Preparations

Create a new blank and change the units to pixels, then change the size to 500px by 500px.

Make sure to activate the Object Manager Docker (Window > Docker > Object Manager), so you can see the layer as in Photoshop.

Make sure to check Highlight outline… (Tools > Option > Workspace > Display), so you can see the edge of any selected object, even it is on the bottom layer.

Step 1

Create a circle using the Ellipse tool ( F7). Hold down Command, and drag in the drawing window until the circle is the size you want. Then Align the centers of the selected objects to the page by pressing P. Then Fill the circle with any color.

Create another circle. Repeat the step but with a smaller size from the first circle and fill it using a different color.

Step 2

Select both circles, by holding down Shift and click both circles. Or you can do it by dragging around the circles. This method is known as Marquee Selecting. Using the Back Minus Front option, cut the shape off.

Now you can see through the circle. Don’t draw the blue rectangle, its only for visualization.

Now create another circle with a smaller size, then put it behind the first shape by pressing Command + PgDn. Aligns the centers of the selected objects to the page by pressing P.

Resize the inner shape a bit closer to the outer shape’s inner edge. The overlay doesn’t matter. Don’t forget to hold down the Shift button while you resize the circle.

Step 3

In this step, we’ll learn how to fill a color using Fountain Fill.

Select the outer shape, open the Fountain Fill option (you can use the shortcut F11).

In the option, change the type to Radial. Then change the color blend to Custom. Then set the colors as shown below. Ignore the Position.

Press OK and Press G to activate the Interactive fill tool.

We’ll change the color’s position. Drag the marker just above the color to a new location. Set it up as shown below. Or use your “art sense,” just make it looks like a sphere.

Now, we’ll fill the inner shape. Select it then open the Fountain Fill option (F11). Change the type to radial. Use the two color from the color blend. Then choose the color.

Tips: Use the same color for both “from and to” but use a 50%-80% darker color for the “from” color.

Now Click OK.

Step 4

In this step, we’ll learn how to use the 3D tool.

Click the first shape, in the toolbox, click the Extrude tool. Drag the object’s selection handles to set the direction and depth of the extrusion. Set the parameter on the property bar as shown below. Then break the extrude apart by pressing Command + K, so we can modify the inner side color.

If we zoom into the image we’ll see it’s not precise.

We’ll fix it by enlarging the size of the little ring shape (next we call it third shape). The third shape is behind the inner shape, so it doesn’t matter the overlay.

Come back and press Shift + F4 (zoom to page). Select the the third shape. Use a Fountain Fill (F11) and set it up as shown below. Click OK

Press G then set the Interactive Drop Shadow Handles as shown below

Step 5

In this step we’ll learn to create a bevel effect.

Press F4 to zoom it to all object, we’ll do a detailing step so we need a close up shot! Create a circle close to the inner edge of the first shape, then press P to move it to the center of the page.

Create another circle right on the the inner edge of the first shape.

Select both new circles, then click Back Minus Front button. Fill it with white.

Using the Transparency tool, drag the object’s selection handles as shown below.

Step 6

I will change the second shape color to make it more contrast. Just do it like we did in Step 3 with a different color position.

Press G to set the Interactive Fill Handles as shown below.

Step 7

We’ll learn how to use an interactive drop shadow tool.

Select the third shape and click the Interactive Drop Shadow tool button, then click and drag diagonally from the center to the bottom right side. And set the parameter on the property bar as shown below.

Now it looks nice!

Step 8

The last step, we’ll add another drop shadow.

Create a new circle anywhere, fill it with any color. Click the Interactive Drop Shadow tool button, then drag a little down vertically from the bottom of the circle. Then set the property bar as shown below.

Now break the drop shadow group apart by pressing Command + K. Then select the new circle and delete it, leave the drop shadow.

Select the shadow and put it to the Back of the Layer (Shift + PgDn) and move it to the underside of the Sphere.

Conclusion

Create a gradient background and add a reflection effect. You’ve just learned how to create a 3D iconic sphere in CorelDRAW X4. You can use these in 3D logo design, for icons, or as the basis for your next character design.

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Step 1

Open up a new document. Use the Rectangle Tool (M) to create a rectangle. Set the fill to a solid dark blue color, without a stroke. Rename the layer to “BG” and lock it. It’s more convenient to start the artwork by creating the background, otherwise transparent bubbles will not be visible on a white background. We will adjust background colors in the following steps.

Step 2

Create a new layer and name it “Bubbles.” Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a black circle.

Step 3

Create a gray shape using the Pen Tool (P) as shown below. Copy and paste in front the black circle. Now select the copy of the black circle and gray shape, then click Intersect from the pathfinder palette. Now click Expand. The current colors of the elements do not play the role for now, but we’ll adjust them in the following steps.

Step 4

Use the Pen Tool (P) to create the shape of light glare on the bubble. Work carefully over the beauty of the lines, the final result depends on your efforts here.

Step 5

Create a new shape and make an intersection as shown in Step 3. For better convenience fill the shapes with different colors, leave some of them only with a stroke and do not fill them.

Add new elements of the bubble. In the process of work you can also switch fill modes from the solid fill to the stroke fill; it will help us not to get lost in the number of objects lying on top of each other.

Step 6

At first create bigger elements; the sequence of sub layers can be changed during the process of working.

Try to keep your lines look perfect, while outlining the shape of a sphere. Study carefully how to create the elements in the shape of an umbrella. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a circle. Take the Scissors Tool (C) and cut a circle into two pieces.

Remove the upper segment of the circle. Now join together the points of the cross-section using the Pen Tool (P). Add five anchor points to the even part of the segment. Move down some anchor points using the Direct Selection Tool (A), as shown below.

Convert the bottom anchor points from corner to smooth.

Step 7

So, we have fourteen objects, all objects with strokes of different colors are shown on the picture below.

Step 8

Get down to working on the objects. Make the sub layer with a black circle invisible by clicking the eye icon in the Layers palette, and lock it. We will need this circle to create the smaller elements of the bubble. Select the first element and fill it with the linear black to white gradient. Change the Blend Mode and Opacity from the Transparency palette as shown below.

Use the same technique working with the other elements of the bubble.

Step 9

We will use the Gradient Mesh to work with the other elements of the bubble. While working with a large number of elements that are superimposed on each other, you should always lock some of the sub layers. It would be even better if all the neighboring sub layers were locked, except for the one being edited. Note that to select the object you only have to click the Target in the appropriate sub layer from the Layers palette.

Fill the shape with a solid black color, take the Mesh Tool (U) and add one point to the bottom side of the shape. Change the color to white for this point. Change the Blend Mode and Opacity for the edited object and apply the settings shown below. The object may be edited only when they are selected entirely; use the Selection Tool (V) for it.

All the objects containing the Mesh Gradient are shown below. The Blending Mode for the objects are all set to Screen, while the opacities are different.

Step 10

Let’s get down to the smaller details. The technique of creating these additional shapes is all the same. There are fifteen of them, you do not have to copy me, just defer to your own artistic taste when adding detail to the bubble. Pay attention to where the light is coming form to add more detail.

Step 11

The soap-bubble is ready. Delete the sub layer with the black circle; we do not need it any more. Group all the elements of the bubble.

Step 12

Copy, paste, scale, and place the bubbles as shown in the picture below.

Step 13

Create the star-like glares on the bubble. Create a new layer and name it “Stars.” Create a triangle using the Pen Tool (P) and fill it with a black to white linear gradient. Now set the Blend Mode and Opacity from the Transparency palette as shown.

Step 14

Keep the shape selected, go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform, and apply the settings as shown. Now go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 15

Select a star and go to Object > Transform > Rotate… 45 degrees and hit Copy.

Step 16

Keep it selected, press Command + Shift and scale the object using the Selection Tool (V). Group all elements of the star.

Step 17

Copy, paste, scale and place the stars as shown below. Some of the stars have to be rotated, so that they could look more realistically. It’s time to get down to the background.

Take the Mesh Tool (U) and create the Mesh Gradient as shown below. Paint the central points in different hues of blue color. The linear gradient may be used, but the Mesh gradient reproduces better background adjustability. Try to avoid light colors, because bubbles can get lost.

Step 18

Now create color spots. Create a new layer above the “BG” layer and name it “Spot.” Take the Pen Tool (P) and create a new shape, then fill it with a linear gradient as shown.

Step 19

Keeping the selection, go to Effect > Blur > Radial Blur, and apply the settings shown.

Step 20

Keeping the selection, change the Blending Mode to Color Dodge with 50% Opacity.

Step 21

Create some light spots using the same technique.

Conclusion

The final image is down below. Have fun creating your own bubbles. If you want to master this tutorial you’ll need to experiment with color, spots, and shapes. Good luck!

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS4
• Difficulty: Basic
• Estimated Completion Time: 30-60 minutes

Step 1

First, we’ll start off with looking for some textures. Deviantart is always a good place to start the hunt. I found just the one I wanted here: Texture Pack 1 by Cetrobo (usage of these textures is restricted, however the artist gave permission for us to use here in this tutorial).

Create a square document (I made mine 1800 by 1800 pixels), inside Illustrator. Open up (Command + O) the texture in Illustrator, or Copy then Paste it inside your document.

Step 2

Add some grungy watercolor splats to give it that traditional painted feeling. I found some great ones on Bittbox. I’ve used two of them from here: Free High Res Texture Pack Grungy Watercolor.

Place them on top of the texture and use the blend modes Darken or Multiply to blend them on top of the texture. Changing the Blend Mode is easily done inside the Transparency palette. The first one was set on Darken, and the second on Multiply.

Step 3

It’s time to create an art brush for the abstract forms. We’ll be using Rectangles, Ellipses and the Blend Tool.

1. Draw a square using the Rectangle Tool (M), while holding Shift to constrain it’s dimensions. On the right of it you create a circle using the Ellipse Tool (L), also while holding Shift.
2. Make sure your Smart Guides (Command + U) are on, which will help line both shapes up horizontally.
3. Use the Blend Tool (W) to create a sort of metamorphose from a square to a circle.
4. You can set the amount of steps by pressing Enter on the keyboard (while the Blend Tool is still selected) and the Blend Options will pop up.

If you did that, press OK select the blend and go to the Brushes tab (F5) and press the New Brush-button. Select New Art Brush, and press OK on both windows.

Now you can use it as a brush inside Illustrator. I took it up the experimental way, to create some abstract artwork, go wild with the Brush Tool (B)! First Lock the textures you made, to select the brush strokes and group (Command + G) them.

Step 4

I wanted some sort of wave coming out of this forms, so I made another brush using only two lines and the Blend Tool.

1. Create a 10pt. line, duplicate (Command + C) the line and place the duplicate beneath it (Command + B) and make it have a 1pt stroke.
2. Use the Blend Tool, and make sure to set the amount of steps to 5 again.

Make a new art brush once again. If you like to change the color of the lines afterwards, you can put the Method of the Colorization on Tints and the Key Color on black, since the lines are black. Black is the color that you’ll be able to change.

Draw the outline of the abstract forms real simplified using the Brush Tool (B) with the last brush you made. Put the Blend Mode on Overlay and the Opacity on something around 50.

Step 5

For the sake of craziness duplicate the group of the abstract shapes and place the duplicated group above the “wavy lines” you created in Step 4. Select the group and put the stroke width on 2pt instead of 1, and put the Blend Mode of the entire group on Multiply.

Step 6

Let’s color this stuff up some more. Using another texture from the same “>Bittbox texture pack. Place it on top, and set the Blend Mode on Color Burn and the Opacity on 50%.

Step 7

Place in another texture from Cetrobo’s Texture Pack. Transform it to fill the canvas. And put the Blend Mode on Multiply and the Opacity on 30%.

I only want the texture visible on the abstract shapes, and not on the background. That’s easily solved with masking. In the Transparency tab you see this small thumb of the layer you have selected. Double-clicking the empty spot right next to it makes you an Opacity Mask. Make sure the Clip is selected.

1. Click back on the thumb of the texture, to get out of the mask.
2. Copy the first abstract form group (Command + C)
3. And paste it inside the mask (Command + F).

Step 8

I want some lighting coming from the left-top corner. We will be doing this using a gradient (going from white to full transparency). So the first thing you’ll need is a shape, and we’ll use a circle here because we’ll be using a Radial gradient. Take the Ellipse Tool, and hold Alt and Shift at the same to create a perfect circle.

Go to the Gradient tab and create a Radial gradient. Fill both sliders up with white, though the second one needs 0% Opacity. Looking like a light already, isn’t it?

To let it more blend in, I changed the Blend Mode to Overlay.

Step 9

For a more grungy-feel I chose to put an old film texture above the entire piece. Lost And Taken has posted some extremely good looking ones here, 11 Old and Grungy Film Textures. I placed it on top of the piece, transformed it to the canvas size and set the Blend Mode on Multiply.

Step 10

I created an overall color adjustment by making a rectangle above the entire piece and experimenting with colors, gradients and blend modes. It was trial and error until I got something that looked good to me. These gradient colors might look strange to you (so do they to me) but they felt right with a Color Burn as Blend Mode. There’s nothing wrong with some random experimenting in my opinion, on the contrary it’s what makes creating pieces like this more fun.

Conclusion

You can finish up the piece by experimenting with more Blend Tool use and Brush ninja trickery! Have fun, and be original in everything you do! This is how my finished piece looked like after a bit of sharpening inside Photoshop.

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Illustrator CS3
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 2.5 hours

Step 1 – Draw the Face

Open a new web document. Take the Pen Tool and draw half of the first shape you see below, go to Object > Transform > Reflect and then join the two points shown (Command + J).

Now we need to define the empty area where the eyes should be. For this, draw the shape of the eye using the Pen Tool, like in the image below. Reflect it to make the second one, then place them on top of the face shape and go to Pathfinder Panel > Subtract From Shape Area and Expand.

Now Copy and Paste In Back the face shape we made. Use the Direct Selection Tool to move the points shown below to obtain the red shape, and do the same to obtain the green shape also. Make sure the eye has empty areas for each of the three faces that are on top of each other.

Step 2 – Add Some Color

Fill the first face shape with a linear gradient from peach (R=249, B=224, G=224) to another shade of peach (R=248, G=246, B=238). Fill the other shapes with linear gradients also, for the second blue shape colors I used are: (R=0, G=148, G=185), (R=174, G=212, G=226), (R=0, G=119, G=142) and for the third shape: (R=249, G=199, G=38), two times (R=255, G=249, G=202), (R=236, G=212, G=134) and (R=249, G=199, G=38).

Step 3 – Make the Black Outline of the Eyes

Use the eye shape made earlier and scale it using the Scale Tool, then move it a bit to the right. Now select both, go to Pathfinder Panel > Subtract From Shape Area, and Expand to obtain the second shape from the image below. Fill it with black, and make the same with the other eye, or reflect this one.

Step 4 – Draw the Small Mask

Take the Pen Tool and draw half of the shape you see below, then reflect it and join the points shown. Subtract the eye shapes just like for the face to obtain the empty areas, and make sure all of them overlap. Fill the shape with a linear gradient using the colors: (R=93, G=202, B=114), (R=212, G=231, B=189), (R=255, G=235, B=67), (R=252, G=224, B=211) and (R=210, G=85, B=216).

Step 5 – Divide the Small Mask

Copy and paste the small mask so that we can use it to obtain the shapes below. Take the Ellipse Tool and draw an oval shape, select both then go to the Pathfinder Panel > Intersect Shape Area and Expand.

Now draw another shape like below on top of the one we just made, select both and Intersect Shape Area > Expand. Place them like you see in the next image and do the same to the other side, or group these two shapes and reflect them.

Step 6 – Create the Glitter Symbols

Draw some small squares and place them like below. Fill them with different green and purple tones. Some of the colors I used for the green glitter are: (R=58, G=114, B=40), (R=92, G=189, B=98), (R=64, G=138, B=66), (R=213, G=255, B=192), (R=81, G=123, B=58) and for the purple glitter: (R=101, G=41, B=110), (R=184, G=58, B=180), (R=253, G=158, B=239), (R=147, G=49, B=118), (R=236, G=211, B=232), (R=241,79, B=137) and white. Now Group and drag them into the Symbols Panel.

Step 7 – Spray the Glitter

Next take the Symbol Sprayer Tool and start spraying on top of the shapes we made earlier using the green and the purple glitter symbols. Settings that I used are: Diameter of 49 px, Intensity at 10 and Symbol Set Density at 9.

Copy and Paste In Front the first two shapes, after there is plenty of glitter, and you’re happy with the result. Now select all the green symbol sets and the corresponding shape pasted on top, then go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make. Do the same and create another clipping mask for the purple symbol sets. Also do the same for the right side of the small mask.

Step 8 – Define the Glitter Scatter Brush

Make the squares group from below and then drag it into the Brushes Panel and select New Scatter Brush, similar to how we did previously. We will use this to stroke the small mask and other decorations on the face later.

Now Copy and Paste In Front the small mask shape, delete the fill gradient, select a 1 pt white stroke and also select the scatter brush we just made from the Brushes Panel. Double-click on Stroke in the Appearance Panel and change the values like in the image below. Now we have a golden glitter stroke all around the small mask.

Quick Tip: If you change the blending mode of the stroke to Luminosity you will get a silver glitter all around.

Step 9 – Draw the Gems

To draw the gems, first draw a circle, and then with the Polygon Tool draw the shape inside the circle. Now use the lines between them. Group them and use the the Live Paint Bucket Tool to fill the shapes with a light gradient. Make more copies because we will use them again later.

Now place the gems following the black outline of the eyes like in the next image. Also see the result of the golden glitter stroke around the small mask that I explained earlier.

Step 10 – Draw the Lips

Take the Pen Tool and draw the shapes from below and fill them with a linear gradient using different red tones. I also added an oval shape on top filled with a light pink and a 1,1 px Gaussian Blur for some glow.

Now behind the lips draw a very flat oval. Fill it with 90% black, add a 1,3 Gaussian Blur, and lower the Opacity to 50%. This will be a light shadow once the lips are placed on top of the face.

Step 11 – Draw the Decorations on the Face

Draw the curly paths that you see below using the Pen Tool. Now we need to define one more scatter brush like I explained in Step 8. I made a blue one using the colors: (R=9, G=95, B=56), (R=45, G=204, B=176), (R=143, G=204, B=175), (R=95, G=231, B=217), (R=1, G=167, B=136) and white.

The golden one is the same one we made earlier. Drag them both to the Brushes Panel and select New Scatter Brush. Next stroke the paths using this brushes like you see below.

Here are the settings for the golden scatter brush stroke and for the blue one.

Place the decorations like in the next image and reflect them to the right side also. Here is our mask so far.

Step 12 – Make the Nose Shape

Draw two paths to define the nose shape, stroke them with 60% black, add a 1,5 px Gaussian Blur, reduce the opacity to 60% and set the mode to Difference. Next draw two shapes to define the nostrils.

The selected one in the image is filled with 70% black and has a gray Outer Glow with the settings from below. Also the shadow shape between them is filled with 10% black and has a 1,8 Gaussian Blur added.

Step 13 – Add Color in the Cheeks and Glow

Draw an oval shape with the Ellipse Tool and fill it with a linear gradient from white to light pink and add a 7 px Gaussian Blur, then do the same for the other cheek and place them on top of the face. To add more glow I made another oval, filled it with a linear gradient from white to light yellow, and added a 6,6 px Gaussian Blur, then I made more copies.

See in the image below that I placed this glow shapes on top and beside the nose, on the forehead and above the eyes. I also made more curly paths (the process for that is explained in Step 11). I combined them to obtain an interesting design and place it on the forehead with more gems added.

Step 14 – Draw the Bells

First draw a circle with the Ellipse Tool, then draw a flat oval shape and use the Direct Selection Tool to modify it to obtain the middle ring as shown.

Next for the hanging ring, draw one more oval shape and use the Offset Path to make a smaller one. Now take the Direct Selection Tool and move the middle points closer to each other. I colored them with gradients using different yellow tones, or you can use the gold gradients from the Swatches Library.

Step 15 – Draw the Jolly Hat

Here is the outline view of my jolly hat. You don’t have to worry about drawing it perfectly because some parts are behind the others and also there will be a border seam all around each shape.

Draw the two shapes shown below with the Pen Tool, and then place them as shown. The colors that I used for the gradient are: (R=40, B=40, G=128), (R=80, B=135, G=189) and (R=13, B=0, G=76).

Step 16 – Define the Border Seam Scatter Brush

To make the border seam we need to define a scatter brush first. For this go to Swatches Library > Patterns > Decorative Classic > Weave Cane and drag it into your work area.

Now we need to edit the gray group from the image until we get what we want. First Expand and Ungroup, then fill and stroke each of the small shapes with different yellow tones. Some of the colors I used to fill are: (R=255, G=255, B=0), (R=250, G=213, B=92), (R=255, G=249, B=202), (R=236, G=212, B=134) and to stroke: (R=249, G=199, B=38), (R=193, G=144, B=46). Group all the shapes and drag them to the Brushes Panel, then select New Scatter Brush.

Step 17 – Apply the Border Seam

Now Copy the two shapes made earlier for the hat and Paste In Front. Delete the fill, select them both, go to Object > Compound Path > Make. Now stroke it using the Scatter Brush I just explained above to obtain the border seam look all around it.

In the second image below are the stroke settings that I used for the scatter brush. Next Copy and Paste In Front the first two shapes one more time and delete the fill. Now go to Swatches Library > Patterns > Decorative Ornament > Chinese Spirals Color and set the blending mode to Overlay.

Make the same with the other shapes of the hat and the red ones, then place a bell on each one of them . Also remember that the border seam is always on top of all the other shapes.

Step 18 – Add More Design Elements

Take the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw some rectangles like in the next image, adjust them if needed, fill them with a linear gradient from yellow to a darker yellow and stroke them using the same scatter brush like above to obtain the seam look again.

When you are done and happy with the result, group all the shapes and reflect them to the right side as well. Now copy the face shape and the blue one behind it, select them both, and Subtract From Shape Area to obtain the second shape below.

Now place the group of rectangles on top of the original blue face and the shape we just made on top of this one, select both and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

I also added to the third face shape (the golden one with the border seam look) using the same Scatter Brush like I explained for the hat. Just change the mode to Multiply.

The Final Image

The work is done. Here is how the mask looks now.

Hope you enjoyed it and learned some useful techniques. The final image of the Jolly Carnival Mask is below. All that’s needed to finalize the image is to add a complimentary background.

Final Image Preview

Below is one out of a handful of effects we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS3
• Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 30 minutes

Step 1

Open a new document (800 by 800 pixels). We will start with learning to create a simple compositions of points. Create an ellipse without stroke and fill it with radial gradient.

Step 2

Now go to Effect > Pixelate > Color Halftone …, apply the settings you see below.

Step 3

Transform the image to the vector. Go to Object > Expand Appearance and press the Live Trace Button in the top panel. Then press the Expand Button.

Step 4

Now we can operate this as a conventional vector object. Fill our object with a linear gradient. Oops!

Step 5

You must delete the Compound Path in the layers box.

Step 6

We take the Gradient Tool (G) and adjust the gradient fill.

Step 7

Now go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Warp…, apply the settings you see below.

Step 8

We have an interesting effect!

Step 9

The effect can be applied to a blend. Take the Pen Tool (P) and create the form of an open hand.

Step 10

Now go to Object > Path > Offset Path…, apply the settings you see below.

Step 11

Select the top path and repeat the same operation with the settings shown below.

Step 12

Remove the middle path and fill the forms with one black and one gray.

Step 13

Go to Object > Blend > Make, apply the settings you see below.

Step 14

Now we repeat Step 2 and Object > Expand Appearance and go to Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options, then apply the settings you see below. Be sure to check the Ignore White checkbox. Now apply Object > Expand.

Step 15

Now we delete the defective dots.

Step 16

Above the hand create a rectangle. Select both shapes and make a crop using the Pathfinder crop tool.

Step 17

Fill the hand with a white color, add a blue background. Done!

Step 18

Now we will go with something more complex. Take the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle. Fill the rectangle with a linear gradient. Repeat the steps listed in Steps 2-3.

Step 19

Fill the objects with a linear gradient (do not forget to remove the Compound Path). In the future we will be able to edit the gradient. Rename the layer as “dots.”

Step 20

Now delete the defective dots.

Step 21

Now create a new layer named “template.” Now we will create a hexagon using the Polygon Tool and two guides. Rotate the guides with the Rotate Tool (R) as shown below. Lock the layer.

Step 22

Go to the layer “dots.” Use the Pen Tool (P) to create a shape on top of the template. Activating the Magnetic Guidelines (Command + U) will help you.

Step 23

Select the group of dots and create a shape, go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Top Object (Alt + Command + C). Then apply Object > Expand.

Step 24

Using the tool Rotate Tool (R), rotate and duplicate the shape. Rotate it around the center of the hexagon, while holding down the Alt key.

Step 25

Below the layer “dots” create a new layer called “BG.” Create a rectangle with a black fill without stroke. Lock the layer.

Step 26

Set up the gradient more subtly. Select each of the six shapes.

Step 27

Now group the six shapes (Command + G) and go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Mesh (Alt + Command + M). Apply the settings you see below.

Step 28

Distorts the grid of the mesh using the Direct Selection Tool (A). Then go to Object > Expand.

Step 29

Above the shape create a rectangle. Select both shapes and make a crop using the Pathfinder box.

Step 30

Change the size of the background and the size of the document (File > Document Setup). Align all objects.

Step 31

Now we will create a shadow on the surface. Create a rectangle the same size as the document. Fill the rectangle with radial gradient and change the blending modes in the palette of the Transparency.

Conclusion

You can use these techniques to create various surface effects of different complexity. The final image is below.

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS4
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour

Step 1

In order to create this simple illustration I started with a raw sketch. In fact my drawing is so simple that this step could easily be skipped. Open your scan in Illustrator and set it as a Template.

Step 2

Now we’ll outline the shapes of our teddy bear head. Create a new layer (you may use the shortcut Command + L). As you can see it is not a very faithful tracing of my initial sketch.

I decided not to use the Pen Tool. Instead I’ll use the Ellipse Tool (L) each time tweaking more or less my ellipse shapes with the Direct Selection Tool (A). To create the heart-shaped nose and the mouth part, use the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C). You can see some of the anchor points together with their handles in the image below.

Step 3

The colors that we are going to use come from the yummy Adobe Illustrator built-in swatches palette: Foods > Ice Cream.

Step 4

We’ll start with the main part of the head. For the moment put it above all the other shapes. To do that select it, Right-click and choose Arrange > Bring to Front (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key.)

Fill the shape with the lightest color (vanilla) from the Banana Split group (R=244, G=236, B=206), and set the stroke to none. With the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) first click in about the center point of the head, next add four more mesh points by clicking about the points marked in the image. You do not have to be very exact.

Step 5

Choose the Direct Selection Tool (A), then hold down the Shift key and select all the sixteen border mesh points. Now fill them with the Chocolate Chip brown color (R=73, G=54, B=31).

Next adjust the positions of the four mesh points little bit, as marked in the image below. Do this by dragging them towards the center of the circle so that the mesh inner shadow has a round shape.

Step 6

Select the head shape and send it to the very back (Shift + Command + Left Bracket key). Select the outer parts of the ears and the eyes and bring them to front (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key). With these parts, we’ll proceed similarly as we did in the two previous steps.

Fill the outer parts of the ears with the same color we used for the main head and set the stroke to none. Now use the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) to add the mesh points as in the previous step, while skipping the bottom one.

With the Direct Selection Tool select the nine border mesh points situated above the blue line marked in the image below. Now fill them with the Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31). Drag the two top corner mesh points slightly towards the center, as we did in the previous step.

Repeat the same for the outer parts of the eyes. The only difference is the fill color. Choose the vanilla color from the Neapolitan group (R=255, G=241, B=228).

Step 7

Send the outer parts of the ears to back (Shift + Command + Left Bracket key). Select and bring the inner parts to front (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key).

Fill them with the yellow color from the Banana Split group (R=252, G=221, B=124), and give them no stroke. Click in the center with the Mesh Tool (U). Next fill the top (above the blue line) five border mesh points with the Chocolate Chip dark brown color (R=73 G=54 B=31).

Send the inner ears to back (Shift + Command + Left Bracket key). Then immediately bring them forward (Shift + Command + Right Bracket key).

Step 8

Now we’ll create the iris parts of the eyes. Bring them to front, then fill them with the brown color from the Neapolitan group (R=107, G=78, B=56), and give them no stroke. Next use the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) to add the mesh points, then adjust their positions as shown below.

Select the border mesh points situated above the blue line and set them to black. Next change the color of two more mesh points as shown. The colors we use are light vanilla (R=255, G=241, B=228) and pink (R=238, G=156, B=176) from the Neapolitan group. This way we add some lighting and color.

Next try recreate this effect with the second eye. I wanted my teddy bear to have a bit of asymmetry.

Step 9

Bring the heart-shaped nose to front and fill it with the Neapolitan pink color (R=238, G=156, B=176), then set the stroke to none. Switch to the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) and add the mesh points as in the image – starting in the center of the heart. You can follow my order of adding the mesh points, but it is not obligatory.

Now adjust their positions as in the image. Set the color of all the border points as Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31) and the color of the blue-marked point as Neapolitan vanilla (R=255, G=241, B=228).

Step 10

Having locked and set the heart to invisible, we’ll now work on the “mouth” part. Make sure it is placed above the eyes and below the nose. Fill it with the yellow from the Banana Split group (R=252, G=221, B=124), and give it no stroke.

Add five mesh points starting from the one marked with the blue arrow below. Change the color of all border mesh points to the Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31). Next drag the four points marked with the dark brown arrows towards the center.

Step 11

Set the fill color back to the Banana Split yellow (R=252, G=221, B=124) and stroke to none. Add two more mesh points as marked with the dark arrows in the image below. Next change the color of the point marked with the blue arrow to Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31).

Step 12

Turn the heart-shaped nose visible, but keep it still locked (it should be above the mouth). Adjust the shape of the mesh lines so that the mouth part has a more natural look. Move the handles a bit using the Convert Anchor Point Tool in the Pen Tool palette (or use the shortcut Shift + C).

Step 13

Now we will create the cap. First create the simple shape of the cap. Copy it Command + C and paste it to the front Command + F, then lock it and set it as invisible (we will need it later).

Next create three triangles as shown, make sure that they all start in the peak point of the cap. Now select all, then go to the Pathfinder Panel and choose Divide. Ungroup your selection (Shift + Command + G) and delete the unwanted parts. Set the fill colors of the separate parts alternately to light vanilla (R=244, G=236, B=206) and light red (R=231, G=104, B=93) from the Banana Split group.

Step 14

Copy the middle red part (Command + C) and paste it to front (Command + F). Next add a mesh point as in the image below, set the color to Banana Split vanilla (R=244, G=236, B=206) and decrease the opacity a bit, I set it to 87%. Select all the stripes and group them (Command + G).

Step 15

Unlock and set visible the copy of the cap shape. Bring it to front (Shift+ Command + Right Bracket key), set the color to Chocolate Chip brown (R=73, G=54, B=31), set the stroke to none, the blending mode to Multiply, and decrease the Opacity to 63%.

Add the mesh points as shown, and manipulate points 1-3 slightly using the Direct Selection Tool (A). Change the color of the four mesh points (marked in the image with the blue circles) to white.

Step 16

Copy the mesh object created in the previous step (Command + C) and paste it to front (Command + F). Change the two remaining inner mesh points to white, as well as the top border mesh points on the right side of the cap. Increase the Opacity to 75%.

Group all the parts of the cup, Command + G.

Here is where we are at the moment.

Step 17

Now we will add some slight shadow coming from the base of the cap. Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to drag down one of the head mesh points a bit, as shown below. Also, adjust the handles as well.

Step 18

Now we’ll add a few freckles. Hold down Shift to create a square with the Rectangle Tool (M). The rectangle surrounds a single freckle. Fill it with the Banana Split yellow color (R=252, G=221, B=124), and give it no stroke.

Now use the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) to create the mesh grid as shown. Move the mesh points a bit using the Direct Selection Tool (A). Change the color of the center point to the Chocolate Chip brown color (R=73, G=54, B=31). Change the blending mode to Darken (this is just in case the square that surrounds the freckle intersects with the brown seam).

Step 19

Copy, rotate and scale as many freckles as you wish. I decided to put four of them, two as created in Step 18 and two a little bit less star-shaped.

Step 20

Create a new layer Command + L and place it below the “teddy bear” layer. Use the Rectangle Tool (M) to create the background rectangle at the size that you wish. Mine is 590 px wide by 675 px high, which corresponds to the span of the teddy bear that is 347 px wide by 480 px high.

Fill it with the Chocolate Chip brown color (R=73, G=54, B=31), and give it no stroke. Use the Gradient Mesh Tool (U) to add the mesh points as shown. Change the color of all the inner mesh points to the Neapolitan pink (R=238, G=156, B=176). Use the Direct Selection Tool to drag the four inner-corner mesh points a little bit toward the outer corners.

Align the bear and the background.

Step 21

To create the “Tutsy Bear” text I used the BoltonShadowedfont from Dafont. My font size is 72 pt. In the Character Panel, I switched the kerning to Optical and Tracking to 10. For the letters I use a dark brown color (R=56, G=41, B=26).

Conclusions

The main focus of this tutorial was to show you how you can easily add a retro feeling to your creations. I’ve chosen the gradient mesh as a tool to add the inner shadows so that my object remained fully scalable, i.e. so that no raster effects were used. Have fun and good luck applying these techniques in your own work!

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS3+
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 2-3 hours

Step 1

Start creating the contour of a toaster shape with a gray fill.

Step 2

In a new layer create shapes with the same gray fill using the toaster contour to simulate the light areas.

Step 3

Apply the Mesh Tool on these new shapes and, using different gray and white shades on the mesh intersections, create the lights over the contour.

Step 4

Group both layers and create a new copy.

Step 5

Select the copy, click in Effect and apply Sketch > Chrome. This option
will create a very interesting chrome effect. To get a subtler effect move the smoothness slider all the way to the right.

Step 6

To create the holes for the toast draw two shapes like the ones below and group them.

Step 7

Duplicate the shapes and drag them a little to the bottom, as in the example below.

Step 8

Select these two shapes and apply the Pathfinder Divide tool. Delete the remaining bits and pieces.

Step 9

Fill the bottom shapes with black and the upper ones with gray. Delete the outlines.

Step 10

Apply the Mesh Tool on the gray shapes, using shades of dark gray on the mesh intersections. Build a sense of depth here.

Step 11

Now we’ll create the timer button using the 3D Revolve effect. Draw half of the button, delete the outlines and fill with white or light gray. Apply the 3D Revolve effect. In the options panel select preview, and rotate the cube until you obtain the desired position.

Step 12

To create the toaster eject button, use half of an ellipse. You can do that using the Minus Front effect of the Pathfinder to cut away the bottom half of an ellipse with, for example, a square.

Step 13

Fill the half ellipse with dark gray and use the 3D Extrude effect. In the options panel select the desired depth and rotate the cube to position the shape.

Step 14

With the figure selected, apply Object > Expand Appearance to convert the effect into an object. Ungroup the elements and apply Mesh on the upper part of the button, as in the example. Apply white on the central mesh intersection to create the lighting effect.

Step 15

Add other details, like the timer numbers and the slide hole for the eject button.

Step 16

To make the toast begin by creating the texture. Draw a square and fill it with any color. Apply Effect > SVG Filters > AI Wood Grain.

Step 17

Apply in the square the Inner Glow effect using the Multiply Mode with a dark brown fill. Raise the blur value to darken the border of the square, creating a burned effect.

Step 18

Apply the texturizer option using the sandstone texture.

Step 19

Create an amorphous shape over the texture and fill with white or light gray applying the Blur effect with the Gaussian Blur option and 100% radius.

Step 20

Go to the Transparency panel and choose the Soft Light blending to apply on the central shape, which creates an interesting lighting over the texture.

Step 21

Drag the texture to the Symbols panel.

Step 22

Draw the shape of a piece of toast, fill it with the #D69C51 color and delete the outline. Use the 3D Extrude effect. In the options panel select a small depth to create the thickness of the toast (in the example we used 20 pts).

Step 23

In the same panel go to Map Art and in the surface field search for the toast face. Activate Symbols in the panel and apply the previously created texture.

Step 24

Rotate the cube to position the toast over the toaster hole.

Step 25

Make some copies of the toast and position them in different ways.

Step 26

Reduce the transparency of the first piece of toast and draw the contour over it, creating an intersection between the toast and the border of the toast hole. Put the transparency back to normal, select both the contour and the toast and use Command + 7 to create a mask.

Step 27

Create the toast reflection one the toaster body. Make a copy of the toast and mirror it under the first toast.

Step 28

To conclude make a shape filled with a black and white gradient and put it over the mirrored toast. Select both objects and in the Transparency Panel Pop-Up activate the Make Opacity Mask option. Adjust the gradient direction to hide part of the reflection and lower the opacity a little.

Conclusion

After applying a little bit of shadow under the toaster, we’re left with the final image below!

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS4
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour

Step 1

Create a new document that is 800 px by 400 px. It can be RGB or CMYK &mdash your preference. For this tutorial, I’ll be using RGB values to specify colors. Now draw a rectangle the size of the artboard and fill it with black (R=0, G=0, B=0). Lock the layer and create a new one above it.

Step 2

Choose the Line Segment Tool (\), click on the background and specify a 0&deg line, about 100px long. I’m using a bright green for the stroke (R=0, G=255, B=0).

Step 3

Select the line, and go to Effect > Stylize > Scribble. Enter the following numbers in the dialog box.

Step 4

Before proceeding, make a copy of the scribbled line, and set it aside. Always keep a copy of the line containing the live effect. Select the original scribbled line, and go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 5

With the expanded scribble still selected, choose the Free Transform (E) tool. Click the upper right handle of the bounding box, then hold down the Command + Shift + Alt keys. Then drag the corner downward, so that the object transforms in perspective, narrowing on the right side. It may take a few tries to get the hang of it &mdash remember to click the corner before holding down the modifier keys.

Step 6

Drag the transformed scribble to scrunch it up a bit. This is the first beat of the waveform.

Step 7

Draw a new line as before, then go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag. Enter the following values in the dialog.

Step 8

Go back to the Effects menu, and this time select Warp > Fish. A 50% Horizontal bend will give the line a diminishing effect.

Step 9

As before, make a copy of the zig-zagged and warped line. Expand the effects on the original (Object > Expand Appearance). Now take the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) and click once on the left-most point of the line. Use the Direct Selection tool (A) to drag that point upward.

Step 10

Now slide this line over to meet the first scribbled line.

Step 11

Go back to the scribbled line copy you made in Step 4. Make another copy of it and set it aside. Click the Scribble effect in the Appearance panel to edit the effect. Be sure to check the Preview box, then just experiment with changing the values. You still want it to look like a spike in the waveform, but not identical to the first one.

Continue as before, expanding then free-transforming the scribble. Do the same with the zig-zag line copy, and line them up with the previous objects. Select all, then make sure the stroke weight is the same on each line. You should now have the basic waveform constructed.

Step 12

Now let’s add some finishing touches. Click on the “Waveform” layer in the Layers panel, and drag it to the Duplicate icon to make a copy.

Now select everything on the original “Waveform” layer and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Enter 20 to 30 pixels. You may wish to rename this layer “Blur.”

Make one more layer, this time above the “Background” layer. Choose the Rectangular Grid Tool, and click on the top left corner of the background. Make the size the same as the artboard/background, then enter values for the horizontal and vertical dividers. Change the stroke weight to .25 points. And your done!

After completing this tutorial check out another tutorial on Vectortuts+ that covers using the Scribble Effect as well.

Variations

This technique has many applications. Experiment with the Scribble settings to create an ECG (electrocardiogram) effect, a multi-channel audio waveform, or just an electric abstract background.

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below is the final image we will be working towards. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program:Illustrator CS3/CS4
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Estimated Completion Time: 30-60 minutes

Step 1

First, we’ll work on creating the custom brush.

Select the Pen Tool (P) and draw the shape of a leave. Fill the shape with green and set the Stroke to a darker green.

Step 2

Create a curved line with the Pen Tool (P) across the leave using the same color as the leaf’s Stroke.

Step 3

Make two copies of the leaves and change the color of the fill to a darker and a lighter green. Group each leaf (Command + G). Now make a duplicate of each leaf (Command + C) and (Command + V).

Step 4

Place the leaves next to each other so some of them overlap, and rotate (R) each leave so that they are all tilting towards the same direction.

Step 5

Double-click on the Scale Tool. Make sure that Scale Strokes and Effects is selected and press OK.

Step 6

Now Select all the leaves and group them (Command + G)

Step 7

With the leaves still selected, set the width to 45px. Make sure that the Constrain Width and Height Proportions option is activated.

Step 8

Set the stroke to 1pt. Select the leaves. Now open the Brushes window. In the top-right hand corner of the window there is a small triangle facing down – click on it. Chose New Brush…

Step 9

Select Scatter Brush

Step 10

Chose:

• Size: Random between 76% – 134%
• Spacing: Random between 65% – 119%
• Scatter: Fixed – 6%
• Rotation: Random between 41° – 110°

Step 11

Now we’ll go over how to draw the tree.

Create a new layer and call it “background picture.” You need a picture of a tree to use as reference while drawing the tree. I’ve chosen to use a picture I took myself, but you can use any picture you want, since we’ll only use it to trace the trunk of the tree.

Step 12

Place the picture of the tree in the “background picture” layer and lock the layer (Command + 2).

Step 13

Create a new layer and name it “trunk.”

Step 14

Select the Pen Tool (P) and start tracing the outline of the tree in the “trunk” layer.

Step 15

Hide the “background picture” layer. Fill the shape with a dark brown color and set the Stroke to none.

Step 16

Now we are going to create some shades on the trunk. Select the Brush Tool (B), and with a round brush paint a thick line on the inside of the trunk following the outline of the first shape. Fill it with a darker brown and give it a Transparency of 45%. Repeat the same on the left side of the trunk.

Step 17

Select a lighter brown and place a line in the center of the trunk with a Transparency of 30%.

Step 18

Select all the parts of the trunk and group them (Command + G), and then lock the layer.

Step 19

We are now going to use the brush created before to finish the tree.

Create a new layer and call it “leaves.” Lock all the other layers.

Step 20

Grab the Brush Tool (B). Select your new leaf brush from the brush pallet. Make sure the fill is set to blank. Paint an outline of where the leaves from the tree are going to be placed.

Step 21

With the Brush Tool still selected, start painting in all the empty space inside the outline you just made. Leave a couple of holes to make the tree more realistic, and retouch the borders by adding extra leaves.

Step 22

Now we are going to create some shading and light on the leaves with the help of the Gradient Mesh Tool. Create a new layer and name it “light,” and lock the other layers.

Make an outline of the silhouette of the top of the tree with the Pen Tool (P) or the Pencil Tool (N). It doesn’t need to be precise, but try staying within the edge of the leaves.

Step 23

Fill the shape with an average green color and set its stroke to none.

Step 24

With the shape still selected go to Object > Create Gradient Mesh. Check the preview box. Set Rows to 4, Columns to 4, Appearance of Flat, and Highlight at 100%, then press OK.

If you get an error message read the following (Extra) tip.

Extra – Skip if You Don’t Get an Error Message

If you get an error message saying that “the path has too many points to create a gradient mesh”, then you can do one of the following:

• Redraw the shape without as many points
• Or go back, select the shape, and go to Object > Path > Simplify. Check the preview box, and bring both the Curve Precision and the Angle Threshold down until the Current pt is under 100. Then you are ready to repeat Step 24.

Step 25

We are now going to color the gradient mesh and you can chose any colors you want based on what effect you want. For the example I’ll choose some colors that will create an effect that there is sunlight reflecting on the left side of the tree and a bit of shadow on the right.

Select the shape you’ve created and click on the Direct Selection tool (A)

The gradient mesh has created 16 sections in your shape. With the Direct Selection Tool click on the middle of the first shape.

With that area selected, chose a yellowish color that is not too bright.

Step 26

Repeat the step above selecting the other areas of the gradient mesh and giving each area an appropriate color. I’ve chosen to place brighter shades of green and yellow on the right and darker green on the left and bottom of the mesh. You can see what colors I’ve chosen for each area below.

Step 27

With the Selection Tool (V) select the shape with the gradient mesh.

Step 28

Open the opacity window (Window > Transparency). With the shape still selected Set the Mode at Soft Light and Opacity at 71%.

Final Result

Now you have the tools to create your own vector forest.

Tip

If you have extra time you can retouch the edge of the gradient mesh with the Direct Selection Tool, if necessary, so that it matches better with the form of the tree. You can also use the same technique to add more realistic shadows to the trunk of the tree.

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.

Final Image Preview

Below are the Celtic knots we will be working towards in this tutorial. Want access to the full Vector Source files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Vector Plus for just 9$ a month.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Illustrator CS3
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 60 minutes

Step 1

Let’s open a new document in Illustrator (File > New) and enter the size 600 px by 600 px (but you can choose any size you want). I used the CMYK color mode to use it for printing.

Now select the Rounded Rectangle Tool, and create a rounded rectangle without fill, and with a black stroke. The radius can be changed by pressing the arrows up or down button, while keeping the left button of the mouse held down.

Step 2

Open the Appearance and Stroke palettes and create multiple strokes as shown.

Step 3

Select a Rounded Rectangle and go to Object > Transform > Rotate, then enter the angle 90 and press the Copy button.

Step 4

Select both rounded rectangles and apply Object > Expand Appearance, and then Object > Expand.

Step 5

Select the Live Paint Bucket (K), then fill a few areas with white as shown below

Step 6

Change the fill to black and fill in areas as shown.

To convert the Live Paint group into individual paths press Expand on the top tool panel. Now group (Command + G) all the objects.

Step 7

Select the Ellipse Tool and create an ellipse without a fill and a black stroke. Align them along the vertical and horizontal as shown.

Step 8

Select the ellipse and create multiple strokes (see Step 2).

Step 9

Select the ellipses, go to Object > Expand Appearance, Object > Expand. Select all objects and apply a Live Paint Bucket (K) (see steps 5 and 6).

Step 10

Select the Live Paint Bucket (K), set the fill to black and fill in areas as shown below.

I congratulate you! The first simple ornament is ready!

Step 11

The second way. Now we start weaving the ornament from three simple elements. For convenience of work go to View > Show Grid. Create the first element. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool and create a rounded rectangle without fill and a black stroke.

Step 12

Select a path and add two points as shown. Select the Scissors Tool (C), cut the left and right new anchor points and delete the right bottom part of the path.

Step 13

Create multiple strokes.

Step 14

Create the second element. Duplicate the first element. Select the Scissors Tool (C), cut the top anchor point and delete the right part of the path.

Step 15

Select the Pen Tool (P) and add a new point as in the image below.

Step 16

Let’s create the third element. Now duplicate the first element. Select the Scissors Tool (C), cut the top-left anchor point and delete the top part of the path. Drag the top point up as shown.

Select all elements and go to Object > Expand Appearance, and also apply Object > Expand.

Step 17

Duplicate, rotate elements and start to make an ornament.

The second simple, Celtic ornament is finished!

Step 18

The third way. Let’s create a more difficult ornament. Select the Ellipse Tool and create an ellipse without fill, and a black stroke. Duplicate the ellipse and move it up and to the right.

Step 19

Select the Scissors Tool (C), cut the top anchor points on both ellipses. Now drag the anchor points downwards a little.

Step 20

Select the left point of the left ellipse and the right point of the right ellipse. Go to Object > Path > Average, and select Both. Then apply Object > Path > Join.

Step 21

Drag the handles and we will give a more complete view of the curve.

Step 22

We apply a similar action with the right point of the left ellipse and the left point of the right ellipse.

Step 23

Open the Appearance and stroke palettes and create a multiple stroke as shown.

Step 24

Let’s create illusion that the path crosses. Select the Scissors Tool (C), cut the path as shown below.

Step 25

Let’s disguise the places where the cuts are.

Select the path, and place it above all.

Select the blue stroke in the Appearance palette and press on the Round Cap in the Stroke palette. Now the cut areas are disguised. Group both paths (Command + G).

Step 26

Select the group and go to Object > Transform > Reflect, and press Copy.

Step 27

Select the first group and rotate it 45 degrees (Object > Transform > Rotate). Select the second group and rotate it -45 degrees.

Step 28

Change the vertical sizes of the groups as shown.

Step 29

We’ll now apply techniques from Steps 24 and 25. Remember that at the crossing of two paths one is to pass above and another passes below, moving further on that path that was from above we should hide this line on following crossing downwards. Observe alternations below to avoid errors.

Ungroup all paths (Shift + Command + G). Scissor part of the path and go to Object > Arrange > Bring to Front.

Step 30

Select all objects and go to Object > Expand Appearance, and then Object > Expand. Select all blue elements of the first shape and apply a gradient as shown.

Now select all blue elements of the second shape and apply a gradient.

Conclusion

The final celtic knot is ready! The last set of techniques allow you to create knots of any complexity.

Here is an alternate version of the final series of techniques. Have fun creating your own!

Subscribe to the Vectortuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest vector tutorials and articles.