INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Gleaming Jewel

Create a gleaming jewel in these simple steps. With or without a stroke to make it look bold or subdued. 

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Create a triangle using the Polygon Tool. While drawing a polygon, use the down arrow to reduce the number of sides. OR, after you have drawn the Polygon, you can drag the diamond (red circle) up or down to change the number of sides. 

Flip the triangle and narrow the triangle to be half as wide as it is long.

Duplicate the triangle so the upper corners are touching. 

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Fill the one shape with a lighter color. Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the bottom point and move the point over the the lower point of the middle shape

Repeat the last 2 steps to create the right side of the jewel. Make that section a darker color. 

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the outer top points and move them in to create facets that are half as wide as the center facet. 

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Select all 3 shapes and hit the RETURN key. That will bring up this dialog box. Set the horizontal and vertical measurements to ZERO. Click COPY. 

This will copy the shapes directly on top of existing shapes. Pull the bottom point up to flip the shapes. Pull that shapes half as high as the bottom shape. 

Draw a rectangle over the top 3 shapes. Select the rectangle and top 3 shapes. Use the Pathfinder TRIM feature to trim the top triangles.

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Use the Direct Selection Tool to remove the extra shapes left by the Trim function. 

Select the top 3 shapes and choose Edit> Edit Colors> Adjust Color Balance. Click the convert box and the Preview box. Set the colors lighter and click OK. 

This will give the top facets a lighter look.

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Add a stroke to the shapes. 

Set the stroke in the stroke panel to a rounded corner to avoid the spikes from the stroke. 

This is the result of the rounded stroke. 

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Add some lines as highlights with rounded end caps (hot dog the ends).

Create a "gleamie" by using the Star Tool. While drawing, UP ARROW will add point, DOWN ARROW will take points away. COMMAND (on a mac) or CONTROL (on a PC) and Pull away from the center to create longer points, pull in toward the center to shorten the points. 

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the points and pull them out to create longer and shorter points. 

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Add the gleamie to the shape. Draw a colored circle and place it behind the jewel to make it more visible. 

To create a shadow draw a rectangle and make it a darker color than the background. 

Create a gradient in the rectangle to blend from the darker color to the lighter color background.

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Select the gradient shape and CUT the shape.

Select the circle, click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar. Paste the gradient rectangle in the shape and position it to create a shadow. 

Click on the Draw Normal Mode to exit the Draw Inside Mode. 

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To remove the outlines, select one of the facets, choose Select>Same>Stroke Color to select all the shapes with that stroke. Set the stroke to ZERO or choose no color. 

You have a gleaming Jewel!