Creating an Environmentally Friendly Green Type Treatment
Tutorial Details
- Program: Illustrator
- Difficulty: Beginner
- 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 Rype was first published on July 21st 2008.
With oil prices the way they are today, everybody is thinking Green. I have done many projects recently that require a Green style applied to the design. In the following Illustrator tutorial, I’ll teach you how to create a Green type treatment. It works great for logos and other design elements.
Step 1
Create a document that is 8.5 inches by 11 inches. Choose a typeface for the type treatment (I used Helvetica Bold) and type out what you want. Next, Outline the text by going to Type > Create Outlines.
Step 2
With the text selected, create a Linear Gradient from the Gradient Panel. Change the color of the first swatch on the Gradient Slider (left swatch) to a light green (I used these CMYK values: C=40, M=0, Y=100, and K=0). Change the second swatch on the Gradient Slider to a darker green (C=60 M=16 Y=100 K=0). Use the Gradient Tool (G) to adjust the gradient by clicking at the top of the type and dragging to the bottom of the type so the dark part is at the bottom.
Step 3
Now we’re going to create some leaves. Start by drawing a leaf shape with the Pen Tool (P). Again, with the Pen Tool (P), draw a line that starts at the tip of leaf and ends in the middle of the bottom part of the leaf. After selecting the line and the leaf shape, press the Divide button in the Pathfinder Panel, located on the bottom left side of the panel. Ungroup (Command+Shift+G) the objects so you have two separate shapes.
Step 4
Select both shapes and create the same colored Linear Gradient as the Text. Next, select one shape and use the Gradient Tool (G) to click and drag at a 45 degree angle across the leaf half shape. Do this again for the other half of the leaf.
Step 5
With the Pen Tool (P) draw a highlight shape on the top leaf half. Change the highlight shape to a Radial Gradient. Change the left swatch to white and the right swatch to your green color (C=40 M=0 Y=100 K=0).
Step 6
With the Pen Tool (P), create a stem shape and send it behind the leaf shapes. Create a Linear Gradient, make the gradient the same colors as the leaf shapes, and adjust the gradient so the darker green is at the top of the stem.
Step 7
Next come the water droplets. Create an oblong ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (L). Then create a Linear Gradient using the same colors as the leaf and text. Adjust the gradient so the dark side is on the bottom left.
Create another ellipse on top of the previous ellipse and create a Radial Gradient with the same swatches as the highlight gradient. Adjust this gradient so the light part of the gradient is coming from the bottom left.
Create two more smaller ellipses with Linear Gradients matching the highlight gradient. Once you are done, group all the ellipses, scale and place them on the leaf shapes. You can easily copy the droplet by holding down Alt and dragging a copy.
Step 8
The next couple of steps deal with creating the ladybug. Create an ellipse and fill it with a Linear Gradient. Make the first swatch in the gradient a red (C=0 M=100 Y=100 K=0) and the second an even darker red (C=0 M=100 Y=100 K=35). Adjust the gradient so the red color is at the bottom of the ellipse.
Copy (Command + C) the ellipse and Paste it in Front (Command + F). Draw another bigger ellipse that overlaps the center of the original ellipse. After selecting one of the original ellipses and the overlapping circle, press the Intersect Shape Areas button in the Pathfinder Panel. Make the intersected shape a Linear Gradient with the first swatch white and the second swatch red. Adjust the gradient so the white is at the top of the shape.
Step 9
Draw five more ellipses over the ladybug body shape and group them together. Copy (Command + C) the original body ellipse shape and Paste it in Front (Command + F). With the copied body shape and the five ellipse selected, Intersect the shapes.
Change the dots to a Linear Gradient with the first swatch a really dark red and the second swatch a black red. Adjust the gradient so the lightest red is at the bottom of the combined shapes. Next, Copy (Command + C) the top highlighted shape of the body and Paste it in Front (Command + F).
Copy (Command + C) the dots and Paste it in Front (Command + F). Select the copied highlight and one of the dots copy and Intersect them. Create a Linear Gradient with the first swatch at 60% black and the second at 90% black. Adjust the gradient so the lighter black is at the top of the shape.
Step 10
Create another ellipse for the ladybug’s head. Create a gradient the same as the top dots gradient and send the head behind the body shape. Draw an antenna shape with the Pen Tool (P) and place it behind the head. Copy (Command + C) the antenna and Paste it in Front (Command + F). Reflect the antenna by pressing the Flip Horizontal option from the pop-up menu of the Transform Panel.
Step 11
Draw an ellipse roughly the size of the completed ladybug. Create a Radial Gradient so the inside swatch is black and the outside is white. Set the ellipse to Multiply from the Transparency Panel and send it behind the ladybug to the bottom left, creating a drop shadow. After grouping the ladybug and drop shadow, place it on the leaf. Then scale and rotate the lady bug as needed.
Step 12
After selecting the leaf and all the elements on it, place them over your text. I placed mine over the first letter of the word.
Step 13
Copy (Command + C) the leaf and elements, except the lady bug, and Paste (Command + V). Flip the leaf horizontally and scale down the leaf. When scaling you don’t have to constrain the proportions, this helps the leaf look different from the other. Repeat this step a couple of times around the text.
Step 14
For the other leaves we are going to create an Art Brush. You can draw these elements with the Pen Tool (P), but you’ll find it more consistent and easier to use a brush.
Draw an oblong ellipse. Then with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the right anchor point in the ellipse. When you select an anchor point the Control Panel will default to the Anchor Point Options. Convert the anchor point to a Corner (the first button to the right on the Control Panel). Do this again for the left anchor point. Next, squish the ellipse down from the top to half its original size.
Step 15
Drag the oval into the Brush Panel and choose New Art Brush. In the Art Brush options change Colorization to Tints. This lets you change the color of the brush without creating a new brush. You don’t need to change the colors of the brush strokes for this tutorial, but it is good practice.
Step 16
With your new brush, make a swirl shape for a leaf blade. You might need to change the stroke of the brush if it looks to small or too big. When you get a stroke you like, go to Object > Expand. You will also want to clean up the unfilled stroke. An easy way to do this is to go Object > Path > Clean Up. Also, make sure all the check boxes are checked and press OK.
Step 17
Select the expanded brush shape and create a Linear Gradient with the same swatches as the original text gradient.
Step 18
Repeat the steps for creating the leaf blade around your text. Try to vary the shape and size of the blades.
Step 19
Next we’re going to add some more water droplets around the text. Simply Copy (Command + C) the droplets on the leaf you already made and Paste (Command + V) them around the text. Also, be sure to vary their size and shape.
Step 20
Now it is time to work on the dirt at the bottom of the text. Double click on the Pencil Tool (N) in the Tools Panel to bring up the Pencil Tool Options. Change the Fidelity to 5 to get really smooth lines.
Use you Pencil Tool (N) to draw a small circular shape. Press Alt before you let go to close the shape. Next, create a Radial Gradient with the interior swatch a brown color (C=35 M=60 Y=80 K=25) and the exterior swatch a dark brown color (C=50 M=70 Y=80 K=70) . Place the spot on the first letter of your word. Scale the dot down smaller than one of the droplets.
Step 21
Repeat this till you have a pile of dirt spots on you first letter.
Step 22
Copy (Command + C) and Paste the dirt pile until you have covered the very bottom of all the letters.
Step 23
Draw a Radial Gradient ellipse like you did for the ladybug drop shadow. Squish the ellipse to about half the size. Send the ellipse behind all the artwork and set it to Multiply.
Step 24
Repeat this drop shadow under all the letters.
Step 25
For the background create a rectangle with the Rectangle Tool that is the size of you document. Give it a Radial Gradient, make the interior swatch white and the second swatch a light green (C=13 M=0 Y=38 K=0).
Final Image
Now you have a nice Green type treatment!
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really very nice………………..
Very useful tutorial. Which software do you use? We use Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator for such vector graphics.
“Which software do you use ?” DUDE !! this is a illustrator tutorial!
um
“Tutorial Details
Program: Illustrator
Difficulty: Beginner
Completion Time: 1-2 hours”
Does it work with any version of Illustrator? I’m using CS2… Thanks for letting me know if anyone tried on CS2
yes it works – all you need is the pen tool, type tool, gradient tool, pencil tool and brush tool and path finder they are all in cs2
why not just try it?
nice tutorials! I like the end result. :)
I like this logo design tut a lot, great use of gradients and transparency, keep up the good work mate.
I don’t know how to say..but i don’t like learn this bcuz it quit difficult,.
Hi,
Thanks for the great tutorial. But I still don’t know how to divide the leaf. Would you mind to explain the detail? Thank you.
You can divide the leave by using Pathfinder. Which can be found in Windows > Pathfinder. It’s a smart tool to edit shapes and lines.
Here’s a tutorial on how to use the pathfinder tool
http://veerle-v2.duoh.com/blog/comments/using_the_pathfinder_and_align_tool_in_illustrator/
What i like is your way to explain the things. You have a really pedagogical and clear way to talk, a way that you dont meet at the most of tutorials through the net. Thanks
Thank you so much… it has been very helpful.. :) awesome
Nice work I am so impressed
Really good tutorial, I did it with no illu experience. So it took a long time.
I had a problem with dividing the leaf but somehow I managed. It looks great !
Nice tutorial. The end result looks really professional
I love it! I will bookmark this to try out some of your techniques on my own designs later. What a great tutorial; thanks for sharing!
I love your tutorial but i’m stuck at step 9 with the dots, i can´t get it right they smelt in the body when I use intersect, there is no dots anymore but like at whole circle with holes in where the dots used to be… Please help!
Make sure your dots aren’t part of a group – if you keep having trouble you can make another circle the same size as the ladybug body (without the highlight), then divide it with the dots and delete the main part so you have the trimmed dots left behind.
I’m surprised you didn’t make a new scatter brush at step 20-21 (for the dirt). You have to remove the gradient but it’s a bit faster…
I used:
Size 26 to 140% Random
Spacing 19 to 125% Random
Scatter -34% to 116% Random
Rotation -53 to 76 Random
Rotation Relative to Path
Method: Hue Shift
Hi!
Im kinda confused.
im drawing the leaf and the middle line. but when i push the divide-button it creates another line so the ends of the middle line meets. this means that it is no more a line but another figure inside the leaf. Why??
Hi, thanks a lot for your useful tut here. But I stuck in Step 9, I group the dots using (Ctrl + G) and then use intersect, the error message appeared: “The filter produce no result. Please select two overlapping paths.” So I merge those dots using Compound Path, the trick worked. I wonder if I do it wrong way or intersect cannot be used among grouped objects? Please give me some tips about that. I appreciate.
Thanks, this worked for me to, I spent ages trying to get it to work. I don’t think you can intersect a group of objects like the tutorial says. You must have to make a compound shape then intersect.
it is difficult but it is very cool to make it
I find it really good for your work!
Great tutorial but I am having an issue, when I use the pen tool and create the curve in the shape and then hit the divide button it creates another line and fills that path I just created rather than staying as a single line…..can you help?
Waaait does tutsplus reblog posts? Because im positive I saw this exact tutorial posted on here like a year or two ago
Yes, as stated in the introduction, we repost our most popular archived content a few times each month, which is in addition to adding consistently high quality new material. This reintroduces older posts to new members of our audience. Thx.
hehe just remembered this one. I used the water droplets on a bunch of projects, just awesome technique.
Thanks a lot. See the result: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=151319298269664&set=a.122395604495367.19887.100001747836282&type=1&theater
Fantastic work :)
Ver Nice, Good Explaine details
very nice
Thanks, great tutorial! Plain and simple.
Great tutorial, thanks for the help! Very clear and easy to read.
Guys! I’m having trouble with the leaf part, I’m getting a little impatient with everyone having amazing results and I’m stuck in the beginning. Make a leaf, did that. Made another vector line through the leaf did that. Divided it…nothing. Ungrouped it, the ungroup option is not even highlighted when I go through it in the toolbar while the leaf and line are highlighted. Please help? :\ I can’t get the leaf to two different shapes.
Has your line accidentally joined up with another shape? To make sure it’s working, draw a line that goes beyond the leaf on both sides. If this doesn’t work, draw a shape over one side of the leaf and then select all the objects and divide it. Delete the outside of the shape you drew and you will have two sides to the leaf but using a different technique.
@Josh (& others),
I’m still learning how to use Illustrator so it took way too long to figure out that…
…in order to draw the line thru the leaf, i had to CLOSE the line by clicking on my starting anchor point and drag a similar shape as the one i created when i created my 2nd anchor point — in other words, a single line means duplicating the same shape over top of the first line… in order to make it back to the starting anchor point to close it.
…just one of those “assumed” fundamentals that some of us don’t always know. HTH.
Great tut, btw! I really enjoy learning how to create quality graphics :)
Great tutorial y tried and it was very nice. Very good work!!
Wow.. mind blowing Simple and really eco friendly design love the site :)
Great Tutorial!
hi all,
using this tutorial can i use my own logo with same style and design ?
is it legal ?
can i use this tutorial to create my company logo ?
anyone please reply…
You can use the skills you learn to make the logo, you cant use the source file :)
I can’t seem to do the intersection in the bug part. It keeps stating that The filter produced no results, please select two overlapping paths.
Help anyone?
Are the shapes grouped? You need to have two shapes selected that aren’t in the same group so they can be intersected.
genial!! Thank you so much!! I’ve learned a lot of tricks I didnt know!! I was doing all that the hard way and now thanks to you NO MORE! Keep on the good works and thanks again for teaching!!
Super Tutorial i like very much
as a beginner I failed at using the pen tool to draw anything.
Really cool. Keep posting these amazing tuts. i love it.
Awesome tutorial .. but it needs time to be done hehehe :)
Thanks a lot for sharing..
Im stuck at the very beginning. The “Create Outline” is grayed out. I have tryed diffrent fonts.
Nvm :P
can anyone help me ?? i’ve got a problem on drawing the leaf .. i just can’t do it –
thanks :)
Awesome tutorial I complete it and enjoy for and learn more about the tools of Illustrator thanks budy
Simply beautiful! I believe using a thicker font will add more “life” to the logo text. If you can combine rain effect with this, then it would look as if the text got drenched because of the rain and it would create an awesome impression IMO. Water splash effect at the base of the logo would be too good! If possible, please consider this as a request for your next tutorial.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your kind teaching.
I’m a newbie for design but I made this one not to take much time than I expected. :)
Ha! For the people stuck at step 3, draw the line thru the leaf with the brush (b) in stead of the pen (p) tool. First time I tried it I managed (after a long time) to do it with the Pen tool, but it was more accidental, so the second time I couldn’t get passed three after I tried this. :)
Wow! This is really nice Illustrator tutorial. I have so much to learn from this.
Awesome Tuto, thx !
Really nice and easy tutorial…awesome is the word that describes it…!
Very nice although the ladybug is proving to be a challenge! I am so so proud of myself
Thanks for the materials. I am looking for a similar tutorial which can used CAD Drawings of a leaf (spline object) and show a lifting in the z-direction to specific units height, making a non-planar 3D logo. An illustration will be lifting an a4 paper in one of its corner, the paper will partly bend n the area of the lift. Do you have links to tutorials on this subject, worst please note that I know nothing on illustrator. Is it recommended for this type of work? Can it used Autocad Object like Spline and accept precise input.