BlogmyQuery – BMQ

Business icons are one of the most poplar vector illustrations. As with all vectors in general, business icons are scalable which makes them perfect for use in web design. The best way to create an icon is to use one of the vector based programs, such as Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, etc. We are going to create an interesting business icon that consists of two arrows and a globe in this Adobe Illustrator tutorial. The techniques we are going to describe is applicable for creation other kinds of illustrations as well.

So, let’s get down to business.

This is what we will be creating.

Creating the Globe

Before we create the globe we need to prepare a grid of parallels and meridians. It means we have to prepare the symbol that we’ll apply to the globe. The Blend Tool will help us do that.

Grab the Line Tool (/) from the Tool Panel and create a vertical line. Now, select Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and add an anchor point exactly in the middle of the line.

Select the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tool Panel, grab that anchor point and drag it to the left (don’t forget to hold the Shift key on the keyboard for straight dragging).

This way we have created a sharp corner. We need to smooth it out. Grab the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) from the Tool Panel, click on the anchor point and to drag it downwards (Shift for straight dragging).

Select the path and under Object select Transform > Reflect. Set the Axis to Vertical and hit the Copy button. It will create a mirror image of our path. Move the new path to the right (Shift for straight dragging).

Select both paths and under Object select Blend > Make. It will create more paths in the middle. To specify the exact number of the paths open Blend Options (Object > Blend > Blend Options). We’ll set the value for the Specified Steps to 17.

Grab the Line Tool (/) from the Tool Panel and create a horizontal line (Shift for straight dragging), as shown on the picture below.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the line and place it as pictured.

Select both horizontal lines and under the Object select Blend > Make. Set the value for Specified Steps to 9.

Select all the elements we’ve created so far and Group them (Ctrl / Cmd + G). Grab the group of elements and drag it to the Symbol Panel. Symbol Options window will pop up. Set the name to Grid, make sure to set the Type to Graphic and hit the OK button.

Now we have created a symbol which we’ll use to apply to our globe.

Creating the Globe

First of all, we have to create a circle. Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create a circle (don’t forget to hold the Shift key on the keyboard for the proper circle).

With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the anchor on the left side and hit the Delete key on the keyboard to remove it. You should end up with something like this.

Under Effect select 3D > Revolve.

Under the 3D Revolve Options box make sure to set the Surface to Diffuse Shading and then hit the Map Art button. This is the where we are going to apply the symbol we created to our sphere.

In the Symbol drop down Menu select the symbol of the grid we have already made. Make sure to hit Scale to Fit button. It will apply the grid symbol properly.

You should end up with something like this.

Now we need to apply some nice color gradients. To be able to do that, first we have to turn our object into editable shapes. Under Object select Expand Appearance. Then we need to Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl/ Cmd + G) the object. Be ready to repeat that action a few times, until you “separate” the sphere from the grid. When you achieve that select the sphere (you’ll notice that it contains many concentric circles) and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Unite button. This will turn the circles into a single one.

Set the Fill color for the grid to #61D4E0.

We are going to apply a nice blue radial gradient to the circle. It will turn our circle into a nice blue sphere.

There is one more thing we should add to the globe. Select the Rectangle Tool (M) from the Tool Panel and create the ellipse. Set its Fill color to white (#FFFFFF) and place it as it shown on the picture below.

Set the Opacity of the new ellipse to 26%.

Our globe is ready for some nice arrows. Before we create them don’t forget to Group (Ctrl / Cmd + G) all the elements of the globe together.

Creating the Arrows

To create nice 3D arrows we will be using 3D effect Revolve. It will help us to fold the arrow around the globe. So, lets get started. First we will create the shape of the arrow.

Grab the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle, as it’s shown on the picture below.

Now, grab the Star Tool from the Tool Panel and click on the Artboard. The Star Options window will pop up. Set the value for Points to 3 and hit the OK button.

It will create a triangle. Rotate it and place it as it show on the picture below. Align the shapes by using Vertical Align Center under the Align Panel.

When you are satisfied with the result under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Unite button. It will turn both shapes into the arrow shape.

Drag the arrow to the Symbol Panel and name it Arrow. Set the Type to Graphic. This way we are creating the symbol of the arrow which we’ll be using later.

Now, grab the Rectangle Tool (M) from the Tool Panel and create a rectangle, as pictured.

Under the Effects select 3D > Revolve. Check the Preview box in order to be able to see what are we doing. Under the Revolve Options box click on the Map Art button.

You will notice that the cylinder contains three sides. Upper ellipse, lower ellipse and the lateral side of the cylinder. Switch between sides, and when you select the lateral side of cylinder select the arrow in the drop down menu for Symbol. Also, make sure to check Invisible Geometry. It will remove the cylinder shape and only the arrow will be visible.

Feel free to play with the size and the rotation of the arrow, until you reach the right angle and position.

When you reach a desirable result hit the OK button. We can also change the rotation of the invisible cylinder in order to find the best position for our arrow by rotating the cube in the 3D Revolve Options box.

Now we have to turn our arrow into an editable shape. Select the shape with the arrow and under Object hit Expand Appearance. You should end up with something like this.

Lets Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the new shape (we’ll have to do it more than once) and remove everything besides the arrow. This is what we should have by now (blue color is changed to be able to see the result clearly).

Take a good look at the arrow. See if there are any unnecessary anchor points and remove them.

Now we have to turn the arrow into a 3D shape. Select both parts of the arrow and duplicate them (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F). Using the arrow keys on the keyboard nudge the copies a few pixels to the right and then downwards. You should end up with something like this.

We have to connect some shapes now. Grab the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) from the Tool Panel and add few anchor points.

With the Direct Selection Tool (A) grab the new anchor point and move it to the lower corner of the green shape.

Repeat this step for the other corners of the arrow as well.

To be able to create a glossy arrow with lots of reflected parts, we’ll have to divide some parts of the arrow. Select the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create the path as it’s shown in the picture. We will use the path to divide the red part of the arrow. Just select them both (red shape and the green path) and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Divide button. It will split the red shape exactly in half. Don’t forget to Ungroup it (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G).

And, now our arrow is ready to get some nice colors.

Applying the Color Gradients

In this part of the tutorial we will try to achieve a nice glossy look for the arrow.

To start we will apply some nice linear gradients.

Use a radial gradient for lateral side.

We can also divide the inner part of the arrow. Just create another path using the Pen Tool (P) and divide the inner side of the arrow. Apply a nice radial gradient to both sides.

We can also make some additional shapes that will help us to create the glossy look of the arrow. Select the right upper side of the arrow and under Object select Path > Offset Path. Set the value for Offset to -3 and hit the OK button.

With the Direct Selection Tool (A) move the upper side of the new shape. Just select the upper anchor points and move them upwards, as shown below.

Apply a nice linear gradient to the new shape.

We can do the same thing with the left side of the arrow. You should end up with something like this.

In order to create more light reflections we will divide some other parts of the arrow as well. Grab the Line Tool (/) from the Tool Panel and create a few random lines.

Use each of the lines to divide the surface underneath the line. Just select the line and the shape you want to divide and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Divide button.

Apply a green radial gradient to the new shape, just make sure to create a sharp transition, just as it’s shown in the pictures below.

Repeat this step for the other shapes as well. It will create nice light reflections.

Some nice edge highlights will give our illustration a real glossy look.

The Final Touch

Now we will combine our globe with the arrows. To be able to set the two arrows in the right place we will have to learn to draw a Clipping Mask. A Clipping Mask is actually a random shape without the Fill and Stroke colors which allows us to hide some parts of the illustration.

Let’s get down to business.

Place the arrow on the top of the globe (as pictured). Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the arrow and send the copy behind the globe (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + [). You should end up with something like this.

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and draw a shape similar to this.

When you are drawing the shape for the Clipping Mask keep in mind what parts of the arrows needs to be visible (everything inside the path will remain visible). Also make sure to follow the shape of the globe in order to avoid overlapping the globe and the part of the arrow that needs to be behind it.

When you are satisfied with the shape of the Clipping Mask remove the Stroke color, select the globe and the arrow and under the right click select Make Clipping Mask.

This action will hide all parts of the arrow outside the Clipping Mask. This way we have created the illusion that the arrow is "sitting" on the globe.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the green arrow behind the globe, Bring it to the Front (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + ]) and change the color to red. Using the Reflection feature under Object > Transform > Reflect flip the arrow upside down by using reflection on a Horizontal and Vertical axis. You should end up with something like this.

Repeat the steps for creating the Clipping Mask and you should get something like this.

Feel free to create a few more shadows and some sparks…

…and we are done!

The Conclusion

Glad that you went through the entire tutorial. It will help you to create a really interesting web icon that can be used for different kinds of purposes (business, environment, communication, etc). Using this technique you can actually do other kinds of illustrations as well.

Just feel free to be creative and to explore the other possibilities. Hope you like this tutorial. Thank you for following along.

(rb)

Over the years, Adobe Illustrator has become one of the top applications for creating vector illustrations. There is almost nothing you can’t make in Illustrator. It is a powerful tool for creating vectors for all kind of logos, websites, icons, business cards, print materials, etc. One of the best features of the vector format is its ability to scale up or down to any size without any loss in quality (unlike raster illustrations).

But let’s not forget that Adobe Illustrator is complex software. Despite all of its advantages, Illustrator demands a lot of skill, work, time and patience. The software will not generate effects automatically; excellent effects are the result of trying and testing different settings. Trial and error is an effective method in achieving the desired result. Creating realistic vector illustrations in Adobe Illustrator can be fun, but it can also give you a headache if you can tell something’s missing from an illustration but don’t know how to get it.

Here is a list of things to consider when creating stunning vector illustrations:

• Perspective,
• Smooth lines,
• Colors,
• Edge highlights,
• Reflections,
• Shadows.

Stick To Perspective

When it comes to drawing realistic vector illustrations, perspective is paramount in importance. If you ignore perspective, the illustration will look flat and distorted and lack depth.

The most important aspects of perspective are size and distance. The farther away an object is, the smaller it will appear, and vice versa. By increasing and decreasing size in this way, you can achieve good depth in your illustrations.

There are a several methods of drawing perspective.

Perspective Grid

One very useful way is to use a perspective grid, which is a new feature in Illustrator CS5. Establishing a horizon and the vanishing point is part of this. The perspective grid in Illustrator is an editable tool, so it can be adapted to suit one’s purpose. You can change the perspective simply by dragging the corner nodes of the grid. You can make the vanishing point longer or shorter and change the number of boxes in the grid. Being able to adapt the working environment to your needs will make it easy for you to do advanced drawings.

Extrude and Bevel

Some people have trouble seeing and presenting perspective in the first place. In this case, I would recommend “Extrude and Bevel,� which is a convenient tool for creating 3-D objects. You can set a value for “Perspective� in the “Extrude and Bevel� options box (either type in a value or drag the slider over). Expanding an object will make it editable. Because the Extrude and Bevel effect gives you an object with many parts and anchor points, it is highly recommended that you use that object as the reference for tracing with the Pen tool (P). This way, you’ll create clean and simple vector illustrations without any unwanted parts or any anchor points that are an obstacle in the printing process.

If you have imagination and some skill, you will be able to draw an illustration based on an estimation of perspective. Of course, this method is not quite precise.

But adding perspective alone is obviously not enough to create stunning artwork.

Using The Pen Tool For Smoother Lines

Creating shapes in Illustrator shouldn’t be complicated. To draw paths and curves, either use the Pen tool (P) or simply combine objects with Pathfinder features such as “Unite,� “Minus Front,� “Subtract,� “Intersect,� etc. Because the paths contain numerous anchor points, you will have to adjust them to create smooth lines. Anchor points are highly editable and can be adjusted with a few excellent tools. You can change the position of the path just by editing one anchor point. This takes a lot of practice; you’ll need a steady hand and patience.

Live tracing is one effective way to create vector illustrations. Try to complete a drawing with as few anchor points as possible; avoid adding anchor points at shorter intervals just to maintain the smoothness. To get smooth lines, make sure that the handle of the anchor point forms a tangent on the curve (i.e. inner or outer tangent). You can always add or remove anchor points by going to the “Add Anchor Point� (+) and “Delete Anchor Point� tools (-).

“Convert Anchor Point� (Shift + C) allows you to make changes on the anchor points themselves. With this amazing tool, you will be able to change the angle of the handle, thus enabling you to change the path of the lines. Whereas adjusting just one side of the handle will result in an angular shape.

Coloring

This part of the creative process is quite fun, but still demanding. Choosing the right colors can be a challenge. First, you have to determine what style you want. Gentle and pastel colors might work for retro illustrations, which would be rather simple and two-dimensional.

If you want to get photo-realistic, you might want more vivid colors. Good contrast can make the artwork stunning. If you don’t know how to mix and match colors, Adobe has a great website with color swatches and beautiful combinations.

There is also a swatch library in Adobe Illustrator, where you can find a lot of useful swatches and even create your own and save for future projects.

Gradients

When it comes to coloring, applying linear and radial gradients is the best way to show light sources and to give depth to your artwork. Establishing the position and angle of the light source is the first step in the coloring process. Shadows and highlights should be added according to the source of the light. Dark colors will simulate shadows and shade, while light colors will create highlights.

Besides creating shadows and highlights, gradients are the great way to simulate shape. Using color, you can give volume to an object or character. Use as many colors as you’d like to build a gradient, but just blend them well; otherwise, you’ll end up with harsh color transitions. If you tend to blend colors effectively, then try out the different “Blending Modes,� such as “Multiply,� “Overlay,� “Screen� and “Light.�

Linear gradients are mostly used to present a plane. Radial gradients are suited to ovals and round shapes.

Transitions between colors in gradients can be smooth or sharp. Smooth transitions are convenient for representing shade, shapes and forms. Sharp transitions are good for simulating gold, steel, chrome and other metals (i.e. for representing the reflection of light on these metals).

Gradient Mesh Tool

Because gradients are limited to linear and radial shapes, we sometimes have to find ways to use gradients in unconventional ways. Creating a gradient for an irregular shape is complex, because it involves blending colors between uneven forms with the use of linear and radial gradients. This can be a lot of work, but the Gradient Mesh tool is handy for this purpose.

The Gradient Mesh tool is a powerful tool that enables you to split up any part of an object by adding editable points and applying solid colors to those points. This way, you are able to create a gradient that follows the actual shape of the illustration.

While gradients make illustrations more realistic, there is always room for improvement. A great illustration is made up of many well-integrated details. Mixing and matching colors and shapes is not easy, but it does lead to a beautiful result.

Highlighting The Edges

When you are done with the gradients, your illustration should be ready for some nice edges. There are a few ways to create them. If your illustration has straight edges, the best way to highlight them is with the Pen tool (P). This enables you to create simple shapes that can be blended (via gradients) with the rest of the illustration. Or you can create a sharp white edge and turn it into the reflection using a low-opacity setting. Either way, you will be emphasizing the shape of the object.

Creating a highlight for curves is not much different. The most important thing is to make the shape of the highlight follow the shape of the object. The Pathfinder panel has a lot of features for creating curved highlights; doing it with the Pen tool alone would be tricky.

Reflections

Besides edge highlights and shade, light sources can create many reflections and shadows. Take a good look around you and you’ll see all kinds of reflections: on glass, plastic, wood, metal, clay, even in liquid. Reflections come in various forms. The most important thing, again, is to follow the shape of the object. For those skilled with the Pen tool, curved highlights shouldn’t be a problem. If you are unsure how to draw highlights with the Pen tool, try combining different shapes in the Pathfinder panel.

Even though the most common color for reflections is white, with reduced opacity, try out different color combinations.

Highlights are useful for showing off the material of an object. With a careful color combination and reflections in the right places, you can simulate the look of a surface quite well. The result is a nice illustration with a glossy surface.

The Final Touch: Shadows

The main purpose of a shadow is to create an illusion of three-dimensionality. Without shadows, the illustration is not really complete. The shadow “defines� the illustration in a way. Like reflections, shadows are created by the influence of light sources. The intensity or softness of the shadow depends on the distance between the object and the light source. A light source above an object will cover almost the entire object. Uncovered parts of the object will cast shadows on surfaces below and on objects nearby.

You can create a shadow with a solid color (for a sharp shadow) or with a linear or radial gradient (for a soft shadow).

If your object is complex, the best way to create a shadow that follows the entire shape of the object is to use the Blending tool.

There is one rule about the Blending tool, and that is to create two objects or paths with the exact same number of anchor points. This way, you ensure that every anchor point on one object (or path) has a corresponding anchor point on the other object (or path). The result will be a shadow with nice color transition.

Summary

Although there are just six rules to follow, there is the danger of too much detail. Try not to exaggerate the details, or else the illustration could look messy and overcrowded.

Light is your greatest ally. It will lead you through the whole creation process, connecting the different parts of the illustration and making them come alive.

Just keep the illustration simple and clean to minimize mistakes.

(al)(rb)

Today’s Adobe Illustrator tutorial will walk you through creating a nice greeting card for the upcoming Christmas holiday. In order to create nice, colorful presents to stuff a Christmas sock we will combine different kinds of tools, such as; the Pen Tool, Mesh Tool, Ellipse Tool and the Rectangle Tool.

Besides that we will have the opportunity to mix and match some vivid colors and gradients in order to create a catchy illustration to suit our needs. We will have a great fun exploring some nice techniques during the creation process. So, get ready to create a nice Christmas illustration.

This is how the final product will look.

Creating the Sock

For the basic shape of the Christmas sock we will be using a Pen Tool (P). Grab it from the Tool Panel and try to draw the shape of a distorted sock. Don’t forget, the sock looks little bit distorted because it is full of presents. Feel free to experiment with the shape, trying to achieve the look like there is actually something inside the sock.

To achieve the look of a distorted Christmas sock full of presents we will be using a Mesh Tool. It will allow us to play around with the shape of the sock by creating interesting shadows and highlights.

Grab the Mesh Tool (U) and start adding the anchor points. You don’t have to add all anchor points at once. After applying the colors you’ll be able to see the illustration more clearly and to decide whether to add or remove some anchor points. All anchor points are editable. You can change their positions and the length of the paths between anchor points. While you are doing this think about all the fabric wrinkles you are intending to create.

After adding all the anchor points grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tool Panel and adjust the position of the anchor points and the angle of their handles. This way you’ll be able to change the position of the paths, which will affect the spreading of the colors which we’ve applied to a particular anchor point.

On the following pictures you can monitor applying colors process.

The animation below is showing the rest of the coloring process.

Feel free to adjust the position of all the anchor points after applying colors, if needed.

Creating the Upper Part of the Christmas Sock

Now we will try to create the fluffy upper part of the Christmas sock. To do that we will use the Arc Tool.

Grab the Arc Tool from the Tool Panel and click somewhere on the Artboard. In the Arc Segment Tool Options box just hit the Ok button (don’t change anything).

Set the Stroke color to white #FFFFFF and make sure to create many copies of the path. Move them around to form the fluffy part of the sock. You should end up with something like this.

Place the fluffy part we have just created on the top of the sock.

Creating the Presents

In this part of tutorial we will create the elements to ‘fill’ the Christmas sock with. First we will create the Christmas ball.

For the basic shape of the Christmas ball we will be using the Ellipse Tool (L). Holding the Shift key on the keyboard create a circle.

Let’s apply a nice radial gradient to our circle. Feel free to use any color combination you like. We will use a nice purple gradient.

Grab the Rectangle Tool (M) from the Tool Panel and create a rectangle as it is shown in the picture below. Use the same radial gradient we have used in the previous step.

We will need to use the Rectangle Tool (M) one more time for the top of the Christmas ball. Create another rectangle, a bit larger, but make sure to make the upper part of the rectangle a bit curvy. To achieve that just grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tool Panel and pull the handles of the endpoints upwards, as it is shown in the picture below. This will create a nice curvy side of the rectangle.

Now grab the Ellipse Tool (L) again and create a circle. Holding the Alt / Option key on the keyboard click on the circle and drag it to the right. It will create a copy of the circle. Don’t forget to hold the Shift key on the keyboard for the straight dragging. Repeat this step four more times.

In order to create an equal distance between the circles select them all and under the Align Panel hit the Horizontal Distribute Space. You should end up with something like this.

Select the blue shape and one of the circles and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button. Repeat this step with the rest of the red circles.

You should end up with something like this.

Now, grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create another circle. Remove the Fill color and set the Stroke color to any color you like. Set the stroke to 4pt.

Let’s apply some nice golden gradients to the upper part of the Christmas ball . This will give our ball a fancy look. But first we have to turn the red circle into an editable path. Select the red circle and under Object select Expand and send the ring to the back (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + [). This way we will hide the lower part of the ring we actually don’t need.

In the following pictures you will find the information about applying a golden, linear gradient.

For the handle of the Christmas ball use the same linear gradient, just move gradient more to the left (to do that, select the Gradient Tool (G) from the Tool Panel and after applying the gradient grab the slider and move it to the left).

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the handle twice and nudge one of the copies 1 pixel down and to the left. Select both copies and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button (just make sure that the nudged copy is below the copy we didn’t move).

You should end up with something like this.

Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the new shape and delete the lower part. Under the Gradient Panel make sure to click on the Reverse Gradient in order to change the color order inside the gradient.

This way we’ve created a depth for the handle. Just make sure to place the new shape behind the golden handle. You should end up with something like this.

Now we have to do something with the part of the Christmas ball between the actual ball and the upper part. You will all agree that it shouldn’t be left like that.

One of the things we might do is to hide it with a nice blue bow. There are many different ways to create a nice bow. Just use your imagination and try to be creative.

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and draw the shapes as shown below.

These are the basic shapes we will need. With some nice gradients and additional shapes we will create a nice blue bow that will help us complete our Christmas ball.

Use the radial gradient for the knot. We will try to emphasize the upper part of the knot with the light blue color.

Use the same radial gradient for the inner part of the bow as well.

Select all the elements besides the knot, and under Object select Transform > Reflect. Set the Axis to Vertical and hit the Copy button. Scale down the copied elements a bit and adjust the angle and the position, just like in the picture below.

Now we have to add some details in order to make the bow more interesting.

First, we will create a thickness for the fabric. For each part of the bow use the same technique.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the shape twice that you want to give some thickness. Nudge one of the copies 1 pixel (downwards, upwards, right or left, depends on the position of the shape). Select both copies and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button. In the picture below you can see the improvement we have achieved with this technique.

There is one more thing we can do. We can create some nice yellowish stripes which can make our bow even more interesting.

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create a curved paths as is done in the picture below.

It might look a little bit confusing like this but in the next few steps we will make it more clear.

First we need to turn the paths into editable shapes. To do that, select them all and under Object select Expand.

Now we need to crop them. Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the blue shape underneath the red stripe. Select the copy we have just made and the red stripe and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Intersect button.

Repeat this step for the other red stripes as well. You should end up with something like this.

And now we will apply a nice linear gradient to our stripes.

Repeat this step to complete the other stripes as well. Use the same gradient, just make sure to match the highlighted part of the stripe with the rest of the bow. Group (Ctrl / Cmd + G) all elements of the bow.

Place the bow on the Christmas ball, just make sure to hide the flaw the best you can.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the bow. Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the copy and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Unite button.

Set the Fill color of the new shape to #4C0230, rotate a bit, move around and make sure to place it underneath the actual bow.

Select the basic shape of the Christmas ball and duplicate it (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F). Select the copy we have just made and the purple shape of the bow and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Intersect button. It will create the shape of a shadow that the bow is casting on the Christmas ball.

Creating a Candy Cane

Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create a circle. Remove the Fill color and set the Stroke color to any color you like.

With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the bottom Anchor point and hit the delete key on your keyboard. You should end up with something like this.

Now select the Line Segment Tool (/) and draw a vertical line. Select both objects and in the Align Panel hit Horizontal Align Right.

Hit the up arrow on the keyboard until the vertical lines meet the arc. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the end points of both paths and under the right click select Join.

Now we need to set the thickness of the candy cane. Set the Stroke to 50 pt and under the Stroke Panel hit the Round Cap button. It will make the endpoints of the Candy Cane round.

Under Object select Expand in order to turn the Candy Cane into an editable shape. You should end up with something like this.

Creating the Stripes

This part of the creation process is quite simple. All we have to do is to create white and red stripes and to make sure to make them look as though they curve around the Candy Cane.

Grab the Arc Tool and click somewhere on the Artboard. It will bring up a dialog box like this.

Do not change the settings in the Arc Segment Tool Option box and hit the OK button. It will create an arc. Rotate it and place it as it shown in the picture below.

Holding the Alt / Option key on the keyboard click on the arc and drag it upwards (don’t forget to hold the Shift key on the keyboard for the straight dragging). Feel free to rotate some of the arcs if needed. Repeat this step until you get something like this.

Select all the elements and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Divide button. It will divide our Candy Cane into the small segments whose colors we’ll change to white and red.

Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the candy cane and get ready to apply some nice linear and radial gradients.

Applying Color Gradients to the Candy Cane

We will try to achieve a semi-realistic look by using some very nice color gradients. The most important thing is to highlight the middle part of the Candy cane. This way we will simulate the oval look of the cane.  For curved parts of the candy cane we will be using a radial gradient.

To the white parts of the candy cane we will apply a gray – white – gray linear gradient.

Apply the same gradient to the other white parts of the candy cane as well. For the curved part use a radial gradient with the exact same colors.

You should end up with something like this.

Let’s do the same thing for the red parts of the candy cane. Apply a red linear gradient for the straight parts of the candy cane, and a red radial gradient for the curved parts.

Our candy cane is done. We can add a small detail like a colorful bow to make it look more interesting.

Next Stop: Mistletoe

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a little mistletoe. This is the reason why we will include it in our illustration. The creation process is quite simple, all we have to do is create a few berries and some nice green leaves.

Let’s start with the leaves. For the shape of the leaf we will be using the Pen Tool (P). Try to draw the shape as shown below.

Remove the Stroke color and apply a nice green linear gradient.

Let’s “divideâ€� the leaf. Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create a small circle. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the lower anchor point of the circle, and holding the Shift key on the keyboard drag that anchor point downwards (we are holding the Shift key for the straight dragging). In order to create a sharp corner, grab the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) from the Tool Panel and click one the lower anchor point.

Grab the shape we have just created and drag it to the Brush Panel. In the New Brush dialog box select Art Brush and hit OK.

Make sure to set the Colorization Method to Tints. This way we’ll be able to change the color of the brush without expanding the brush.

Now we have created a brush that we’ll apply to some paths. Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create few paths, just like it’s shown in the picture below.

Now apply the brush, that we have created in the previous step, to each individual path. Adjust the position of the anchor points, adjust the stroke if needed and set the Stroke color to #8DC63F.

Select the shape of the mistletoe and under Object select Path > Offset Path. Set the value for Offset to -4.

Select the middle path we created in the previous step and duplicate it (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F). Grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tool Panel and move the end points as it is in the picture below. This way we’ve created a path that will help us divide the smaller shape of the mistletoe.

Select the new path and the smaller shape of the mistletoe and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Divide button. It will divide our shape in half.

Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the new shape and apply some nice color gradients to the right side of the mistletoe.

We will use the left part to create a smaller shape. Select it and under Object hit Path > Offset Path. Set the value for Offset to -4.

Delete the larger part of the left side and apply the color gradient.

Select all elements of the mistletoe leaf and Group them (Ctrl / Cmd + G). Grab the Rotate Tool (R) from the Tool Panel and holding the Alt / Option key on the keyboard click underneath the leaf. Set the value for Angle to 120 degrees and hit the Copy button.

To create another leaf rotated for another 120 degrees simply hit the shortcut on the keyboard Ctrl / Cmd + D.

As far as the mistletoe leaves are concerned we are done. Now we have to create some berries.

Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create a circle (hold the Shift key on the keyboard to create a circle). Apply a red radial gradient.

With the Ellipse Tool (L) create two ellipses and apply darker radial gradients, like it is shown in the image below.

Group (Ctrl / Cmd + G) all the elements of the berry, create three copies of the berry and place them on the leaves. Scale down some of the leaves and berries and rearrange them until you reach a desirable result.

Now Group (Ctrl / Cmd + G) all of our elements for the Christmas sock (Christmas ball, candy cane and the mistletoe) and place it “inâ€� the sock. Adjust the position and the angle of the elements as needed.

With a nice floral background and some additional details and shadows you can turn your illustration into a nice Christmas greeting card. Voila!

Conclusion

As you can see, the creation of the Christmas greeting card can be great fun. Christmas is an amazing holiday characterized by many wonderful motives and elements. There are numerous things you may create; snowflakes, gingerbread, presents, snowmen, etc. The creation of these elements require the use of different kinds of techniques, but all together you are making a catchy illustration which can be used for many different purposes.

This time we’ve had the opportunity to practice again with the Mesh Tool. For more practice feel free to visit the Halloween ghost tutorial where you can find some additional information regarding this useful technique. It may seem that the Mesh Tool is complicated to use, but actually it’s not. Even when the illustration is finished it is possible to make minor or major changes in order to make improvements.

If you happen to have any questions feel free to post them in the comment section below. Hope you like the tutorial. Thank you for following along.

(rb)

Holidays are arriving. One of the most necessary things for gift wrapping is the ribbon. Today we will be learning how to create a vector illustration of a beautiful red ribbon in Adobe Illustrator. All you need is the Pen Tool, 3D effect Extrude & Bevel and a good taste in color selection. This could be a nice practice for less skilled Pen Tool users.

This is what we will be creating.

Creating the Bow

We will start with the Pen Tool (P). Select it from the Tool Panel and create a shape as it is shown in the picture below. We will use this shape to complete the inner part of the bow.

With the Pen Tool (P) still selected draw another shape.

Make sure to match the sides of both the shapes.

Under Object select Path > Offset Path. Set the value for Offset to -2 pt.

This is the basic shape of the bow. To complete it we need to apply some nice gradients.

Gradients

For the inner part of the bow we will be using a radial gradient.

For the outer part of the bow we will be using a linear gradient. Make sure to use the right angle when you are applying linear gradient.

You can notice how we’ve used the lighter colors to emphasize the influence of the light and to simulate the silk look of the ribbon.

Shadow

If you take a look at the inner part of the bow you will notice that we’ve simulated a soft shadow that is caused by upper part of the bow. Besides this soft shadow we will create a sharp one as well.

Duplicate (Ctrl + C, Ctrl + F) the small shape that represents the inner part of the bow. Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create an ellipse as it shown in the picture below.

Select both shapes and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button. Set the color of the new shape to #7E0022.

Select all the elements we have created so far and Group them (Ctrl / Cmd + G). Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) this group and move it upwards. Rotate it a little bit as well in order to place it in the right spot.

Although our illustration looks nice like this we will make a few changes. We are all aware how difficult it is to tie a bow with symmetrical sides. This is the reason why we are going to distort the copy we have just made. First of all remove the sharp shadow on the inner side of the bow. Remove the smaller part of the inner side of the bow as well. You should end up with something like  this.

Select the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tool Panel and start to move around anchor points until you get something you like. This is one of the possible results.

We need to create two things in order to complete this part of the bow. One of them is the inner part of the bow. Select the pink shape and under the Object select Path > Offset Path. Set the value for the Offset to -2 pt. Don’t forget to apply the same radial gradient we’ve used in the previous step to complete the lower part of the bow.

Repeat one of the previous steps where we’ve explained how to create a sharp edge. You should end up with something like this.

We need one more shadow. Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create the shape as it shown on the picture below.

Set the Fill color of the new shape to #BF144A and place the shadow under the upper part of the ribbon.

We have to make sure to adjust the shape of the shadow to cast properly on the lower part of the ribbon. Our shadow crosses the border of the lower part of the bow. To fix, this duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the pink shape of the lower part of the bow. Select the shadow and the copy we have just made and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button. Just make sure to bring the copy of the pink shape to the Front. This way you’ll be able to create a nice form of the shadow.

Place the shadow underneath the upper part of the bow.

This way we have created one side of the bow. Let’s create the mirror image for the right side.

Select all the elements and Group them (Ctrl / Cmd + G). Under the Object select Transform > Reflect. Set the Axis to Vertical and hit the Copy button. Drag the copy we have just created to the right. Don’t forget to hold the Shift key on the keyboard for straight dragging.

You should end up with something like this.

Creating the Knot

We need a midpoint for the ribbon. This mean we need to create the knot. For this part of the illustration we will need the Pen Tool (P) again.

There are various shapes of the knot you can create. Feel free to be creative. Select the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create the shape as it shown on the picture below.

After you are done adjusting the shape of the knot apply a nice radial gradient as it is shown below.

For the knot we have to create the same thickness as we did for the bow. Select the shape of the knot and duplicate it (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F), set the Fill color of the copy to some other color (just to make sure that we are editing the right shape) and send it behind the actual shape of the knot (Ctrl / Cmd+[). Grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) and move the anchor points around a bit, as it is shown in the picture below.

Set the Fill color of the new shape to #F5A2C5.

You should end up with something like this.

Completing the Ribbon

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create the path as it shown on the picture below.

Under Effect select Extrude & Bevel.

These are the settings we have used in this tutorial. Feel free to play with settings until you reach a desired look.

Under Object select Expand Appearance in order to turn the path into an editable shape.

Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the red shape (since the shape contains many parts we will have to ungroup it several times) and prepare a nice linear gradient for the ribbon.

You can get more information about gradient use on the following pictures. Don’t forget to use lighter colors to emphasize the influence of the light and dark colors for the shadows.

 

Set the Fill color of the thickness to #F5A2C5.

Using the same technique complete the left side of the ribbon. Make a small color adjustment if needed, and we are done!

Conclusion

Today we have learned how to create a neat ribbon for gift wrapping. It includes a few very simple techniques such as drawing with the Pen Tool, using the right angle to apply gradients and some adjustments within 3D effects Extrude & Bevel. The main thing about this tutorial is to chose the right colors for your artwork. Ribbons and bows can be very colorful as well. Feel free to experiment and you might end up with some interesting results.

Hope you like this tutorial as well. Thank you for following along!

(rb)

In this tutorial we will be learning how to create a Magnifying glass in perspective in Adobe Illustrator. When it comes to creating semi-realistic vector illustrations the most important items are to find the easiest way to create them, make sure to create reliability and to try to keep from creating objects with too many anchor points in order to avoid an obstacle in the printing process.

In this tutorial we wont use some of the amazing Illustrator features within the 3D Effect. Using them would make the creation process much easier for sure, but on the other hand there are a few disadvantages we would like to avoid (creating numerous anchor points as previously mentioned). We will try to create a magnifying glass just with the Pen Tool (P) and a few ellipses. Some details will helps us to improve the illustration.

Let’s get down to business!

We will be creating this.

Creating the Head of the Magnifying Glass

Since we are creating a magnifying glass in perspective we will start with the ellipse. Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) and create the ellipse as it is shown in the picture below.

Grab the Selection Tool (V) and rotate this ellipse.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the ellipse and move the copy to the left.

With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the anchor point on the right side. Hit the Delete key on the keyboard to remove it. Make sure to match end points of the curved path and the red ellipse.

Now we have to close the path. Select the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel to close the path. Send the new shape behind the ellipse (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + [).

Select the ellipse and under the Object select Path > Offset Path. Set the value for Offset to -5 pt.

Repeat the previous step and offset the smaller ellipse for another -5 pt. Grab the Selection Tool (V) and move the smallest ellipse to the left lower corner, as it shown on the picture below.

Applying a Color Gradients

Now, it is time to apply some nice color gradients. We have to simulate the look of the metal frame and the look of the magnifying glass. On the following pictures you can see the information about color gradients you can use.

As you can see, a nice color contrast has contributed to the semi-realistic look of the metal frame.

To make the illustration more authentic there is one thing we should not forget, the metal part of the framework that can be seen through the glass.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the glass twice and move one of the copies to the left. Select both ellipses and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button.

You should end up with the shape like this.

Apply a linear gradient as it shown on the picture below. The gradient we are using for this part is actually the same gradient we have used for the inner part of the frame. We have adjusted the colors inside the gradient by giving them a nice bluish tone.

Two highlighted edges will improve the illustration. Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the ellipse twice that represents the inner part of the metal frame. Move one of the copies to the left 1 pixel. Select both copies under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button. Set the Fill color of the highlight to #FFFDE5.

We will create another highlight for the outer side of the metal frame.

Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create a small circle. Apply a radial white-transparent gradient.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the circle from the previous step and place it on the right part of the metal frame. It will emphasize the metal look of the frame a little bit.

Group (Ctrl / Cmd + G) all the elements.

Creating the Handle

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create the shape of the handle.

Apply the linear gradient to the handle. Just make sure to create the highlight that will follow the shape of the handle.

Select the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create two curved paths as it's shown on the picture below.

Select the handle and both paths and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Divide button.

Apply the linear gradient, but make sure to create the same highlight we have created for the handle.

Use the same technique to create one more metal part of the handle.

And our magnifying glass is done. To make the illustration more interesting we will create a nice bit of additional text.

Creating Magnified Text

Let's try to create a magnification effect. You can do it with any shape you like, but we will do it with text.

Grab the Type Tool (T) from the Tool Panel and type a word (we've used Noupe). You can choose any Font you like.

We will have to edit the letters a little bit. To be able to do that we have to transform them into editable shapes. Under the right click menu select Create Outlines.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the letters and Ungroup the copy (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G). Remove N and O from the copied word. Change the Fill color of the original letters to green (just to be able to see what we are doing, later we will set the Fill color back to black).

Select all three black letters (u, p and e), scale them up a little bit and move them to the right.

Under the Object select Envelope Distort > Make with Warp.

The Warp Options box will pop up. Set the Style to Fisheye  and the value for Bend to 25%. Hit the OK button.

If you are not quite happy with the result you have achieved, feel free to grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) and to adjust some anchor points. Under the Object select Expand. This way we will turn the letters back into an editable shape.

Now we have to duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the ellipse that represents the glass. Bring it to front (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + ]) and remove the Stroke and Fill colors. Select the ellipse and U, P, E letters and under the Object select Clipping Mask > Make.

Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the green letters and remove the p and e letters at the end of the word. Set the Fill color for the rest of the letters to black (#000000) and send them back (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + [).

For the end duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the black shape of the handle, apply a nice linear gradient (#FFFFFF to # BDBDBD) and place it as it shown in the picture below.

And our magnifying glass is done!

Conclusion

This tutorial can be a nice practice for creating objects in perspective. If you are unsure how to put all the elements together, feel free to use a reference image (tracing technique can help a lot in this situation). There is one more thing I would like to encourage you about. Take your time when you are applying color gradients. Instead of using Blending Modes and transparency try to simulate a certain look by using the right combination of colors and gradients (just like we did in this tutorial with the part of the metal frame seen through the glass).

If you have any comments or questions please post them in the comments section below. Really hope you like this tutorial. Thank you for following along.

(rb)