Tutorial Details
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Program: CorelDRAW X4
- Estimated Completion Time: 30 minutes
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
Learn here how to create a 3D iconic sphere using a few techniques in CorelDRAW X4. This tutorial will explain every single step to do, so don’t be afraid to try this even if it is your first time using corelDRAW X4. We think it’s easy as there is no need for sketches that are usually needed in the first step when working. Let’s get started!
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.
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omg… corel draw?
i dont use corel but since some of the recent tutorial of vector tuts are from corel tools i am thinking to try my hands on corel and expect some more like this beginner tuts using corel
Wow, this is what I’m looking for!!
Did you do this with coreldraw?
I was wondering how to create a 3D vector logo such a google chrome.
Looking forward for your other tuts, with more high detail 3D logo.
……..Corel………..Are you kidding me?
Of course he isn’t kidding, look at the amazing results!
Btw, there was no provision that to make a good design should use “Adobe Illustrator”.
I love it, it’s my first touch (corel draw) great
Oh boy we have some Illustrator snobs here. CorelDRAW is a very powerful program which is much easier to learn than Illustrator. In many ways it is more powerful as well. Glad to see some well done tutorials with CorelDRAW. Just wish they still made an OS X version.
Yeah, for me Coreldraw is James Bond of graphic design programs !!
This is a basic tutorial, and if you can completely do this, you can improve it to create a great iconic logo!
This is my other examples work.
http://mental85.daportfolio.com/
Thanks
where is download source?
Nice to see Corel is still On. Paul Boyer was my teecher in Corel. Icon a day Tuts
I agree. But this tut is eaires to make adobe illustrator. And it is a good tut.
Generally i used photoshop but now i will try corel, thanks for tip
I do love Photoshop, is a powerfull program!! but in my opinion, photoshop is not a real vector based graphic software such a corel, adobe illustrator, freehand etc. And I believe that the only acceptable format for Clients’ logos are vectors. Thanks, Cheers.. Enjoy my tuts!!
Maybe some1 should ask and try to getting him to make a tut for tuts+.
His icons are amazing.
Hi René, I am preparing for my next tut related to this tut with more amazing effects!!
Thanks
Please not only with effects, also with hints and tips for working with it…
Great tutorial. Thanks “Mental Artworks”
I am a CorelDraw user since long. It has some unique yet simple features. Some of my favorites….
1. you can give / remove outline of any object with right click on any colour / no colour (top one with cross mark) in colour palette. Make sure the object is selected…
2. select any object and press “plus” key you get an duplicate right above the previous object. Press shift and drag the corner handles inside or outside and you get smaller or bigger object and both the objects remain centered.
3. If you want to use a lighter tone of any colour , select the object press command/control key and click on white swatch in colour palette it gets lighter with every click of the mouse. Similarly clicking on black swatch with command / control key pressed gives you darker shade of the original colour. This works only for flat colour fill.
4. you can make and save your own colour palette windows>colour palette>create palette from document OR selection. You can access this new palette any time windows>colour palette>colour palette browser your palette is seen under user’s palettes.
5. Applying same fill and outline to other object with “edit>copy properties from” command.
Thanks Sunanda for adding more tips!!
BRAVO COREL DRAW!!!
GREAT !
I´m using Photoshop too, but as MentalArtwork tell us, it is not a real vector program!
It was time for a CorelDraw tutorial and I really hope there will come much more!
Looking forward to get more from you
Seen your gallery, say nooo more, know what i mean , aey nudge nudge. Damn nice pics.
Like the colors, blue gray black is kind of classic but damn nice.
cant wait to see tut.
Greets René
Seems pretty thorough in regards to the technique, but the actual final product is ugly as hell. It looks like an early web 2.0 button!
Thanks Max!! actualy, I didn’t focus the tuts to the “esthetic” of the final output. I just wanted to figure out some basic technique on how to create a 3D icon, as you can improve it to creat an amazing icon.
Hi everyone, I’m from Russia, we coreldraw much more popular illustrator. Keep to himself the west, because our design is at zero, my choice of illustrator, thanks for the lesson.
That’s cool, kinda looks like the new quicktime icon.
It looks like the Quicktime X logo.
nice tut hp to c more in zimbabwe corel is the popular design program
Great work. It is interesting to see people criticizing the work just because it was made in a different program…It’s like someone saying that a painting done with brushes and paints of brand “A” is “wrong”, because it is not made from brushes and paints of brand “B”, that is our natural choice.
For 3D effect, Corel is still number one..
Nice works..
and wow.. !!:D
Great tut!
Seems that some people judge if the work is good or bad, not even looking at the work itself, but at the programme it was created in.
I personally prefer Corel, but would never say that an ugly illustration made in Corel is better than the one made in Illustrator, if the 2nd is nice itself.
It all depends on how you can use the programme, and how good you are as an illustrator/designer.
It’s 2010… guys. C’mon! Come.On!
No one really give a damn about what “tools” you use for a job anymore. As long as you save it in *.eps; anyone (with any vector editing software) can use it anywhere at anytime.
CorelDraw has established to be one of the most powerful vector editing tools on earth alongside Illustrator, AND very much affordable to everyone (no matter you’re an american, russian, european, asian, african, or neverland). Anything done in Illustrator can be done exactly in CorelDraw, nuff said!
Sometimes, awkward this may sound, it’s more easier to do most vector things in CorelDraw than in Illustrator; but it’s just probably me. And, may I add; there are far more less drop-down box menu in CorelDraw than we’re having in Illustrator… just to keep your creativity more focus to the design concept rather than to those “factory made” effects.
There’s only one thing I hate about CorelDraw… it still unstable to use for editorial business (magazine, Newspaper, etc). I suggest InDesign still waaayyy up high above CorelDraw on that matter.
For vector.tuts, I guess a form of a tutorial where it can showing how a concept of a design executed in both scenarios (through Illustrator & CorelDraw) to produce a same result will make this site having more impact than ever.
Great tutorial, thank you very much!
It’s a great tutorial nd helps me very much.
Amazing.. tute !! Atlast my search to create a 3D sphere is finished
Thanks buddy .
Great use of corel draw. I was wondering how these 3d logos are made.I knew that programs like photoshop can do anything but thats not vector. Next I thought that its of course Illustrator.
But it can be Corel Draw
WOW!
I am using corel for the last 20 years approx.I started the journey of Corel draw with Corel 2 in Aug.1988 I have made many 3d drawings and illustrations in corel Draw but i never used These steps to create a 3d image.
Great job!
One more thing I would love to know is how to wrap text around a sphere in corel.You must be laughing a man with 20 years experience is asking for this.If you could guide me or link me to some tutorial .
Thanks.