INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Hot Air Balloon

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. 

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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.

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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). 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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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

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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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