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INFographic series - Create a snowglobe

12/26/2017

Winter is fun, even when you can't be in the cold and snow that's why we have snow globes. Have fun creating this small wonder in no time. Happy New Year everyone.

Start the base with a rectangle.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the two upper points and pull the corner widgets into the center to round the corners.

Duplicate the shape, place it above the other shape and reduce the size.

Create a large circle, place it on top of the base pieces. Fill it with a light blue to create the look of the glass globe.

Start the tree by creating a polygon. While drawing the polygon, use the down arrow to reduce the number of sides.

Duplicate the triangles, reducing the size of each successive one.

Use the Pathfinder Unite to join all the shapes together to form the tree.

Add a brown rectangle to create the trunk. Add lines with rounded caps on the tree.

Create the house by drawing a rectangle, stroke with a white fill.

Duplicate the shape and rotate it 45° by using the selection tool to rotate it while holding SHIFT.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the bottom point and delete it. Cap the end with a round cap in the Stoke Panel.

Place the roof on the house. Use the Direct Selection Tool to remove the top line of the box.

Create a square for a window or door. Select all the shapes and group them together.

Create a snow man by drawing a circle, duplicate the circle and reduce the size. Stack them together. Select them and use the Pathfinder Unite command to make them one unit.

Add a hat by creating a square and a line with rounded end caps.

Create an arc for a "highlight noodle". Round the end caps. Select all the shapes and group them together.

For the scene inside the snow globe. Select the globe, click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the tool bar.

Draw a few ovals to give some land and elevation to the inside of the globe.

Click on the Draw Normal Mode at the bottom of the tool bar to exit the draw inside.

Place all the objects in the globe. Add white circles for snow. Add an arc to the glass, set the opacity of the arc to 20% to give a slight highlight to the glass.

Add a highlight to the base by drawing a line at the seam between the base levels. Round the end caps.

Copy the bottom shape of the base. Click on the bottom base, select the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the tool bar. Paste the shape into the base and darken the color a bit, move it to the left. Click on Draw Normal Mode.

Use the arc tool to add an arc to the dark edge of the base.

Welcome to your completed winter wonderland in a snow globe you made!

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infographic series - Tasty cupcake

12/11/2017

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Cupcakes are great and now you can easily create one in your digital kitchen. Decorate it however you like and enjoy!

Start the cupcake off with a rectangle. Add a heavy stroke.

Use the Direct Selection Tool and select the UPPER LEFT point, Use the Left keyboard arrow to move the point. Count the number of times you click the left arrow. Select the UPPER RIGHT point and use the right keyboard arrow to match the same number of clicks on the left point. I use this method to get the same angles on both sides of the base.

Create a line that matches the angle on both the the left and right side of the base.

Select the Blend Tool, click on the lower point of the left line, then click on the lower point of the right line.

Double Click on the Blend Tool and set the specified steps to create lines in between the two lines.

Select the set of blended lines and cap the ends (hot dog them) in the stroke panel.

For the cake, create a rectangle.

Pull the corner widgets into the center to round the ends.

Duplicate the shapes and step them smaller up the cake.

Select all the shapes and Unite them using the Pathfinder.

Draw lines that line up with the inner points.

Select all the shapes and set all the ends to a rounded cap and all the corners to a rounded corner in the Stroke Panel.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the base two points and pull the corner widgets in slightly.

Draw a circle on top of the cake.

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

In the Control Bar, change the point from a rounded point to a corner point.

Use the Pathfinder to Unite the top of the cake and newly formed point together.

Fill the shape with a color. Copy the shape.

Click the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar. Paste the copied shape.

Change the color of the pasted shape to give it contrast, move it off to the side to create a slip shadow. Click on the Draw Normal mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Select the bottom of the cupcake and fill the shape with a color. Copy the shape.

Click the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar. Paste the copied shape.

Change the color of the pasted shape to give it contrast, move it off to the side to create a slip shadow. Click on the Draw Normal mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Congratulations, you have a cupcake!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Bell with a Bow

12/3/2017

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Here is how you can create a bell and a bow as an icon or a 3D creation within the bell and ribbon tails.

Start the body of the bell with a Polygon. To create a triangle, draw the polygon, then on the upper right, slide the diamond UP for less sides, DOWN for more sides.

Create a square on top of the triangle.

Select the square and the triangle and align both objects on their centers using the Align Panel under the Window menu.

Use the Pathfinder Unite mode to combine the two objects as one.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the lower two points and pull the corner widgets in slightly.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the middle two points and pull the corner widgets out slightly.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the upper two points and pull the corner widgets in toward the center.

Pull the corner widgets in to the max amount to form the top of the bell.

Fill the bell body with a color and no stroke around it.

Choose Object>Path>Offset Path and create a path inside the bell body.

Color the resulting shape a slightly lighter color.

Duplicate the new created offset path to the right. (The color was changed to indicate this step.)

Select both the offset shape and the newly duplicated shape and choose the Minus Front Mode in the Pathfinder Panel. This create a highlight.

Draw a circle.

Use the radius handle from the right side and drag it over to the left side 180° to create a half circle.

Place the half circle under the bell.

Create a triangle to start the bow.

Pull the Corner Widget into the center slightly to round the corners.

Flip and duplicate the triangle to create the wings of the bow.

Add a square in the middle of the bow and round the corners.

For the ribbon, create a rectangle and place a triangle over the end of it.

Select both the rectangle and the triangle and choose the Minus Front Mode from the Pathfinder panel.

Add the ribbons to the bow, rotating them slightly and place them behind the body of the bow. Add a heavy, darker stroke to all the elements in the bow.

Add a few lines to the wings of the bow. Cap the ends with round caps to "hot dog" the ends.

Group the elements of the bow together and move it over the top of the bell.

To create a bell with dimension, draw an oval over the bottom of the bell. Fill it with a darker color. Place it so it lines up with the edges.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the center top point on the half circle and move it up.

Use the Curvature Tool and double click the center point you just moved.

Place the half circle in the base of the bell body.

To curve the ribbons, select on the the tails and choose Effect>Warp>Arc.

Warp the tail horizontally to give it a slight curl.

Select the other tail and repeat the process to the right to give it more of a free-flowing appearance.

Now you can create a bell icon or a dimensional bell.

Add a few together and create a decoration. Place it on a wreath which you can create here.

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Design Points n PixelS

INFographic series - Create a snowglobe

infographic series - Tasty cupcake

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Bell with a Bow

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