Showing posts with label Adobe Illustrator Tutorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adobe Illustrator Tutorial. Show all posts

Create A Mouthwatering Chocolate Covered Strawberry

Final Image

Below is the final image we will working towards

Tutorial Detail

  • Program: Adobe Illustrator CS4
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Topics Covered: Ellipse tool, Pencil tool, Pathfinder panel, Gradient panel, Custom Art Brush
  • Estimated Completion Time: 20-30 minutes

Step 1

Create a new document and create an ellipse with the Ellipse tool (L).

Step 2

With the Direct Selection tool (A), grab the bottom anchor point, hold down the Shift key (to constrain the movements), and drag it down about one quarter of the original size of the ellipse.

Step 3

With the Direct Selection tool (A), grab the top anchor point, hold down the Shift key, and drag it down about one eight the original size of the ellipse.

Step 4

Fill the new shape with a radial gradient from the Gradient panel. Change the first color stop in the gradient to red and the second color stop to a darker red.

Step 5

With the Gradient tool (G) adjust the radial gradient so the lightest part of the gradient is at the top of the shape.

Step 6

Create a small elongated ellipse toward to top center of the berry shape. Fill the ellipse with a linear gradient with the first color stop a light orange and the second color stop orange. Adjust the gradient with the Gradient tool (G) so the lightest part of the gradient is at the top of the ellipse.

Step 7

With the small ellipse selected, go Object > Path > Offset. Once the Offset dialog is open, change the Offset to 4 px. This measurement might be different depending on the dimensions of you artwork.

Step 8

Fill the offset ellipse with a linear gradient with the same reds as the main berry shape. Adjust the gradient so the darker part of the gradient is at the top of the shape.

Step 9

Select both shapes, Copy (Command + C), and Paste in Front (Command + F).  With the copy still selected, move it above and to the left of the original ellipse shapes.

Step 10

Repeat the previous steps placing copies of the small ellipses around the berry shape. When you are placing shapes close to the edge, rotate them with the Selection tool (V) to follow the curvature of the berry.

Step 11

For this next step we are going to use the Pencil tool (N) because it is a quick way to draw paths. Before we start drawing with the Pencil tool (N), it is a good idea to set some tool preferences so we can get a smooth line while drawing. First, double-click on the Pencil tool (N) in the Tools panel to bring up the Pencil Tool Options. The option that we are most concerned about is the Fidelity. I like to set mine at 5 pixels to ensure a smooth line. You can always play around with these settings if you don’t like the line path quality in the next step.

Step 12

Now that our Pencil tool (N) is set. start drawing a shape around four or five of the smaller ellipses. Hold down the Alt / Option key when you are almost done to connect the beginning and end points. With the new shape selected, go Object > Arrange > Send Backward (Command + ]) until the shape is behind all the small ellipses.

Step 13

Select all the small red-gradient ellipses encompassed by the pencil shape, go Object > Path > Offset, and change the Offset to 10 px.

Step 14

With the new offset ellipses still selected, hold shift, and select the pencil shape. From the pathfinder panel hold down Alt / Option and press the Minus Front button. Next, change the fill of the new shape to a light red color.

Step 15

With the Pencil tool (N) draw a organic shape encompassing the bottom half of the berry.

Step 16

Fill the new shape with a linear gradient. For this gradient we need to add an extra color stop. To do this, simply click on the middle of the Gradient Slider in the Gradient panel. Change the first color stop to light brown, the second to a dark brown, and the third to your first light brown. Next, select the middle color stop and change the Location to 70 in the Gradient panel.

Step 17

Select the chocolate shape and Copy (Command + C) and Paste in Front (Command + F). Do this one more time so you have three total shapes. Select the top copy and move it down and to the left slightly. Next, select the moved copy and the one underneath it and press the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Change the color of the new shape to a dark brown color.

Step 18

With the Pencil tool (N) draw a new highlight shape towards the bottom of the main chocolate shape. Fill the new shape with a linear gradient and make both color stops white. Change the opacity of the first color stop to 40 and the second color stop’s opacity to 15 from the Gradient panel.

Step 19

Create a couple more highlights around the top left curves of the main chocolate shape. Fill each new shape with the same white gradient as in the previous step.

Step 20

Create a couple more chocolate drops with the Pencil tool (N) and apply the same gradients as in the previous couple steps.

Step 21

Now we can move onto the leaves and stem of the strawberry. For the leaves we are going to create an custom Art Brush, making it easy and quick to create the leaves. To start, create an ellipse with the Ellipse tool (L).

Step 22

With the Direct Selction tool (A) grab the right anchor point of the ellipse and drag it right to about double the original width. With the point still selected, press the Convert to Corner button from the Control panel. Next, fill the shape with a green color.

Step 23

Copy (Command + C) and Paste in Front (Command + F) the ellipse shape twice. Select the top copy and move it down and to the left slightly. Select the two top copies and press the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Next, fill the shape with a light green color.

Step 24

Select the main green shape and (Command + C) and Paste in Front (Command + F) twice. With the Selection tool (V), move the top copy up about half way up the original shape and rotate it so the points of the shape touch. Select both top copies, press the Minus Front button, and change the fill to a dark green color.

Step 25

Select the main green shape and (Command + C) and Paste in Front (Command + F) twice. With the Selection tool (V) move the  shape up and rotate it slightly, select both top copies, press the Minus Front button, and change the fill to a darker green than the previous step.

Step 26

Select all the green shapes and drag them into the Brush panel. When the New Brush dialing opens, select the New Art Brush radial button. In the Art Brush Options keep all the default settings.

Step 27

Use the Brush tool (B) with the new art brush and draw a leaf on the top of the strawberry. You might have to change the stroke of the path if the shape is too big or doesn’t look correct. When creating these brush strokes, make sure the darker part of the brush is facing down and the pointy part of the brush is facing away from the berry shape. If this is not how it looks after creating the path, press the Stroke Options button at the bottom of the Brush panel. When the Stroke Options dialog opens, you can select the Flip Along or Flip Across options until you get the desired arrangement.

Step 28

Create five to six more brush stroke with the Brush tool (B) and custom brush.

Step 29

Select all the brush strokes, Copy (Command + C) and Paste in Back (Command + B). With the copies still selected, go Object > Expand Apperance. With the expanded brushes still selected, press the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Next, move the new shape down slightly.

Step 30

Select the main berry shape, Copy (Command + C), and Paste in Front (Command + F). Select the copied berry body shape and combined leaf shapes and press the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Change the fill of the new shape to a grey color and set the Blending Mode to Multiply from the Transparency panel.

Step 31

Use the Pen tool (P) to create a stem shape for the strawberry. Fill the shape with a linear gradient with the first color stop  green and the second a darker green. With the stem selected, go Object > Arrange > Send Backward (Command + ]) until the bottom part of the stem is hidden from the top leaves. All done!

Final Image

Below is the final image again.
Create a Cute Panda Bear Face Icon
Lately, I have been working on some children illustrations, creating some über cute creatures. In the following easy tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a cute panda bear face icon all from ellipses (well, actually there is one rectangle for the background). The great part about this tutorial, is that you can easily apply the techniques to other icons, illustrations, logos, or other projects.
Notes

This tutorial was created with Adobe Illustrator CS4, but you should be able to create the tutorial in other Illustrator CS versions.
Final Image

Below is what the illustration will look like when we are done.

Step 1
First, create an ellipse with the Ellipse tool (L). Next, with the Direct Selection tool (A), select the bottom anchor point of the ellipse and drag it up about one fourth the way up the ellipse.

Step 2
With the ellipse selected, create a radial gradient from the gradient panel. Make the first Color Stop in the radial gradient white and the second Color Stop a light grey. Within the gradient panel, click on the Midpoint Indicator on the Gradient Slider and move it right, closer to the light gray swatch, making the white area of the gradient bigger.

Step 3
Copy (Command + C) the ellipse and Paste in Front (Command + F). Next, scale down the copied ellipse to a third of it’s original size with the Selection tool (V). Still using the Selection tool (V), move the copy up to the top left side of the original ellipse and rotate the copy about 20 degrees to the left. This will be the first ear shape.

Step 4
Select the ear shape and change the gradient to a Linear Gradient from the Gradient panel. Change the first Color Stop to black and the second Color Stop to a dark grey color. Move the Midpoint Indicator on the Gradient Slider to mid-point of the two swatches. Next, send the copied ellipse to the back by choosing Object > Arrange > Send to Back (Command + Shift + [ ).


Step 5
Select the ear shape, Copy (Command + C), and Paste in Front (Command + F). With the Selection tool (V) scale the copy down slightly, squish it horizontally, and place to the lower left side of the first ear shape. Next, press the Reverse Gradient icon in the Gradient panel.


Step 6
Select both ear shapes, Copy (Command + C), and Paste in Front (Command + F). With the copies still selected, go Object > Transform > Reflect and chose Vertical from the Reflect dialog. Next, move the copied ear shapes over to the right side of the face shape.


Step 7
Create an ellipse over the panda face where you want the eyes to go. Fill the ellipse with the same linear gradient as the first ear shape. With the Gradient tool (G), click on the top of the ellipse and drag down, making the darker part of the gradient appear at the top of the ellipse.


Step 8
Use the Direct Selection tool (A) and move the bottom anchor point down and slightly to the left. Next move the the top anchor point slightly to the left.


Step 9
Within the first eye shape, draw another ellipse and fill it with a linear gradient. For this gradient we are going to need three Color Stops in the gradient. To add a Color Stop to the gradient slider, simply click right below the gradient slider in-between the first two swatches. Change the first Color Stop to a dark grey, the second Color Stop to black, and the third Color Stop to a grey color. Use the Gradient tool (G) and adjust the gradient by click at the top of the shape and dragging to the bottom.


Step 10
Copy (Command + C) the newest ellipse and Paste in Front (Command + F). With the Selection tool (V) scale the ellipse down slightly so you can still see the three Color Stop gradient ellipse behind it. Next, use the Eyedropper tool (I) and sample the original white radial gradient from the panda face.


Step 11
Copy (Command + C) the white eye ellipse and Paste in Front (Command + F). Scale the it down and move it the right slightly. Next, change the first Color Stop in the gradient to a dark cyan color and the second Color Stop to a cyan color.


Step 12
Copy (Command + C) the cyan ellipse and Paste in Front (Command + F). Scale it down and change the first Color Stop to black and the second Color Stop to a dark grey color.


Step 13
Draw three white ellipses over the eyes shapes to create some highlights.


Step 14
Copy (Command + C) all the eye shapes and Paste in Front (Command + F). Next, go Object > Transform > Reflect, select the Vertical radial button, and press OK. Move the copied shapes to the right.


Step 15
Draw an oblong ellipse in-between and towards the bottom of the eyes. Use the Eyedropper tool (I) and sample the gradient of the inner ear shape.


Step 16
With the new nose ellipse selected, go Effect > Warp > Arc. In the Warp dialog change the Bend to -40% and press OK.


Step 17
Copy (Command + C) the main white panda shape and Paste in Front (Command + F). Squish the copied shape horizontally to the width of the nose shape. Next squish the copy vertically. Change the gradient of the copy to a linear gradient and make the last Color Stop on the slider and darker grey. Next, adjust the gradient so the lighter part of the gradient is at the top of the shape.


Step 18
Draw an ellipse with the right anchor point roughly in the middle of the nose shape. Copy (Command + C) the ellipse and Paste in Front(Command + F). Move the copy up and to the left slightly. Select both ellipses and press the Minus Front button in the Pathfinder panel and change the color of the shape to a grey color.


Step 19
Select the mouth shape and go Object > Arrange > Send Backward (Command + [). Do this a couple of times until the mouth shape is behind both nose shapes. Next, Copy (Command + C) the mouth shape and Paste in Front (Command + F). With the mouth shape selected, go Object > Transform > Reflect, select the Vertical radial button, and press OK. Move the copied shape to the right, creating the other side of the mouth.


Step 20
Create an ellipse close to the end of the left mouth shape. Fill the ellipse with a radial gradient, with the first Color Stop a light pink color and the second Color Stop white. Next, set the Blending Mode to Multiply from the Transparency panel. Copy (Command + C) the pink ellipse, Paste in Front (Command + F), and move to the other side of the mouth.


Step 21
Select the all the shapes in the panda face and go Object > Group. With the group selected, go Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. With the Drop Shadow dialog open, change the Opacity to 50, the X Offset to 0, the Y Offset to .05 in, the Blur to .07 in, and press OK.


Step 22
Create a rectangle bigger than the panda face and fill it with a radial gradient. Make the first Color Stop white, and choose a different color for the second Color Stop.


Final Image
All done! Wasn’t that easy? This tutorial is a good example of how some simple shapes can create a compelling illustration. Moreover, you can easily apply these techniques to other illustrations, logos, and projects!


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