Making these types of vector images

Question

I've always been interested in creating 'vector' images like the ones seen here:

For example, the clinking glasses, the fireworks, and the firework rocket. They always have a nice symmetry, they're obviously not drawn with some kind of brush tool, and they don't just use basic shapes. Are they really just made with Adobe Illustrator or something?

Is there a specific name for that kind of vector image I can search for, or a tutorial to make that kind of thing or anything, something like that? I tried Illustrator once and I was lost and confused, I looked up tutorial but I couldn't find anything on how to make vectors like the ones seen in the above image.

(Since we're on the topic of the image, I've also always wondered how you make or generate images like in the background...)

Answer 1

Its called flat design, normally used for icons and lots of symbology/aesthetics. Yes, usually they start with basic shapes, believe it or not, and after getting the basic result the tweak it to make it look more "accurate" to what they want.

Just did this example in 5 mins (so its not detailed at all, bare with me), but it has the logic.

Answer 2

Yes, made with vector drawing tools.

You don’t always draw the graphic with a pen. You can also take an approach that is like working with construction paper, cutting out various shapes and sticking them together with glue to make more complex shapes. In vector drawing, you create circles and rectangles and other simple shapes and use commands like Union and Punch to combine the simpler shapes into more complex shapes. Then you might select nodes and refine your final drawing. Ultimately, your final complex shape will be as simple as it can be. That is why this approach is used a lot in icon design where you are looking for simplicity.

The background in your example is just triangles with gradients. Ideally, you would create something like this with a script, but you could also generate the triangles and gradients manually, creating one triangle and duplicating it, flipping it horizontally and/or vertically, skewing it and/or resizing it, and coloring each with a gradient fill.