Much can be done in Illustrator without relying on the Pen tool, as demonstrated by the recent hourglass tutorial. Utilizing only simple, predefined shapes, as well as tools like the Pathfinder and transformations, entire illustrations can be created from scratch. In this tutorial, we’ll create an icon suitable for portraying options, settings, preferences, etc., similar to OS X’s system preferences icon. So let’s get started!

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Whenever the need arises to create realistic effects or textures for a design, Photoshop is the tool that most people immediately turn to. However, Adobe has brought Illustrator a long way since its early days, and with each new version it comes closer to matching (and in some ways surpasses) its raster-based cousin.

In this tutorial, we’ll create an aluminum and glass emblem that can be customized with any logo or shape. And since all the effects will be done entirely in Illustrator, the whole graphic will be fully scalable. So, let’s get started!

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In this tutorial, we’ll create a detailed icon of a battery similar to the one used for the iPhone touch. The battery "fuel" color can be changed as well as the "fuel" level, allowing the icon to be used to create a battery or power meter for applications, or simply as a graphic in any type of design.

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In this tutorial, we’ll create a detailed camera lens similar to the one used as the logo for Apple’s Aperture photo-editing software. A camera lens is good for a software icon, logo, or just as a graphic for use in any design. Although, the image appears detailed, the process of creating it involves little more than simply layering objects with different fills and gradients to give a three-dimensional illusion.

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