Blog Posts

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Marshmallow Roasting

4/14/2019

Make a fire and break out the marshmallows and get roasting. This is a fun way to enjoy roasting marshmallows and a cool way to create a stick and fire.

Start with a rectangle, heavy stroke, white fill. Use the Stroke Panel to round the corners of the stroke.

Draw an oval the exact same height as the rectangle. Duplicate it. Move the duplicate to the right end of the rectangle.

Select the rectangle and the oval. Choose the Pathfinder Unite Mode to join the two shapes together.

Move the other oval to the left side of the rectangle to form the marshmallow.

To create the stick, create a rectangle with a heavy stroke and a fill. Use the Stroke Panel to round the corners of the stroke.

Duplicate the stick and shorten the rectangles. Move and rotate them to a 45° angle. Select all the shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite Mode to create one shape.

Use the line tool to create thinner, lighter lines inside the stick for the wood grain. Use the Stroke Panel to round the end caps (hot dog the ends) of the stroke. Select all the stick parts and group them together.

Create a rectangle over the stick. Copy the end oval of the marshmallow and place it halfway the end of the rectangle as shown. (The opacity is being simply as a guide)

Join the rectangle and oval together using the Pathfinder Unite Mode. No fill or stoke on the shape. Click on the Draw Inside mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

CUT the Stick and PASTE it into the newly created shape. Position it so the stick is in the center of the oval vertically and move the stick so the right end is masked by the oval. Click on the Draw Normal Mode.

Create a rectangle. Copy the oval from the end of the marshmallow. Use the Direct Select Tool to delete all but the lower right arc of the oval. Duplicate the arc over the rectangle.

Select the arcs, choose Object>Path>Outline Stroke.

Select all the shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite Mode to create one shape. Group all the shapes together.

Click on the marshmallow shape. Click on the Draw Inside mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

CUT the shading and PASTE it into the marshmallow shape. Position it so the shading rests at the bottom of the shap. Click on the Draw Normal Mode.

Add some darker lines to the bottom of the shading. Move the stick into position at the end of the marshmallow.

For the flame, draw a rectangle. Use the Direct Selection Tool to select and corner widget the lower right corner only.

Use the Skew Tool to skew the shape to the left.

Duplicate the shape to the right. Select both shapes. Use the Pathfinder Minus front mode to remove the extra parts.

This is the remaining result.

Duplicate and flip the shape so the shapes overlap each other. Use the Pathfinder Unite mode to make it one shape.

Add a heavy stroke to the flames, lighter fill. Duplicate the shapes, use darker and lighter warm colors to make the flames. Select all the flames and group them together. CUT the flames.

Draw a rectangle. Click on the Draw Inside mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar. PASTE the flames into the shape, hiding the bottom of the flames. Click on the Draw Normal Mode.

Add some wood to the fire by creating a rectangle, wide and short. Use the corner widgets to round the ends fully. Use the Direct Selection tool to select and remove one end of the rectangle. Move the wood under the fire.

Add some dots and lines to the flames. Add sparks and dots to the fire. Move the stick and marshmallow over the fire and get roasting.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Submarine under the Sea

4/1/2019

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Create a fun submarine under the water. add some waves and some water highlights to complete the undersea adventure.

Start the body of the sub with two circles, overlapping half way.

Use the Pathfinder Intersect Mode to make the eye shape.

Create a rectangle the same height as the eye shape.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite Mode to create on shape.

Draw a rectangle over the end of the body.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Minus Front Mode to remove the end.

Draw a square. Add a darker stroke.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the two right edges and pull the Corner Widgets in. OPTION/ALT + CLICK on the Corner Widgets to cycle through the corner styles until you get to the flat corners.

Place the fins behind the body of the sub. Choose Object>Arrange>Send To Back. Add the same stroke to the body that was added to the fins.

Draw a rectangle on the end and use the Corner Widgets the on the outside end.

Draw a black line coming out of the body. Add caps to the line ends (hot dog the ends).

To create the propeller, create two over lapping circles.

Use the Pathfinder Intersect Mode to make the propeller.

Use Corner Widgets to pull in the ends slightly.

Place the propeller blades on a a rectangle on the end of the black line.

Add circles for windows. Add a white stroke and a blue fill.

In the Appearance Panel, add an additional stroke by clicking on the stroke button at the bottom left of the Appearance Panel. Add a red stroke with a smaller stroke weight to the same circles.

For the top, create a square.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the upper left corner. Pull the corner in and use the OPTION/ALT + CLICK on the Corner Widget to cycle through the corners. Add the shape to the top of the sub.

Add the shape to the top of the sub.

Draw a line with rounded ends.

Use the Width Shape Tool and widen one end of the line. Outline the Stroke. Choose Object>Path>Outline Stroke.

Add the same fill and stroke to the fin.

Place the fin at the end of the sub before the propeller.

Create a rectangle for the periscope. Use the Corner Widgets to round one end. Place the periscope behind the sub.

Copy the periscope and create a right angle with the shape.

Select both shapes and use the Pathfinder Unite mode to create one shape.

Place the second periscope at the top of the sub.

Create 2 rectangles. Fill one with white, 85% opacity.

Fill the second rectangle with 10% black and set the Blend Mode to Multiply.

Select the top pod, click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar. Copy and paste the white and gray rectangles into the pod.

Scale the rectangles to fit them into the pod to create a a highlight and shadow. Click on the Draw Normal Mode when done.

Repeat the Draw Inside on the tail fins, paste the highlight and shadow rectangles.

To create the shadow on the propellers. Copy the propeller and and fill the copy with 10% black and set the Blend Mode to Multiply.

Repeat the draw inside on the propellers and paste the gray prop shadows into the propellers.

Repeat the Draw Inside for the body of the sub.

Draw a line at the front of the sub. Use the Curvature Tool to curve the line.

Add a circle behind the sub, fill it with light blue.

Draw a line and add a Zig Zag effect to the line, make the corners smooth.

Place the line over the top portion of the circle. Expand the appearance the of the line under Object>Expand Appearance.

Select the line and the blue circle and use the Pathfinder Divide Mode. Ungroup the shapes. Delete the upper shape.

Create a line. Round the ends.

In the Appearance Panel, add an additional stroke by clicking on the stroke button at the bottom left of the Appearance Panel. Add a white stroke with the same stroke weight.

Select the White Stroke in the Appearance Panel and add a Transform Effect (Effect>Distort & Transform> Transform. Move the line with a H & V offset of 6mm.

Copy the double lines created in the last few steps to create highlights in the water.

Add darker blue lines to the water and you are done!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Toothpaste with Gleamies

3/31/2019

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Create a toothpaste effect with any sparkly colors. It only requires on path and 4 strokes on that one path and the rest is all the Appearance Panel magic. And you can use this Graphic Style on any Path you create. Add a gleamie for highlights.

Start with a line. Add a red 20pt stroke. Open the Appearance Panel from the Window Menu.

Select the line, click the add stroke button at the bottom. It will add a stroke to the top of the red. Make the newly added stroke WHITE.

Add a Transform effect under Effect>Distort & Transform> Transform. Set the Vertical Move to -3mm. This will move the white line up 3 mm.

Select the line, click the add stroke button at the bottom. It will add a stroke to the top of the white stroke. Make the newly added stroke BLUE.

Add a Transform effect under Effect>Distort & Transform> Transform. Set the Vertical Move to -6mm. This will move the white line up 6 mm.

This is what the red stroke, with the white stroke offset of -3mm, plus the blue stroke offset of -6mm. All the same line, just 3 strokes on the same line.

Add a 4th stroke to the selected line. Make it white, 10 pt stroke weight.

Add a Transform Effect with an offset of -7mm.

All 4 strokes applied. Red stroke 20 pt, with the white stroke 20 pt offset of -3mm, plus the blue stroke 20 pt offset of -6mm. Blue stroke 10 pt with a -7mm offset.

To save the Toothpaste style, open the Graphic Styles panel from the Window Menu. Drag the line into the Styles Panel and name the style.

Now you can apply this to any path you create and not have to recreate the effect.

When you apply an effect and rotate it, you will notice that the effect will always appear the same no matter which way you rotate it.

When you apply an offset, it is absolute. If you want to rotate the effect, select the line and choose Expand Appearance from the Object menu.

You can apply the effect to outlined type. Draw any path with Pencil, Pen or Brush tools and then apply the toothpaste effect to it.

Draw a gleamie by double clicking on the Star tool. Set the Radius 1 to 25mm, set Radius 2 to 2 mm. Set the number of points to 4 and click OK.

Fill the gleamie to 15% gray. Copy and rotate the gleamies onto the toothpaste for that shine and sparkle.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Embossed License Plate

3/25/2019

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Creating a Bevel and Emboss look in Illustrator is easy, and since there is no Bevel and Emboss effect, this is how you create one.

Start with a rectangle and pull the Corner Widgets in slightly to round the corners.

Add some type. Using a bold, block, condensed typeface will work better. This typeface is called Refrigerator Deluxe Bold.

Outline the type under Type>Create Outlines. Make the outlined type a Compound Path under Object>Compound Path>Make. Fill the type with white. A compound path will treat all the letters as one object, this is not the same as grouping the type.

Select the outlined type, choose Effect>Blur>Gaussian Blur and apply a 15 px blur to the type. Click OK.

This is what the 15px blur looks like. Select the type and open the Appearance Panel under the Window Menu.

You will see the White Fill with the Blur effect applied. Click on Add Fill button at the bottom of the Panel to add another fill on the type. Fill the type with 50% gray.

The gray fill will be applied on top of the white fill just as the order in the Appearance Panel shows. If the 50% gray in under the white, click and drag the gray fill in the Appearance Panel ABOVE the white fill.

With the 50% gray fill selected, choose Effect> Distort & Transform> Transform. Apply a 3mm offset to the vertical and horizontal fields. This will shift the 50% gray fill to the right and down off the white fill. Click OK.

Apply a 15px Gaussian Blur blur to the gray fill just like the white fill a few steps back. Click OK.

Select the type and apply a third fill to the type in the Appearance Panel by clicking on the Add Fill button. Fill the type with a color.

This is what the Appearance Panel looks like with 3 fills applied to one Compound Object. Each fill has attributes applied which can be individually edited.

With the blue fill selected, choose Effect> Distort & Transform> Transform. Apply a 1.5 mm offset (half the amount we applied to the 50% gray fill) to the vertical and horizontal fields. This will shift the blue fill to the right and down in between the white and 50% gray fill. Click OK.

Apply a very slight Gaussian Blur to the blue type to make the edges not so sharp.

Click on the Opacity link under the Blue Fill and choose a blending mode of Multiply. This will let the blue overlay over the white and 50% gray enhancing the bevel look.

This is what the Multiply blending mode looks like applied to the blue type.

Open the Graphic Style Panel under the Window Menu and drag the type into the open window. This will save the style (all the fills, blurs and offsets) of the type so we can reuse this effect without having to recreate every aspect of it.

Select the license plate rectangle and choose Object>Path>Offset Path. Choose an offset of -8 mm to get a path inside the original shape. Click OK.

Add a 10pt stroke to the inner offset path. Choose Object> Expand and click OK. This will turn the path into a shape. Fill the path with white.

With the offset path selected, click on the new saves Graphic Style in the Graphic Styles panel to add the same bevel effect that you created for the type.

Create 4 rounded rectangles for the holes, fill them with white. Select all 4 holes and choose Object>Compound Path>Make.

Duplicate the oval holes, apply a black stroke and no fill to the holes.

Apply a Gaussian Blur effect to the stroke to blur the edges. Copy the set of blurred holes.

Click on the set of white holes and click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the tool bar.

Paste the set of blurred outlined holes into the existing holes. Use the arrow keys on your key board to move the blurred set to the right and down to create a slip shadow effect. Click on the Draw Normal Mode at the bottom of the tool bar when done.

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Paper cutouts

3/17/2019

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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!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Marshmallow Roasting

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Submarine under the Sea

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Toothpaste with Gleamies

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Embossed License Plate

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Paper cutouts

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Marshmallow Roasting

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Submarine under the Sea

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Toothpaste with Gleamies

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Embossed License Plate

INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Paper cutouts

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