bigger?
Now that you’ve set up your isometric grid you can get started crafting your game art! You’re one step closer to creating a world of your own. But turning that vision into a fully-funded, playable reality? That’s where we come in.
Gentleland is a premium community and support system built for game developers who want more than just tutorials. We help you get funding, build your audience, and turn your project into a business. Even when you are just starting or scaling up, we provide the structure, resources, and creative momentum to keep you moving.
Explore Gentleland’s Live Demo, New Roadmap, and Kickstarter. Your game deserves more than a grid. It deserves direction.
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