Blog Archives

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Frosty Root Beer Float

5/29/2018

Summer is near, a frosty treat is great for fun in the summer time. And it's easy to create this frosty mug of root beer in Illustrator.

Start with a rectangle.

Select the shape and pull the Corner Widgets into the center a bit to round all the edges.

Draw another rectangle, round the corners, and add a lighter color fill.

Duplicate the shape to create the ridges on the glass.

To create the foam, draw 3 circles, different sizes, and place them on each other in a random arrangement.

Select all 3 shapes, use the Pathfinder Unite mode to create on shape from the 3.

Draw a rectangle over the bottom half of the shape.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Minus Front Mode to remove the lower portion.

Create a rectangle for the drips, select the bottom two corners with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the corner widgets in.

Place the foam on the top of the mug. Add the drips down the side of the mug, set the opacity 75% to show the mug through. Add a highlight using the arc tool, round the ends of the arc.

Create the handle; start with a rectangle, add a stroke, no fill. Select the 2 left corners with the Direct Selection Tool and pull the corner widgets in to round the corners.

Add an inner glow to the mug for a frosty look. Select the mug shape and apply the inner glow under Effects>Stylize>Inner Glow.

Under the appearance Panel, select the fill portion of the mug and apply the Inner Glow to that. This way it only applies to the fill and not the stroke.

Add a rectangle for the straw, place it behind the mug.

Select the handle and Expand the shape under the Object Menu.

Apply an inner glow to the handle, set the size smaller to fit the handle.

Copy the top foam, make the color darker than the straw.

Select the straw and click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Paste the shape into the straw to create a shadow. Click on the Draw Normal mode.

Select the ridges on the glass, apply the inner glow to the shapes and set the opacity to 75%.

Enjoy your frosty mug of root beer. You earned it!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Message in a Bottle

5/21/2018

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Message in a bottle uses a combination of cool tricks and the Live Paint feature as well as a few nifty tips with the appearance panel.

Start the bottle with a rectangle.

Select the top 2 points with the Direct Selection Tool and pul them in to round the top.

Hover over the Corner Widget Target and OPTION + CLICK on it to cycle through the corner styles to get to the flat corners.

Create another rectangle on the top portion of the original rectangle for the neck of the bottle. Select both shapes.

Use the Pathifinder Unite Tool to add both of the shapes together.

Select the 4 middle points with the Direct Selection Tool and pull them in to round the edges.

This will give the bottle a rounded look.

Add a rectangle for the neck of the bottle.

Draw a rectangle for the cork.

Use the Free Transform tool, in perspective mode to pull the lower 2 handles into the middle to taper the shape.

This will create the cork.

Place the cork on the bottle.

To create the paper scroll, go HERE on my blog to see how it's done. This uses the Spiral Tool and Live Paint to create the rolled paper look.

Fill the bottle with a lighter color, place the scroll on the bottle and set the opacity of the scroll to 50% to make it look like it is in the bottle.

Rotate the bottle and contents 45°. Draw a line for the water waves.

Apply a Zig Zag effect under Effect>Distort & Transform.

This will create a wave look. Outline the path under Object>Path>Outline Stroke.

Add a white stroke around the wave shape. Set the stroke to the outside under the Stroke Panel.

Setting the stroke to the outside will add to the stroke beyond the edge of the wave and not interfere with the wave itself.

Open the Appearance Panel under the Window Menu and open the Stroke section. Set the Opacity of the stroke to 65%. This will only make the stroke transparent, not the fill.

Duplicate the waves and you have a message in a bottle, floating in the waves.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Stack of Pancakes

5/14/2018

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Dish up a fresh stack of yummy pancakes with some easy shapes, blending mode for the syrup and tasty butter on top.

Start the stack with a rectangle, fill and stoke the shape.

Duplicate the shape, remove the stroke and add a darker fill.

Click on the original shape, choose the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool bar. Paste the shape inside.

Position the shape to create a slip shadow and then click on the Draw Normal Mode.

Duplicate and stack the pancakes.

Draw a rectangle, duplicate it and make it shorter, taller and position each duplicated shape touching each other.

Use the Pathfinder Unite Mode to join all the shape into one solid shape.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select all the lower edges of the shape, pull the Corner Widgets in to round the edges.

Set the shape to Multiply under the Opacity Link in the Control Bar.

Place the syrup shape over the stack of pancakes

Add a rectangle on top for butter. Create highlights with a line, heavy stroke, hot dog the ends of the lines, set the opacity of the white lines to 50%

Create a rectangle for the plate under the stack of pancakes.

Select the lower corners and pull the Corner Widgets to round he corners.

Duplicate the plate and reduce the size. When sizing down, you may run into a problem where the ends won't scale.

Open your Transform Panel and click on the Scale corners to get the shape to scale with the Corner Widgets.

Serve up a fresh stack of yummy pancakes!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Crate of Apples

5/6/2018

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Create a crate full of apples. Simple and easy way to create the apple, leaves and a stem; build a quick crate and pile all the apples in.

Start the apple with a circle, fill it with a color, create a darker color stroke.

Pull the sides in to create more of an oval, rotate the oval slightly.

Duplicate and rotate the oval and overlap it over the first one. Select both shapes.

Use the Pathfinder Unite mode to add both shapes together.

Use the Arc Tool to create a stem, round the end caps in the Stroke Panel.

Create a leaf by starting with a circle.

Duplicate the circle over the over half of the first circle. Select both shapes.

Use the Pathfinder Intersect mode to add both shapes together.

Place the leaf behind the stem.

Create a darker red rectangle in front of half the apple. Cut the rectangle.

Select the apple, click the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar. Paste the rectangle into the shape.

Move the rectangle over to the side then click on the Draw Normal mode when done. Select all the apple parts and group them together.

Create the crate by drawing a rectangle, round the ends using the corner widgets.

Duplicate the bars, keeping the space consistent.

Create darker vertical bars and place them behind the bars, on the left and right sides.

Create nails for the ends of the boards. Create a circle, copy it, click the Draw Inside Mode and paste the circle into it, change the color to be lighter, offset the shape. Click on the Draw Normal Mode.