How to Create an Open Book with Illustrator’s 3D Extrude & Bevel Tool
Tutorial Details
- Program: Illustrator
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Completion Time: 1-2 hours
Download Source Files
Final Product What You'll Be Creating
A few times a each month we revisit some of our reader’s favorite posts from throughout the history of Vectortuts+. This tutorial by Simona Pfreundner was first published on September 12th 2008.
In this tutorial, we’ll explain how to create an open book mostly with Illustrator’s 3D Extrude & Bevel Tool. We’ll create open pages with graphics and add a wavy background. The book can be customized by applying your own graphics to the pages.
Step 1
Let’s start by opening a new document. Draw a rectangle with the Rectangle Tool (M). I chose the size of 415pt by 6pt and filled it with a nice blue. Draw a circle with the Ellipse Tool (L), and make it 27px in diameter. Place the circle in the center of the rectangle. Set the Stroke to 6pt and choose the same blue. Next, go to Object > Path > Outline Stroke.
Step 2
We need to combine both objects. We can do so by selecting both and then choose the Divide tool in the Pathfinder Palette. Delete all the unnecessary paths, then select the final desired shape, and choose the Add to Shape Area in the Pathfinder Palette.
Step 3
Select the shape, and go to Effect > Stylize > Round Corners, then choose 4pt as a value and click OK. Next, go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Warp. Choose the first Arc Option, click Horizontal, and set the Bend to 1%. Then go to Object > Expand. We now have our base object for the book.
Step 4
Select the shape and go to Effect > 3d > Extrude & Bevel. Set following values: -35 degrees, 31 degrees, -10 degrees. Also, set the Perspective at 131 degrees and Extrude Depth at 400pt. This setting will be used again and applied to other objects in order to build our book.
Step 5
Make a copy of the book hardcover and expand it. (Object > Expand Appearance). Select the shape and choose Add to Shape Area in the Pathfinder Palette, then fill it with black.
Step 6
Apply a Gaussian Blur to the black shape. Choose a blur of 33px. Put this under the hardcover shape as a shadow. Set the Transparency to 70% and offset it a little.
Step 7
Create a line that is 411pt long and add a Stroke of 1pt. Set the Stroke to blue. Go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Warp. Select the Arc Option, set the Bend to 1%, and 45% for the Horizontal distortion.
Keep the shape selected and apply the same 3D Extrude & Bevel values as we did in Step 4. Click on the More Option Button, then in the Surface Section add one more highlight, and click OK. Place the blue shape on top of the hardcover.
Step 8
Create a light grey line with the Pen tool (L) about 200pt long and set 0.5pt for the Stroke. Duplicate this line eight times with a gap of about 2 pt or so, then group them together.
Step 9
Select the lines and duplicate/mirror them. Scale/skew it only on the right side. You can do so by selecting the Scale Tool(E), click on the bounding box corner, then hold down the Command Key and drag the mouse downwards. Group it again and select the Warp Tool (Shift + Alt). Apply the Warp tool to the lines, as shown below. You want to be careful not to do to much warping, just enough that it looks like pages on top of each other.
Step 10
Select the "pages object" and apply the same 3D Extrude & Bevel values as we did in Step 4 and Step 7. Click on the More Option button, then in the Highlight Section, add two more highlight and click OK.
Step 11
Make a duplicate of the "3d pages" and Expand their Appearance. Choose Add to Shape Area in the Pathfinder Palette and fill it with black. Apply a Gaussian Blur of 8px again. We’ll place this as a small shadow under the "3d pages," just above the blue lines we created. Set its Layer Mode to Color Dodge. Select the "3d page" object and make a copy of it on top of itself, then set the Layer Mode to Overlay.
Step 12
Let’s set up our page graphics. I chose images of the tutorials I created for VECTORTUTS, just to stay neutral and not to come into any copyright issue. Of course you can choose whatever moves your heart. You can add text, pictures, graphic textures, etc. The only important thing is to create a symbol of them.
Step 13
Let’s create the pages where we’ll add the graphics. Create a line with the Pen tool (P), as you see in the image below . You want to make sure that you have only three path points for now. Give the path a white Stroke.
Apply the 3D Extrude & Bevel with the same values as we used before (see Step 4, Step 7 and Step 10). Make sure that this time you do not add any shading. Then click the Map Options and go to Surface Number 3. There choose the graphic we created earlier as a symbol. You can scale it, move it around, and decide where it looks the best.
Step 14
Apply the same method to the other side of the "3d page" via the 3D Tool Map Option. Of course, you should have already created a second graphic and dragged it into the Symbol Palette.
Step 15
Once you have applied the desired graphics, select the object and put it over the 3d pages object, then set the Layer Mode to Multiply. If you feel you need to adjust the pages, you can easily add path points to the line. You can also adjust the path handles with the Direct Selection toll (A). Since we didn’t expand the appearance, the 3D values will be adjusted as well.
Step 16
Create another pages path with the Pen tool (P). Apply the same 3D values and expand the appearance. Select the shape and choose Add to Shape Area in the Pathfinder Palette.
Step 17
Draw a line in the middle of the object. Let the path extend outside of the edge, then select both, and choose Divide in the Pathfinder Palette. This will give us a two page shape.
Step 18
Select each page with the Direct Selection tool (A) and apply a light grey to white linear gradient. Repeat this with the other shape by applying the same gradient. You might have to experiment a little to apply a good looking gradient.
Step 19
Place the gradient page shape over the other pages with the graphics, then set the Layer Mode to Overlay. Go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and apply the settings you see in the image below.
Step 20
Let’s create a background for the book. Create a square with the Rectangle Tool(M), then fill it with a nice radial blue to white gradient. Put the gradient highlight in the top left corner.
Step 21
Create a long triangular shape, fill it with the same gradient, and set it to Linear.
Step 22
Select the triangular shapes and create two duplicates by rotating next to each other. An easy way is to first select the shape, then choose the Rotate tool (O). Click in the top corner, hold down Shift + Alt + hold down the mouse key, and drag it counterclockwise. Then press Command + D once.
Step 23
Select all three shapes and group then. Then go to Object > Envelop Distort > Make With Warp. Select the Twist Options and check Horizontal. Choose 50% for the Bend and 10% for the Vertical Distortion. Now place the background gradient shape and the swirl behind the book.
Conclusion
Voila! Our 3D Open Book is complete. I put a rounded corner square on top of all layers, placed it nicely to frame the book and the background, then applied a Clipping Path. You can of course change colors, add different graphics to the pages, and even add pages to it. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
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By Simona Pfreundner
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Super! xxxx
thanks, so cool. But when I finished it, the images on page were broken pixel?
I’m learning a lot about AI using this tutorial. Thanx!
I too, am having problems with steps 9 & 10. I eventually used Effect>Distort & Transform>Free Distort to shrink the inner binding edged of the pages. But when I move on to step 10 the pages do not share a “seam” in the center. Its probably due to my use of Free Distort.
But its still a great tut!
I am so frustrated, I have been trying to do this for hours and I feel like such a complete DUNCE! Can anyone help me please???. Ok, I am stuck at step 9:
“Scale/skew it only on the right side. You can do so by selecting the Scale Tool(E), click on the bounding box corner, then hold down the Command Key and drag the mouse downwards.” I just cannot do this, how do I scale only one side? Every time I try it scales/skews everything. I am on a mac so the comm and keys are different I think, but I just can’t find what they are. argggh. it is driving me craaaazy…someone please help before I lose my mind!!!
very nice tutorial.. thanks..
This is one I could play around with for hours! Very interesting ideas in this tutorial that could extend to more than just creating a book illustration. Thanks for the great visuals
For those folks that were having trouble with step 9, I figured it out. First you select your grouped lines with the select tool. Then you click on the free transform tool. Then you click on the right bounding box handle. AFTER you click on the right bounding box handle THEN you press the cntrl (windows) cmd (mac) key and then you can scale only the right side. I hope that hopes those frustrated out there, I was equally as frustrated.
Great Tut. Cheers
Thanks for this great tut!
For step 9: You can try selecting the points on one side with the direct selection tool (A – white arrow) and then without deselecting choose the the scale tool and place the little red target in the bottom line in order to avoid scaling under that line, the same can be applied to reduce the other side (direct selection point in the other side + scale tool + placing the target). At least it works for me in CS3.
Great tutorial! Check out this one:
http://www.attitudedesign.co.uk/3d-prototype-mock-up-in-adobe-illustrator/
Great tutorial thanks
nice tutorial, it ws too helpful, any way thanx.
http://greenlemon.in/blog/viewpost/83
Wonderful!!!
realy very super
I also had some trouble with step 9, after reading Jolie’s message I managed to get it done, thanks Jolie. ( tho I first clicked on the middle right bounding box all the time first instead of the top right bounding box )
Nice tut! Hope I’ll get a nice result :D
very nice tutorial!
Nice tut!
&
very nice! good
Very very good experience keep it up to teach people
and thankyou for teaching me also.
I’m having trouble with Step 11. I’ve tried multiple methods of arranging the various layers but can’t seem to duplicate the effect shown. It would be helpful if the author would provide more exact direction.
Wow, excelente tutortial, gracias por compartirlo
Looks cool…
very nice im a new desif=gner im learn from this some thing thnx if any body hv like this notes pls send me or contect me
rilzan_mcdsuae@yahoo.com
You really helped me out here! I needed to make a open book just like yours but with a bit more pages and you have helped me with this job.
Amazing tutorial
great tutorial !
thanks so much :)
thank for your tutorial
thank for tutorial
I once heard an expression:
“If you don’t have anything good to say, then say nothing”.
I have nothing to say simply because i am speechless.
Great just……….. i don’t know…. great.
Hi chaps! I was having a majorly frustrating time too with step 9 – what I did was:
1. With the DIRECT selection tool, select all of the RIGHT hand points of the lines only.
2. Choose the SCALE TOOL – a blue bullseye will appear – make sure this is on the BOTTOM line’s point.
3. Then click on the top right hand point, press cmd (mac) or ctrl (pc) and drag down to scale right side only. When you get what you’re after, deselect everything by pressing esc – voila! Thanks goodness for that!
By the way, I forgot to say thanks for the tute! Life saver…
Super Brillant but super hard to catch =D
Huh,
Very easy looking but got difficult at step 9. This article has to be checked for erros as the tools are misnamed and expand option i think before step 9 somewhere makes the books into pieces. So be alert. If after expand ur book, the base object looks broken, do it without expand.
Ok, I don’t know how many would have been struck at step 9. It’s a lot tricky. So here’s the way to skew it. This is t only way it worked for grouped lines. If anyone has other ideas, post here. Thanks guys at vectors tuts still. You let us learn a lot, for free :)
step 9–How to skew:
It is tricky but sing the freetransform tool (E) and hitting SHIFT+left mouse click AND command (control) will allow you to skew one the outward edge of a whole group at once. Whoohoo! I hope I can remember this!
–courtesy –http://forum.naature.com/index.php?showtopic=3998
Sweet tut, you taught me the sick shit you can make with the 3D tools, and thanks Willie, your advice helped me with step 9;)
Hi, maybe it’s just me, but I cannot get to the next page of the tutorial? I can only see page 1 and i would really like to finish this project.
Anyone got tips?
I think it’s an error that’s happening with the latest version of WordPress, we’re on the case and it should be fixed asap. Thank-you for letting us know.
Nice. But I eventually had to give and quit at step 9.
I love it, thanks for the tut.
Thank you very much, it is excellent tutorial.
very teducational.
HELP HELP!
Can someone please help me out with step 19?
I am using AI CS5, I have done everything perfect up until step 19. The gradient page does not show the gradient or solid page under the layer with the graphics. I have placed it on top, set it to overlay, set the “graphics” pages underneath to multiply, and still nothing?
Your responses are greatly appreciated,
Thank You
can you color the page at all? I’m confused at to what’s going wrong exactly.
Hi All,
This is very gooooooooooooooood & detailed tutorial, I like it very much.
Thanks again Simona Pfreundner, I like your effort for us.
Take care
This should be a good exercise to get used to the 3D tools in Illustrator. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you for nice tutorial…
My result
[img]http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/6834/bookcompl.jpg[/img]
fantastic work :)
Great tutorial. Some problems with the mapping process. I can iron this out with practice though. Great start. Thanks.
hi, I have stuck in step 9.when you said use warp tool.(shift + alt)
i have no idea how can i use this because ive been trying it for several times but i couldent do this.
I will really appreciated for if you can tell me how can i do this
thank you
Have you grouped and selected the lines? If the shortcut doesn’t work, go to Effect > Warp.
Great tutorial
thanks for sharing
:)
Its very good experience… :)
This is one of the most well made AI tutorials I’ve seen.
The only way I could do step 9 (in CS5) was to select the points one at a time with the direct selection tool & drag them down. None of the methods here worked, don’t know if its a bug in the machine or just different version of the software. And the only other big problem I had was step 19 – using “overlay” changed the colors of the symbols, “multiply” worked better. But either way, the new pages on top just come out ghosted, doesn’t look like the artwork is on top of them.
Maybe I’ll have to try it again. Sometimes the second (or third) time round I can figure it out.
Thanks for the tute.
Very nice!
Briiliant!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s a really nice tutorials.. I have never seen yet…
Thanks..