Blog Posts

Pitcher of Lemonade

5/27/2019

Summer is here, sit back and enjoy a nice glass of lemonade you made.

Start with an oval for the body of the pitcher.

Create a circle with the center point at the center top of the oval. Select both shapes and combine them using the Pathfinder Unite mode.

Draw a rectangle over the top half of the top circle area.

Select all the shapes and use the Pathfinder Minus front mode to delete the top portion.

Using the Direct Selection Tool, select the two inner points and pull the Corner Widgets out to round the pitcher.

Draw a rectangle over the bottom area. to create a flat spot. Select all the shapes and use the Pathfinder Minus front mode to delete the bottom portion.

Select the Curvature Tool and click on the top line and pull one point down, add another point and pull it up.

Create an oval with a heavy stroke. Rotate the shape and position it for the handle.

Choose Path>Outline Stroke to convert it to a shape.

Select the main part of the pitcher, choose path>Offset Path and set the offset to a negative number to create a a shape inside.

Fill the handle and larger pitcher shape with a light gray, keeping the inside offset path yellow.

Select both gray shapes and combine them using the Pathfinder Unite mode.

Draw a rectangle over the top portion of the inner area. Select all the inner shape and the rectangle and use the Pathfinder Minus front mode to delete the top portion.

For the lemon create a circle with a heavy stroke. Make the stroke darker than the fill.

To create segments inside the lemon, select the Polar Grid tool nested with the line tool in the Tool Bar. Click with the Polar Grid Tool to bring up the options. Set 0 concentric dividers and 8 radial dividers.

Fill the segments with the same yellow as the lemon, add a heavy white stroke to create divisions.

Add the segments to the lemon and group the shapes together.

To create half a lemon, draw a rectangle and click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Copy and paste the lemon into the rectangle, position it so the half shows then click on the Draw Normal Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Add lemons into the lemonade.

Draw a rectangle over half of the shape, set the Blending Mode in the Opacity Panel to be Multiply.

Select the gray rectangle and the gray portion of the pitcher and select the Shape Builder Tool (SHIFT + M). Hold OPTION/ALT to set the cursor to subtract and click on the extra outside the main shapes to delete.

Use the Curvature tool to add a point and pull the shape to the side to curve the shadow

Select the shadow and choose Path>Offset Path. Offset the path a negative number to create a smaller shape.

Delete the original shadow shape, keeping the smaller shadow shape.

This is what the inset shadow looks like giving the glass an appearance of thickness.

Add a color circle behind the lemonade.

Copy the gray part of the pitcher, Paste it Behind the original pitcher and change the color to a darker gray and set the Blending Mode in the Opacity panel to Multiply.

Add a slip shadow by adding an effect from Effect> Distort & Transform> Transform. Set the horizontal and vertical offset to a small number and set the copies to be enough to create a slip shadow beyond the edge of the circle.

Cut the shadow. Select the background circle and click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Paste the Slip shadow back in using Paste In Place to paste it in the same place you cut it from.

Select the gray portion of the pitcher, add a darker gray stroke INSIDE the shape in the Stroke Panel Align Stroke section.

Enjoy your pitcher of lemonade.

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Fast, easy Patterns

5/19/2019

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Creating quick, easy patterns without using the Pattern panel. This uses a few Effects and the Appearance Panel to quickly change the look of these patterns.

Start with any object or shape. It can be an open line or a closed shape.

Select the shape and choose Effect>Distort & Transform> Transform.

Set the Move section - Horizontal to 20 mm to offset the shape. Set the number of copies at the bottom of the Transform Panel. Click OK. This will create a set of duplicate shapes.

Duplicate the first shape using COMMAND + D. Create several duplicates.

Select all the shapes, add a Pucker & Bloat filter from the Effect menu. Effect>Distort & Transform>Bloat at 50%.

This creates a quick pattern.

Edit the Pucker & Bloat to make quick changes to the shapes.

This is a Pucker added to the circle.

To edit the effect easily, edit the Effect in the Appearance Panel.

Try different Pucker & Bloat effects.

Try adding a Zig Zag.

This is the Zig Zag with rounded corners.

Try a staggered set of circles.

Add a Warp Effect, in this case with a Fish Warp

This creates a scale pattern like a fish.

Try some triangle shapes.

Apply a Pucker Effect.

This makes some nice integrated patterns.

Set the Align Stroke to the inside of the shape.

This will create a very cool flying triangle pattern.

When all the shapes are created, you can Expand the shapes into actual shapes (not a shape with an effect on it). Select the shapes and choose Object>Expand Appearance.

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TOUCH TYPE TOOL

5/12/2019

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The Touch type Tool in Illustrator is a tool that many people have no idea exists. It is very cool to be able to adjust each character while the text is live text and not outlined. Check it out.

To start, set some type using any of the type tools. Do not outline the type, the Touch Type tool works on active type only.

From the type tool menu, choose the last option on the list, the Touch Type tool.

With the Touch Type tool, click on a letter you want to edit the size, scale and position.

When you click on the letter, there are 5 points to click on and change the letter. Click on the corresponding point to scale, rotate or move the letter.

Each letter can be individually scaled, moved, rotated or scaled to make the letter fit into the overall look of your text.

This typeface is Marydale-Regular which is available on the www.fonts.adobe.com website or through your text menu in Illustrator by clicking on the Find More section at the top of your font menu to add fonts.. Using the Touch Type tool you can move, scale, position any character of active type and create a dynamic look with your text.

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Arrow with Target

5/5/2019

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This target uses The Polar Grid tool to make the concentric rings. Add the arrow and you have hit the bulls eye.

Select the Polar Grid tool (nested with the line tool). Click on the artboard to open the Polar Grid options. Set the number of Concentric Dividers to 4, radial dividers at 0. Click on both boxes to Create a compound path and fill the grid.

Fill the target with red. The Compound path feature will allow the circles to fill every other set of circles.

Create a circle the same size as the target. Choose the Ellipse Tool and click on the artboard to open the options. Set the size to the same size as the target.

Fill the circle with white, add a 4pt stroke.

Open the Stroke Panel and set the stroke to be on the inside of the circle.

Select the circle and chose Effects>Distort & Transform> Transform. Set the move to .25mm on both the horizontal and vertical settings. Set the number of copies to 25. Click OK.

Move the circle behind the target to create a dimensional look.

Draw a rectangle.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the left edge and pull the Corner Widgets in to round the end.
Create a duplicate the shape for later.

Apply a gradient from the Swatches Panel. Open the gradient panel and set the angle to -90° to get the gradient to go from light at the top to dark at the bottom.

Create a rectangle.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the top edge and move it to the left.

Use the Direct Selection Tool to select the upper left corner and pull in the corner widget.

Duplicate and flip the shape and move the fins to the arrow.

Select the lower fin and click on the Draw Inside Mode at the bottom of the Tool Bar.

Draw a rectangle in the shape. Fill it with 40% gray. Set the blend mode to Multiply in the Opacity Panel. Click on the Draw Normal mode.

Select all the shapes and group them together.

Rotate the arrow and place it on the target.

Use the duplicate rectangle to create a shadow from the arrow. Fill it with 40% gray. Set the blend mode to Multiply in the Opacity Panel. Done!

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INFOGRAPHIC SERIES - Chrome / Reflective Badge

4/28/2019

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Create a chrome or reflective look on type and add some gleamie specular highlights for a shiny effect.

Choose a typeface and create a word. This typeface is called Raceway and it is available on type.adobe.com and can be activated for use in Illustrator. Outline the font. Choose Object>Compound Path>Make to turn all the shapes into a single acting shape. Grouping it together will not create a single shape.

Fill the type with a gradient from white to a medium color.

Set the angle so the highlight is on the top and the darker color is on the bottom.

Add a stroke to the shape. In the stroke panel set the Align Stroke to the outside so it does not encroach into the the shape.

Add a gradient to the stroke by selecting the stroke icon in the gradient panel. Add a light color by clicking under the gradient ramp. Click under the ramp to add another color. With the color dot selected, set the color locations at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 to space the color out equally.

This will create a beveled look to the badge with a multi-step gradient on the stroke.

In the Appearance Panel, click on the add Stroke button in the lower left. Set the stroke to be under the initial stroke and twice the weight.

Click on the Stroke link in the Appearance Panel and set the Align Stroke to the outside.

Add a darker gradient to the second stroke.

The darker gradient on the second stroke give more of reflective edge on the bevel.

In the Appearance Panel, turn the strokes off by clicking on the eye next to the stroke.

Select the type and choose Object>Path>Outline Stroke. Set the offset to -1 to make the shape smaller. Click OK.

Move the offset type off the original shape.

Create a rectangle over the top of the offset path.

Select the type and the rectangle and choose Minus Front in the Pathfinder panel to cut off the top, leaving just the bottom of the offset type.

Move the cut off section to the lower of the type. Turn on the strokes in the Appearance panel.

Set the lower section to Multiply.

This blends the section into the type and makes the bottom inset appear darker.

Select the badge and set the Corners to be rounded in the Stroke Panel.

Add a gleamie highlight. Create the gleamie by drawing a Star. While drawing the star, use the UP ARROW to add points to the star. While drawing, hold the COMMAND key and pull in toward the center of the star to make the points longer.