Quick Tip: Create a Simple Character Face with Vector Shapes
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Quick Tip: Create a Simple Character Face with Vector Shapes

on Jul 4th 2011 with 32 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Illustrator C3 and above
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Length: 18:19 min

Learn how to create a stylized and simple character face in Adobe Illustrator with Ryan Quintal. It’s all the elipse and pen tool in this one, as we’re going to use solid colors, basic shapes, and use Illustrator’s “Width” tool to create some beautiful lines. Once you’re done, you’ll have a template that’s ready to go for a wide variety of faces for characters and animation.

preview

 
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Edgy. Daring. Sometimes a little kooky. Graphic designers of all backgrounds turn to Ryan's QuintalDesigns.com for industry articles, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop Tutorials, and a host of other fun information. A blend of strong experience, innovative design, and geeky background. Ryan's current gig is as a Designer in Massachusetts, while at the same time, attending college, where he is honing his skills for his design career.  

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  • http://www.3rddesign.com 3rddesign

    You have an excellent tutorial for beginners. When I was starting, I really enjoy creating character designs and faces. It’s fun to teach this to children.

  • Anton G.

    Where is the “width tool” in AI CS4 ?

  • Adam

    Thank you Ryan. This was really helpful for a beginner like me. Keep publishing more tuts :)

    • http://www.quintaldesigns.com Ryan Quintal
      Author

      Thanks Adam, I appreciate it.

  • Paul

    Nice work! please, tell me, what tool do you use to make nose, lips, eyebrows so amazing. I can’t hear on this video

    • http://www.quintaldesigns.com Ryan Quintal
      Author

      It’s the “width” tool.

  • http://gamedecider.com NovruzeliH

    Hey thanks for the tutorial, this is very amazing, I wanted to do some thing like this in a while :P

    my outcome: http://krontm.deviantart.com/#/d3l85l0

    • http://bucketothought.com/loungekat/blog/ LoungeKat

      Great work!

    • http://www.quintaldesigns.com Ryan Quintal
      Author

      Awesome, The green hair is rad.

  • http://life--dance.blogspot.com Boris

    Nice tutorial :) It was fun and funny ’cause I was laughing to your jokes, and pauses to find the right word (the iris, star trek side burns, cool hair, “yes he’s gonna be white ’cause that’s what I landed on”, the blue eyes comment, the medieval hair, you made him a buddy hehehe… and the signing out saying “your buddy”) XD

    Oh and you got me thinking about the hair above the ears XD

    Learn a lot from this tutorial. keep it up :D

    • http://www.quintaldesigns.com Ryan Quintal
      Author

      Alas, not a single person commented on the Justin Beiber joke. Maybe I’m loosing my touch. :-p

  • http://twitter.com/#!/Mannnar Manar Alrashed

    Thank you Ryan, Illustrator was such as complicated for me but now after your tutorial everything is clear

  • Cory S

    This was a great first tutorial for me to learn various techniques and features of Illustrator. What a great application!
    Thanks for the introduction, I’ll be spending more time on this site for sure!

    Here’s mine:
    http://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h432/ThinkPol1/CharacterFaceTutunguided.jpg

  • Almants Auksconis

    What is the ‘Option’ button on PC? Anybody know?

    • http://bucketothought.com/loungekat/blog/ LoungeKat

      Alt :)

  • Levi

    Thanks for this. It was really helpful, as I’m pretty new to illustrator and trying to learn more.

  • http://www.jeremysale.com Jeremy

    Awesome tut. I learned so many things watching this. Width tool! Stroke caps! Select same stroke color! I love it!

  • Julien

    Hi ! I registered only to thank you for this amazing tutorial. I just began illustrator today and you made it very understable. I learned a lot of shapes and tips. Also, i’m french but it’s very easy to understand what you say.
    Thank you for doing that kind of stuff

    p.s: i don’t understand when you say “command shift left *********** ” You use it on the bottom hair and on the neck too. I did it with the layers but i would like to know the tips.

    • http://bucketothought.com/loungekat/blog/ LoungeKat

      That would be left square bracket ( this [ ) I’m glad you enjoyed the tutorial :)

      • Christopher

        Where can i find this on my mac keyboard? i dont have such a bracket.

  • http://e11world.com e11world

    Excellent tutorial and I really enjoyed it! This is gonna be my base to make my new mascot :)

  • Lex

    Can you please make a tutorial or kust explain how did you organize your workspace in Illustrator this way?
    Thanks in advance! Tutorial is awesome, btw!!!

  • John

    Thanks Ryan, Awesome Tutorial. I am new to new Illustrator…I really find your Tutorial very helpful.

  • http://www.twitter.com/#!/sellene__ Selene Arzola

    Nice :)

  • http://froog.com.br André Dutra

    Dude fantastic JOB! I just started using Illustrator and this video was very helpfull!

  • Le Me

    Thanks for this really funny, clear and useful tutorial.
    I thoroughly enjoyed it and this is my result http://i48.tinypic.com/vsicuq.jpg :)

  • http://in.linkedin.com/in/gauravkumar37 Gaurav Kumar

    Awesome tutorial…too good…I’ve always wanted to see how these comic characters are made…now I know.
    Can you please post the Illustrator file somewhere for us to download. Many thanks in advance…

  • Billboardexec

    Thanks a lot. Learned a lot. Always stayed away from Illustrator and just used photoshop. Never knew how easy it was to use.

  • http://www.facebook.com/madalina.gogoasa Madalina Gogoasa

    how about the body ? is there a simple way to draw a body ? cause i wanna know :) hehe

  • shoaib

    awesome .. thanks a lot.. learn too much with this (y) :)