Blog Archives

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Watchful Owl

11/26/2017

Create a sleepy or an alert owl. One relaxed or attentive and watchful. Simple shapes is what makes this so easy and fun to create.

Start with the eyes by creating a square.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the 3 corner widgets and pull them into the center.

Right+Click on the shape and choose Transform> Reflect and click COPY.

Line up the Eyes.

Create a white circle for the background and another circle for the eyes.

For the crown of the head, create an oval.

Duplicate the oval slightly above the first one.

Use the Minus Front command in the pathfinder panel with both selected to get the crown.

Add a 15 pt white stroke to the crown and place it above the eyes.

For the body create a rectangle.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the 1 corner widget and pull it into the center.

Place the body under the eyes.

Right+Click on the shape and choose Transform> Reflect and click COPY. Size the copied part slightly smaller.

For the nose create a square and rotate it 45°.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the top point and move it up.

Place the nose between the eyes.

Add a 15 pt white stroke to the wing for separation.

Select the left wing and choose Object>Path>Offset Path.

Offset the path -30 and click OK.

Select the newly offset path and repeat the Offset Path at -30 and click OK.

Arrange the wing panel behind the other objects.

Bring the right wing above or send the left wing behind to get the effect of the layered wings.

To create sleepy eyes, duplicate the eyes slightly offset.

Use the Minus front Command in the pathfinder panel with both circles selected.

To change the crown, duplicate the nose and widen the diamond shape.

With the wide diamond shape over the head, duplicate the wide shape again and change the height of it. I colored the shapes to make it easier to see. Use the Minus Front Command in the Pathfinder Panel to get the crown shape.

Fill the crown shape with brown and add a 15 pt white stroke.

Change the layering of the wings, the crown and the eyes to create many different looks to the owl.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - THE PERFECT TURKEY

11/19/2017

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Here is an infographic on how to cook the turkey the right way. I have listed the components and how I made it with several of my other lessons from before. Enjoy and have a safe and happy holiday.

The turkey build can be found here.

Thermometer can be found here.

The paper background is a picture of a paper bag and the tutorial can be found here.

Pie charts can be found here and here for radius lines.

Rain drop creation is here.

Create a snowflake from this link here.

For the turkey roast, create an oval.

For the leg, create a circle and use the Direct Selection Tool to select and drag the top point up.

The plate is a rectangle with the 2 lower corner widgets pulled in.

The leg is 2 circles and a rectangle that are united as one using the pathfinder.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Turkey Icon

11/12/2017

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner and what better time to get your turkey perfect than now.

Start with a circle, fill it with a color for the body.

Add a wavy edge to it under Effect>Distort & Transform>Zig Zag.

Create an oval in the top center of the body.

Draw a circle on the top center of the neck.

Use the Polygon Tool to create a triangle for the nose.

Add 2 white circles and 2 black circles for the eyes.

Use the Arc Tool to create an arc, rotate the arc 45°, round the line ends and duplicate the arc for the feet.

Duplicate an arc from the feet and add it to the breast of the chicken to show the wing edges.

Create the hat with a square.

Use the Free Transform Tool to pull the lower edges out wider.

Add a line with rounded ends for the edge of the hat.

Place the hat on the head.

Start the wings with a circle.

Add a heavy stroke.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to pull the top of the circle up.

With the top point selected, use the Convert Anchor Point in the Control Bar to pull the handles in to create a corner point.

This is the corner point at the top of the wing.

Rotate the wing 90°. Use the Width Shape Tool to pull the stroke wider on the large end.

Place the wing to the left of the body and the point of the wing in the center of the body, Change the size to get it to fit.

Select the Rotate Tool and OPTION/ALT + CLICK on the pointy tip of the wing. This sets the rotate point AND opens the Rotate dialog box.

Click the Preview button. Set the rotate to 30° and click COPY.

To duplicate the Rotate, used COMMAND + D several times.

Select the left 3 wings and bring them to the front in succession to bring the front most one forward and stack the other ones behind.

You have just completed your Turkey!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Whale

11/5/2017

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Fun take on a whale that is so much fun to look at and just as fun to build.

Create a square with rounded corners for the body.

Create a smaller rectangle for the beginning of the tail.

Place the tail at the lower part of the bod, align it with the bottom of the body.

Create a rectangle the width of the tail section.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the 2 lower points and pull the corner widgets into the center to round the end.

Place the rounded end onto the tail section. Select both the tail and the rounded shape.

Use the Pathfinder mode Minus Front to create the tail "flip".

For the water spout create a rectangle.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the 2 left points and pull the corner widgets into the center to round the end.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the upper right point and pull the corner widget into the center to round the end.

Rotate the shapes into position above the body.

For the flipper, create a rectangle.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the 2 lower points and pull the corner widgets into the center but keep a small center section flat.

Duplicate the flipper and make the copy slightly larger on top.

Select both shapes, the use the Pathfinder mode Minus Front to create the tail flipper.

Create a small rectangle above the center of the flipper.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the 2 lower point and pull the corner widgets into the center. OPTION + CLICK the corner widgets to cycle through the options. Choose the Inverse Rounded corner.