Blog Archives

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Rubber Ducky

1/28/2019

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Have some light fun with a Rubber Ducky playing in bubbles.

Start with body with an oval.

Duplicate the oval and reduce it to half the size. Place it on the upper part of the oval.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Minus Front Mode to remove the upper oval.

Draw a circle for the head.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite mode.

Select the neck section with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets out to round the edges.

Draw a circle for the eye. Add a square for the beak. Rotate the square 45°.

With the Direct Selection Tool, select the right point and pull it out longer.

Round the end with the Corner Widget.

Using the Curvature Tool, pull each side in to curve the shape.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select and round the left end with the Corner Widget.

Add a white stroke around the beak. Add a white circle behind the eye to make it more visible.

Draw a line for the water.

Apply a Zig Zag Effect with round edges to create the wave,

To create the effect of the line knocking out the duck, set the Blend Mode in the Opacity window to Screen. This will make the color appear to be white over another color.

Create several circles, overlapping, large and small for the bubbles.

Select all the circles and use the Unite Mode in the Pathfinder to create a solid shape.

Move the bubbles behind the duck, add a few darker circles with white borders to add to the bubble effect.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Pouring Water Faucet

1/20/2019

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When it rains it pours. This tutorial adds a lot of features in this creation. Being able to easily edit a clipping mask and create come fun highlights and even use the Recolor Artwork feature. Enjoy the build.

Start with a rectangle, heavy stroke.

Add another rectangle to the left side.

Select both shapes and unite them with the Pathfinder or the Shape Builder Tool.

Add a rectangle at the bottom for the lip. Use the corner widgets to pull them n and create rounded ends.

Unite all three shapes together.

Select the two corner edges at the turn with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets slightly to round the sharp bend.

Add another rectangle on the top.

Select the shapes and Unite them together.

Select the two inside corners of the shape that was just added with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets slightly to round the sharp bend.

For the handle, use a line with a very heavy stroke..

Use the Width Shape Tool to pull the center of the line in to its stop.

Expand the line into a shape under Object> Expand Appearance.

Remove the fill and add the same stroke weight and color as the other shapes.

Add a vertical and horizontal rectangle over the handle.

Select all three shapes and Unite them together.

Select all the shapes and round the corners using the Stroke Panel. This takes away any sharp edges.

Add a rectangle to the right side and select the left two points with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets to round them.

For the water, draw a line. Add a Zig Zag Effect from the Effect menu. Set the points to be smooth.

Expand the line from an effect under Object> Expand Appearance. This will make it a wavy line instead just the effect of the wavy line

Duplicate the way line.

Select both wavy lines and join them together. Object>Path>Join. You will need to perform this twice to close the shape. COMMAND +J is join.

Duplicate the shapes, add progressive colors to each one and stack them on each other for the water flow look.

Select the shapes and narrow the width. Copy a the shapes.

Draw a rectangle under the faucet spout. Select the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar . Paste the shapes inside and move/scale them to fit. Click on the Draw Normal Button.

Select the faucet and remove the strokes, add a light fill. Click the Draw Inside mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar while the main body is selected.

Draw a shape inside the main body, about half way in the shape. Round the corner to match the shape. Click on the Draw Normal Button.

Repeat the process for the trim shape on right.

And again for the handle on tope.

Add white lines for highlights and add strokes to the shapes. Trying to add strokes to a Clipping Mask shape (which is what Draw Inside creates) can be very tricky. Select one of the shapes, in the Control Bar the clipping mask section will appear.

Here is the process to isolate the shapes inside from the actual Frame that is doing the clipping.
The trick to this is that you MUST click on the Edit Contents then BACK on the Edit Mask to edit the mask, If you don't, the entire artwork (mask and content) will be affected.

1. Click on the Edit Contents button to edit the contents.

2. Click on the Edit Mask to edit the mask.

Add dark outlines on the stream of the water. Follow the last steps for isolating the mask contents to only edit the contents of the mask.

Add some white highlight lines. Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the lower two points and round them.

For the water splash, start with a a rectangle. Round all the ends using the Corner Widgets. Duplicate the shapes, making them longer and shorter and aligning them so each one touches but does not over lap.

Select all the shapes and Unite them together.

Use the Draw Inside mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar to draw a lighter colored rectangle inside to give the water a highlight look.

To change the color of the water easily, use the Recolor Artwork under Edit>Edit Colors>Recolor Artwork. Click on the EDIT tab at the top next to the ASSIGN tab to bring up the color wheel. Select the dots on the color wheel (I call them "lolipops") and move them around the wheel to change the hue and in and out from the center to change the Saturation.

Add some circles for bubbles on the water. Then add some wavy lines as well for water ripples.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Hot Air Balloon

1/13/2019

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Create a hot air balloon using the Blend Tool and the Live Paint Tool. Easy steps and a very cool looking icon of a hot air balloon in some clouds.

Start with a circle. Add a tall rectangle to the bottom of the circle.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite mode to make them one shape.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the two corner widgets on the inside corners as shown and pull the corner widgets out.

This is the result of the corner widget pull.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the right half of the balloon. Copy and paste the shape.

Paste the shape again and flip it over to create two halfs. Place them together so they touch at the top. Select the Blend Tool (shortcut is W).

Double Click on the the Blend Tool and choose Specified Steps from the drop down menu and set the number of steps to 5. Click OK.
Click with the Blend Tool on the lower left point of the Balloon (shown in the last step), then the lower right point as shown.

The Blend Tool will blend the one shape into the other shape creating all the needed shapes to match the transition between the two.

The Blend Shape needs to be expanded to be able to convert the shapes into a Live Paint Object. Choose Object>Expand. Click OK.

With the shapes expanded (it will not look any different), add a rectangle to the bottom of the balloon to anchor it.

Select all the shapes and choose Object> Live Paint> Make. Live Paint objects will have snowflake looking pull handles.

Select the Live Paint Bucket Tool (K). On the upper part of the Live Paint Bucket Cursor are 3 boxes, this is you color palette. Use the left or right arrows to scroll through the color palette indicator. The center color of the 3 is your color choice. Click in the area you want to add that chosen color.

Add a rectangle underneath for the basket.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the lower two points and pull in the Corner Widgets slightly.

Add a top to the basket with a rounded corner rectangle.

Add attaching lines to the balloon and the basket.

To change the color of all the strokes, select one of the attaching lines, then choose Select>Same>Stroke Color.

With all the same stroke color selected, change the color of the strokes.

To create the cloud, start with a circle.

Duplicate the circle half way over the original.

Use COMMAND + D to duplicate the circle several times.

Select a set of circles, copy it and move it half way up the group. Repeat the step again, with a smaller group.

Select all the shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite mode to make all the shapes one unit.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to delete the lower section of the cloud

With the open cloud, use COMMAND + J to join the shapes together.

Add a fill to the cloud and place it in front of the balloon.

Add lines with (hot dogged ends) in front and behind clouds and the balloon. Happy flying.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Cordless Drill

1/6/2019

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Unleash the power of Illustrator by creating this cordless drill. Simple shapes and easy to assemble, this "drills" down to the basics and the results are stunning.

Start with a rectangle. No stroke, color fill.

Select the right end with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets into the max amount.

Create a rectangle, filled with gray the same height as the body.

Select the left side with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets in slightly to round the corners.

Create a small black rectangle to the left of the gray rectangle.

Create another gray rectangle to the left of the black rectangle, the same height as the body.

Select the left side with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets in slightly to round the corners. Hold the OPTION key and click the corner widgets to cycle through the corners to get flat corners.

Create a smaller gray rectangle to the left.

Create a smaller gray rectangle to the left for the tip. Use the Free Transform Tool to taper the tip using the Perspective Tool in the Free Transform.

Add a rectangle to the form the handle.

Select the lower portion of the handle with the Direct Selection Tool and move the base to the right to shift the handle.

Create another rectangle for the base.

Select all three shapes and duplicate them for later use.

Select the three shapes create one shape using the Pathfinder Unite mode.

From the copied body parts, duplicate the handle, fill it with a darker color.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the upper right edge and pull the Corner Widget in slightly to round the corner. Copy the shape.

Select the body, click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Paste the shape into the body and move it to the left side to create the grip. Click on the Draw Normal mode when done.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the body corners as shown. Click on one corner, then SHIFT click on the other corners to select those.

Pull the Corner Widgets out to create rounded corners.

From the copied parts, select the top section and create an offset path. Object>Offset Path.

Move the smaller offset path to the body of the drill and fill it with a darker color.

Repeat the process with the bottom of the drill body from the previously copied shapes. Select the bottom section and repeat the offset path function. Add the shape to the lower section.

Copy the center section of the previously copied body sections and scale it down to form the trigger. Fill it with a darker color.

Create an oval over the trigger.

Select both the oval and trigger and use the Minus Front mode in the Pathfinder Panel.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the lower left corner and pull the corner widget in to create a slight rounded corner.

Create lines for vents. Round the ends (hot dog the ends) in the Stroke Panel.

Select the lines, group them and CUT them. Select the darker shape, choose the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar and paste the lines into the shape. Click on the Draw Normal Mode when done.

Draw a darker line at the head of the drill. Hot dog the ends.

In the Appearance Panel, add another stroke to the selected stroke by clicking on the Add Stroke button in the lower left of the Appearance Panel.

Change the color of the new stoke and set the stroke weight to be less that the existing stroke. The smaller, lighter stroke will be on top of the darker, thicker stroke.
Duplicate the lines, select them all, group them and CUT the group.

Select the head of the drill, click on the Draw Inside Mode and paste the lines inside.

Position the grouped lines to line up with the edge of the shape shape before the edge tapers. Click on the Draw Normal Mode when done.

Create two line for the drill tip. Group them together. CUT the group,

Select the tip of the drill, click on the Draw Inside Mode and paste the lines inside.

Click on the Draw Normal Mode when done.

Create rounded rectangles for the neck of the drill. Group the shapes, then CUT them.

Click on the Draw Normal Mode when done. Select the neck of the drill, click on the Draw Inside Mode and paste the rounded rectangles inside.

Create a rectangle for the battery on the base of the drill.

Select the lower edges with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the Corner Widgets in to round the corners.

Add a line with hot dog ends as a shadow line on the battery.

Add two more lines, one on the handle and one on the body to create highlight and shadow lines.

Nice Job, you have just create a cordless drill.

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Design Points n PixelS

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Rubber Ducky

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Pouring Water Faucet

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Hot Air Balloon

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Cordless Drill

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