The Best Place for Adobe Illustrator Tutorials
Posts tagged color
Illustrator CS6
May 8th
Illustrator CS6 is shipping ! I’m sure most of you know and have already downloaded the the trial version, but if you haven’t, go and get it already ! In the following post I breakdown some of the new features in CS6 and it’s not quite a review, just an overview at what is new. I want to use CS6 for a solid month in production work before I put up my review. Adobe Mercury Program The most significant change in Illustrator is the the Mercury Performance System. With the Adobe Mercury Program, Illustrator has native 64-bit support on Mac OS and Windows. You can access all the RAM on your computer to easily open, save, and export large files and preview complex illustrations. Mordy Golding has a good breakdown of what 64-bit Illustrator CS6 actually means and you can read more about the Mercury Performance System over at Adobe. Flexible…
Read this article:
Illustrator CS6
Create a Sketchy Hand-Drawn Camera Illustration in Illustrator
May 4th
In this tutorial, we’re going to use Illustrator (and a bit of Photoshop) to create an image that looks roughly hand-drawn on textured paper. We’ll be creating a camera illustration in this rough sketchy style. July of 2008 Final Image Preview To begin with let’s have a look at the image we’ll be creating. Step 1 Take a series of photos of your subject to decide which angle will work best. Here is the link to the camera image chosen. Step 2 Import your chosen photo into Illustrator using File > Place. Lock this layer and create a new one on top of it. Step 3 Choose a red 0.5 pt stroke, with no fill, and use the Pen tool to start tracing the outlines of your image. Start with the main outlines then the inner lines. You don’t have to be too accurate, as we’re going to be distorting the lines later. Step 4 Use the Pencil tool to draw the finer details. Step 5 Now that we’re done tracing we’re going to make the drawing feel more hand-rendered. Choose the Wrinkle tool (it’s in the Warp tool sub-menu). Step 6 You might have to experiment with the settings to get the desired effect; here’s what I used. Step 7 Lock your finer details by selecting them and hitting Command+2. Click quickly all over your image to wrinkle the lines. Step 8 Now tidy up a bit using the Direct Selection tool to join …
Read this article:
Create a Sketchy Hand-Drawn Camera Illustration in Illustrator
Create a Detailed, Vector Clothespin Illustration
May 1st
In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a detailed clothespin illustration. It all starts with a simple pixel perfect vector shape building techniques. Then we’ll use the appearance panel and Illustrator effects to add dimension to the illustration. You can use these professional techniques to create quality icons, detailed web graphics, and more. Step 1 Hit Command + N to create a new document. Enter 600 in the width and height boxes, then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box is unchecked before your click OK. Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides > Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to replace the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. All these options will significantly increase your work speed. Step 2 Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 20 by 230px shape. Fill it with R=0, G=148, B=68, and remove the color from the stroke. Select this green shape and go to Object > Path > Add Anchor Points. Make sure that this shape is still selected, switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A) and focus on the top anchor points. Select the top, left anchor point and move it 100px down, then select the top, middle anchor points and move it 5px to the right. The Snap to Grid should ease your work. Continue with the Direct …
Read this article:
Create a Detailed, Vector Clothespin Illustration
Learn How to Create a Garbage Bin Illustration in Illustrator
Apr 25th
In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a garbage bin illustration. Use a complete Illustrator CS5 workflow, vector shape building techniques, gradient and opacity shading, as well as various vector effects. Let’s get started. Step 1 Hit Command + N to create a new document. Enter 700 in the width box and 600 in the height box, then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the “Align New Objects to Pixel Grid” box is unchecked before your click OK. Now, turn on the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit …
Follow this link:
Learn How to Create a Garbage Bin Illustration in Illustrator
Quick Tip: Create a Simple Audio Player Bar in Adobe Illustrator
Apr 23rd
In this quick tip you will learn how to create a simple audio player bar. This is mostly about the basics of pixel perfect vector shape building techniques. We’ll start with a simple rectangles and the Rounded Corners effect. Next, we’ll use some Offset and Pathfinder techniques to create the highlights. Finally, some masking/blending techniques and the Drop Shadow effect will help us add the final touches. Step 1 Create a 600 by 300px, RGB document. First, enable the Grid (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides > Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to replace the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. All these options will significantly increase your work speed. Step 2 Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 525 by 30px shape. Fill it with the linear gradient shown below, make sure that there’s no color set for the stroke and go to Effect > …
See the original post:
Quick Tip: Create a Simple Audio Player Bar in Adobe Illustrator
How To Create a Grainy Abstract Lines Poster Design
Apr 23rd
Follow this step by step tutorial to create a cool abstract lines design with awesome vibrant lighting effects. We’ll use Illustrator’s easy tools to create the vector linework then add a range of glows, colours and effects in Photoshop to finish the design with a cool grainy but luminous style. It’s difficult to describe this style of artwork without referencing Andy Gilmore’s awesome work . The overall design mixes geometric shapes from the vector linework with vibrant colours and grainy textures to create an intricate design perfect for use as a printed poster or maybe even a band’s album art. View the final grainy abstract lines design Open up Adobe Illustrator and use the Pen tool to draw a wavy line on the artboard. Keep the bezier handles long to allow for a smooth curve. Copy (CMD+C) and Paste in Front (CMD+F) a duplicate of the line, then go to Object > Transform > Reflect. Choose the Vertical option then position the copy next to the original. Select both items and go to Object > Blend > Make. Head back to Object > Blend then select the Blend…
See the rest here:
How To Create a Grainy Abstract Lines Poster Design
How to Illustrate a Street Lamp in Illustrator
Apr 18th
While reading this tutorial, you’ll learn some excellent vector illustration techniques, as well as use various powerful Illustrator tools. We’ll construct a street lamp object based illustration using blends, gradient meshes, art brushes, and more. Follow along, while creating your own impressive artwork. Step 1 First, go to View > Rulers > Show Rulers (Command + R). Then drag the vertical guideline from the ruler and drop it in your artwork area. Lock the guideline in the Layers palette. After that illustrate the path bent in its lower part. Sketch a circle using the Ellipse Tool (L). Focus your attention on locating the center of the circle. It should be placed on the guideline. And sketch an ellipse the same way. Step 2 Now lock all the paths with the exclusion of the ellipse. Blow up the artwork, take the Scissors Tool (C) and click on two points as shown. Delete the left part of the ellipse after that. Then lock all the paths apart from the first illustrated, and repeat the same manipulations as shown in the image below. Delete the middle part of the path. Do the same with the circle. …
See original here:
How to Illustrate a Street Lamp in Illustrator
20 Beautiful Nature Inspired Tutorials from Vectortuts+
Apr 17th
There’s nothing like the seasons and nature to inspire great works of art. Today we have have bundled together a collection of beautiful and inspiring tutorials from the Vectortuts+ archives. Covering a variety of subjects from landscapes to water drops there’s plenty of projects to help you imagine and create your own fantastic nature inspired illustrations. Create a Garden Scene Using Brushes in Illustrator — Vector Premium Tutorial In today’s tutorial, I’m going to be showing you how to create this garden scene using the Appearance panel, Art and Scatter brushes. Along the way, you will see how Color Guides and using the Rectangular Grid Tool can help you put together a composition. Create a Magical Vector Landscape Using Illustrator — Vector Premium Tutorial Today you have a great chance to learn the secrets of creating a real illustration. This artwork belongs to the series of illustrations called “Hanami” which will be participating in the illustration competition for a children’s book. “Hanami” is Japanese for “festival of enjoying cherry blossoms.” The “Hanami” series has been created by Catherine Dedova (great vector artist). In this tutorial, she will share the secrets of her skills with us. This tutorial will…
See the original post here:
20 Beautiful Nature Inspired Tutorials from Vectortuts+
Quick Tip: How to Illustrate a 3D Drawing Pin
Apr 16th
Do you want to illustrate a drawing pin? If yes then let’s get started this Quick Tip for beginner users of Adobe Illustrator, and you will learn the simple techniques of vector graphic design that will improve your skills and creativity! Step 1 Take the Ellipse Tool (L), change the Fill color in the Control Panel to yellow, and the Stroke color to None. Press the Option button on your keyboard, and drag the mouse while holding the mouse key and the above-mentioned buttons down. You will receive the following circle shown in the image below. Then go to Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel and convert the circle to a disc by specifying the rotation angles and the depth of extrusion. Step 2 When you will be satisfied with the disc shape, go to the Appearance palette and click “3D Extrude & Bevel” link to edit the effect. (The disc must be selected). Set the Rendering Style to “No shading”. You should do this in order to decrease the quantity of paths after expanding which will be made in the next step. Now you should achieve the following result. Step 3 Go to Object > Expand Appearance, then go to Object > Ungroup three times…
Read this article:
Quick Tip: How to Illustrate a 3D Drawing Pin
Create a Mobile Phone Music Player Interface
Apr 16th
In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a mobile phone music player interface. We’ll build the interface using pixel perfect alignment, quality vector shape building techniques, as well as gradient and lighting control. Step 1 Hit Command + N to create a new document. Enter 640 in the width box and 960 in the height box, then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi), and make sure that the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box is unchecked before you click OK. Now, turn on the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. All …
See the original post here:
Create a Mobile Phone Music Player Interface