INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Paper cutouts

Creating a paper cut out look in illustrator can produce great effects. This simple method of creating a gradient with a drop shadow and inner glow will give you this look.

---

Create a rectangle and fill it with 10% gray. 

Create a small rectangle for the ground. Fill it with white.

Use the Corner Widgets to round the ends of the rectangle. 

---

Apply an Inner Glow Effect with the Mode set to Multiply, color set to 75% gray, Opacity at 65%, Blur of 3mm.

COPY the shape and add a gradient that goes from 20% gray to white. 

On the gradient filled shape, add a Drop Show Effect. Set the Mode to Multiply, Opacity of 45%, X offset at 7mm, Y offset at 6mm, Blur at 4mm and color is black.

---

To save these fill and glow/ drop shadow attributes, drag the shape with the Inner Glow applied to it, into the Graphic Styles panel and name it. Do the same with the shape that has the gradient and drop shadow. 

Create a rain drop by starting with a circle. Click on the Graphic Style to apply the gradient with the drop shadow.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to move the top point up.

---

In the Properties Panel click on the Convert Point to convert it from a smooth to a corner point. 

Copy the rain drop and apply the graphic style with the Inner Glow to one rain drop and the gradient and drop shadow to the other. 

Place the inner glow behind the and the gradient with the drop shadow in front. Rotate the rain drops and create smaller and larger groups. 

---

Place the rain drops in the setting. 

Create clouds by putting several circles together. Select all the circles. 

---

Use the Pathfinder Unite mode to make them one complete shape. 

Draw a rectangle over the bottom of the clouds, select the cloud and the rectangle and use the Pathfinder Minus Front Mode. 

---

Apply the inner glow style to the clouds. Duplicate the clouds and apply the gradient/drop shadow and place it in front of the other clouds.

Create a butterfly by starting with an oval, rotate it at 45°.

Copy the oval, reduce the size and rotate it to -45°.

---

Flip the set of wings to create the butterfly. Select all the shapes in the butterfly. 

Use the Pathfinder Unite mode to create a complete shape. 

For the antenna, start with a circle, no fill, 8 pt stroke. 

---

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select and remove one corner section. Hot Dog the ends in the Stroke Panel.

With the Pencil Tool, draw a straight line from the open circle. 

Duplicate and flip the antenna.

---

Select both antenna and choose Object>Path>Outline Path. Make these a compound path, choose Object> Compound Path>Make.

Apply the inner glow graphic style to the butterfly, duplicate the butterfly and apply the gradient/drop shadow style. 

---

Draw a line with the Pencil Tool to create the path of the butterfly. Apply a 7pt stroke in 20% gray to the line. Click on the dashed line, set dash to 12, gap to 24 and hot dog the end caps. 

Select the path and choose Object>Path>Outline Stroke. Apply the gradient/drop shadow effect to the line. 

---

The drop shadow/inner glow may be too big on the small line. To edit the effect, open the Appearance Panel and click on the Effect to reduce the amount of drop shadow or inner glow

Duplicate the line and apply the inner glow to the line and place it behind the gradient/drop shadow line. 
Now anything you create can have the paper cut out look!