How to Create a Retro Fox Illustration in Adobe Illustrator

What You'll Be Creating

By following this tutorial you'll learn how to create a cute fox illustration in Adobe Illustrator. Using basic shapes, stylish colors and the Warp Effect tool, you can create a charming cartoon character in a retro style. This is a great project for beginners! Let's get started. 

1. Creating the Head and Face

Step 1

First we are going to create the head. Take the Polygon Tool and click on your workspace. A new dialogue window will ask you how many corners and what radius you want. Make 3 corners and any radius you want. Then click OK. Once you have a triangle, fill with color R=212, G=88, B=42. Now we need to adjust the Warp options (Effect > Warp > Arc Upper) as shown in the image below.

Step 2

Copy the triangle and paste it on the back (Control-C, Control-B), then change the color to R=233, G=218, B=194. Change the Arc Upper to Bulge (Effect > Warp > Bulge):

Step 3

You should have the following base shape for the head:

Step 4

Keep the same fill color. Using the Ellipse Tool (L), draw an oval. Pick the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and simply click on the left anchor point of the oval and then the right anchor point. After that, adjust the Warp options (Effect > Warp > Arc) as shown in the image below.

Step 5

Place the shape you've just created behind (Control-X, Control-B) the shape created in Step 3.

Step 6

Now, we will create the eyes and the nose. Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create small circle and set the color to R=70 G=62 B=55. To make nice round circle, hold the Shift key while you’re creating the circle. Using copy-paste, make three circles. Place them accordingly like the image below.

Step 7

Now, the ears. First, we will create the right ear. Using the Polygon Tool, create a triangle and set the color to R=212 G=88 B=42. Adjust the Warp options (Effect > Warp > Bulge) as shown in the image below.

Create a copy of this triangle with the same Warp options. This will be the inner part of the ear, so you need to make it smaller and darker (color R=178 G=66 B=31).

Step 8

Now, the left ear. Use the image below to get an idea of how the left ear should look.

The smaller part of the left ear:

Step 9

Put the ears together and then place them on the head of the fox. Send them to the back (Control-X, Control-B) so that they sit behind the head.

2. Create the Body

Step 1

Now we are going to create a white fur neck under the head of the fox. Draw a triangle with fill color R=224 G=204 B=169. Adjust the Warp options (Effect > Warp > Bulge).

Step 2

Create a triangle (color R=42 G=148 B=68) with Bulge. This will be the body.

Step 3

Put all the parts together. Don't forget to place the head in the front of the body.

3. Creating the Legs and Paws

Step 1

We'll start by creating the fox's leg. Make an oval with fill color R=212 G=88 B=42. Select Arc in the Warp Options window. After that, expand this figure (Object > Expand Appearance).

Step 2

Draw an oval with color R=70 G=62 B=55. Pick the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and simply click the top and bottom anchor points of the oval; this will make the end points pointy. Copy-paste to create two duplicates of this shape and put them together as shown below. Then go to the Pathfinder panel and press the Unite button. Now you have one shape. Make one more copy of this shape and keep it for later. I will let you know when you need it!

Step 3

Select the shape that was created in the previous step and put it on the tip of the arm to create the paw. After that, make one more copy of the paw (Control-C, Control-F). Holding the Shift key, select the dark gray shape and the new copy of the paw together. Go to Pathfinder panel and press the Intersect button.

Now right-click your mouse and select Transform > Reflect. In the window that appears, check Vertical axis of reflection, make sure that it is set to 90 degrees and press Copy. Now you've got the second arm.

4. Putting All the Parts Together

Step 1

Simply place everything together, as shown in the image below. Your fox is really coming together!

5. The Tail

Step 1

Create an oval with fill color R=175 G=51 B=18. Make pointy ends on the oval, using the technique shown in previous steps. Then go to Effect > Distort and Transform > Twist. Once the window pops up, choose -100 degrees and press Okay. Expand the appearance (Object > Expand Appearance).

Step 2

Remember the copy of the fox's paw that you created in step 3.2? I asked you to keep it for later—now it's time! Change the color to R=224 G=204 B=169 and place it on the tail. Make another copy of the tail (Control-C, Control-F). Keep this copy selected and, holding the Shift key, select the light brown shape. Now press the Intersect button on the Pathfinder panel.

Step 3

Place the tail behind the body. Look how cute it is!

6. Decorations

Step 1

We will be using circles and pointy ovals to create flowers.

The color of the petals on the first flower is R=229 G=211 B=182. The color of the middle circle is R=235 G=212 B=103. The color of the leaves is R=97 G=108 B=67.

The color of the petals on the second flower is R=60 G=94 B=76. The color of the middle circle is R=88 G=52 B=56. The color of the leaves is same as the first flower.

The color of the petals on the third flower is R=73 G=117 B=95. The color of the middle circle is the same as the second flower.

Group every flower with leaves (Right-Click > Group).

Step 2

We will now create a strawberry. Draw an oval with color R=178 G=31 B=41. Pick the Direct Selection Tool (A) and select the left and right anchor points. Shift them up. Then, draw tiny yellow ovals (R=235 G=212 B=103) and spread them over the red oval. Add three leaves (R=97 G=108 B=67). Group the whole strawberry together (Right-Click > Group).

7. Background

Step 1

Behind the fox create a large circle (R=114 G=147 B=118). Place the flowers and strawberries on the edge of the circle to create a frame.

8. Final Touches

Step 1

Draw a square with the fill color R=166, G=191, B=170 and size 600px both width and height. Place it behind everything.

Step 2

Look at the Appearance panel. Click on the tiny triangle in the top right corner and in the pop-up menu select Add New Fill. Now open a new Swatches panel (Swatches > Patterns > Basic Graphics > Basic Graphics_Dots) and select the 10DPI 20% pattern for this new fill. Set the Opacity to Soft Light.

Conclusion

Congratulations, your fox illustration is done! You see, it's not difficult. I hope you found some useful tricks and have enjoyed this tutorial!

by Nataliya Dolotko, design.tutsplus.com

How to Create a Surreal Poster Design in Adobe Illustrator

What You'll Be Creating

1. Build the Mouth

Step 1

Let's start with the mouth. It's the top of the image and where the viewers' eyes will likely fall first. To begin, sketch out the mouth with the Pencil Tool (N). I'm using a 1pt weight stroke with the color set to a light blue (this is not important).

1. I usually start with the top lip. I think of it as four curved strokes: two on either side that curve inward and two shorter stroked that form the cupid's bow.
2. To complete the top lip I drew four strokes. The two side strokes curve in opposition to the top lines. The lines below the cupid's bow mimic them on a smaller scale.
3. Choose how open you want your mouth to be. Just a little bit, as seen in Figure 3 below.
4. Or you can go for a mouth that will reveal more teeth.
5. The bottom lip flattens out a bit in the middle of the bottom edge.
6. Complete the mouth. Note where the teeth are (is it a closed smile, open smile, etc). Group (Control-G) these lines together.

Step 2

Let's build up the mouth with shapes.

1. Starting with the top lip, again, I want to focus on one half of it. Using the Pen Tool (P), I have traced the left half of the mouth, stopping in the center point and making sure the shape is closed.
2. Copy (Control-C) and Paste (Control-P) the lip shape and Reflect over a Vertical Axis. align the two shapes so they overlap a bit and create a nice top lip.
3. Repeat for the bottom lip.

Step 3

Unite the top lip shapes and the bottom lip shapes in the Pathfinder panel with their respective partners.

1. In order to create the teeth, use the Pen Tool to draw a curved shape defining the bottom edge of the top row of teeth.
2. Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool in order to draw a row of teeth overlapping the blue space from the previous step. 
3. Use the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M) in order to delete the rounded bottoms of the teeth. Select the blue shape and each tooth, Select the portion of the teeth shapes that do not intersect with the blue shape, Deselect, and Delete.
4. Some of the teeth may sit above the lips themselves. Make sure to delete non-overlapping components of teeth before Grouping them together and placing them below the top lip in the Layers panel.
5. Move the teeth group down a small bit so the blue shape from Figure 1. Draw a rounded tongue shape (with the Ellipse Tool (L)) and place it under all mouth objects in the Layers panel.

Step 4

Create a bottom row of teeth in the same manner as the group from Step 3.

1. Your mouth will need a dark color drawn for the inside as well (behind the tongue). I drew shapes behind the mouth in dark brown with the Pen Tool.
2. The drip shape seen in the final image is the same teal as the lower lip and was drawn with the Pencil Tool. Optionally, you can also build rounded drip shapes with a series of ellipses, rounded rectangles, or carefully using the Pen Tool. 

Group together your mouth components.

2. Create the Umbrella

Step 1

Before we get to the umbrella, let's quickly create a rainbow. Use the Rectangle Tool (M) in order to draw a long, narrow, vertical rectangle. Copy and Paste five times. I've used the following colors:

• Orange: R=241 G=105 B=63 
• Yellow: R=251 G=193 B=96
• Light Green: R=151 G=203 B=121
• Green: R=102 G=170 B=123
• Light Blue: R=85 G=198 B=212
• Navy Blue: R=21 G=49 B=73
• Align the rectangles so they are the same distance apart, Group them together and place them underneath the mouth (and all other poster elements). 

Step 2

It's pretty simple to create an umbrella from a series of ellipses.

1. Draw a large ellipse using the Ellipse Tool. Note that this isn't a perfect circle.
2. Draw four overlapping circles and Unite all four in the Pathfinder panel.
3. Using the Shape Builder Tool, select the intersecting an non-intersecting shapes that you've drawn (five total).
4. The four bottom shapes, now separate from each other, are to be deleted.
5. Once those other four sections are deleted you'll be left with your umbrella.

Step 3

The top of the umbrella, the ferrule, has a pointed teardrop shape. It's extremely simple to create. Draw a circle, pull the top anchor point upward using the Direct Selection Tool (A), and bring it to a point with the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C). Place on the top of the umbrella.

Step 4

For the handle of the umbrella, use the Pen Tool to draw a line that starts at the top of the umbrella and kicks to the left beneath it. Set the stroke weight to 8-10pts and taper the line with the Width Tool (Shift-W).

Step 5

Finally, for the stitched lines on the umbrella, draw curved lines from each umbrella point to the ferrule. Set the Stroke Weight to 1pt, Cap and Corner to Rounded, and Dashed Line to 5pt Dash and 5pt Gap. Group all of these umbrella components together.

3. Sunshine and Rain Clouds

Step 1

In order to create the smiling sun for our poster we need to start with the sun's rays. Draw another pointed teardrop shape in yellow-orange (see Section 2, Step 3). With the teardrop selected create a New Brush in the Brushes panel. This is a simple Pattern Brush (see below) where the Outer Corner Tile is Auto Between and the Side Tile is Original. Hit OK and you'll find your new brush ready for use in the Brushes panel.

Step 2

Use the Ellipse Tool to draw a circle. Fill it with the same color as the brush you just made. Apply the brush to the stroke and resize both the circle and the Stroke Weight as needed to get the amount of rays you'd like on your cute little sun.

For the face draw ovals for the eyes and use the Pen Tool to draw a mouth and little heart for a tongue, if you so desire. Group these pieces together and place the sun behind the umbrella within your poster's composition.

Step 3

1. For the rain clouds, use the Ellipse Tool to draw a series of overlapping circles and ovals in various sizes. Unite them in the Pathfinder panel. 
2. Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a rectangle that overlaps half of the cloud.
3. Hit Minus Front in Pathfinder so you're left with a puffy cloud with a flat bottom edge. Copy, Paste, and Reflect the cloud. change the fill color on the second cloud to a dark color and place it behind the first. Use the same teardrop shapes from Section 2, Step 3 for the raindrops in the poster design.

4. Render the Rainbows and Composition

Step 1

Use the Rectangle Tool in order to draw two rectangles that will appear beneath the mouth and umbrella. Each will have the same width as the rainbow. Apply a Linear Gradient using the Gradient Tool (G) that goes from dark brown at 100% to 0% Opacity. Set the gradient's angle to -90° so the darker color starts at the top of the gradient shape.

Step 2

Let's take a minute to check out the composition so far. Notice that the same gradient was applied to the mouth corners and tongue from the previous step.

Step 3

In order to create the paintbrush handle at the bottom of the poster, check out the following:

1. The handle and the base of the brush are both Rounded Rectangles. A circle forms the hole in the handle and the half circle strip on the handle was drawn with the Pen Tool.
2. Place the brush at the bottom of the rainbow and draw a narrow rectangle (also cream-colored, as that is our background color) across the top of the brush.

Step 4

Finally, we've got to draw some little birdies.

1. Start with a circle.
2. Pull the left anchor point out with the Direct Selection Tool.
3. Manipulate the top and left anchor point tools to form the head and tail (you're curving the former circle up and inward).
4. Bring the curved left side to a point.
5. Use the Pen Tool to draw a beak.
6. Draw a circle for the eyes. Group together, Copy, Paste, and Scale the copied birds down or up, depending on your preference and scatter them around the left side of the composition. Change the bird's base color so there's more than just navy blue birds flitting about.

5. Add a Patterned Texture

Step 1

In order to create the patterned texture over top the whole poster, we'll start with a couple squares.

1. Use the Rectangle Tool to draw a perfect square (hold down Shift). Ultimately, my pattern will be in navy blue. For visibility's sake, it's cream right now.
2. Copy and Paste the square and Rotate them so you can Align them to their center points.
3. Copy and Paste the squares again so you have a group of four, as seen below.

Step 2

Select your squares and Make a New Pattern in the Pattern Options panel. Keep the pattern type as a simple Grid. When satisfied, hit Done.

Step 3

Draw a large rectangle that covers the entire artboard. Apply your new pattern and reduce the Opacity to 21% or so in the Transparency panel. Change the Blending Mode to Soft Light.

Congratulations, Your Poster is Complete!

When creating surreal poster designs, it's helpful to keep a list of items, objects, and concepts at hand. Doodle out designs and throw them together with a unifying palette. Whatever you've done in your own poster, whether following this tutorial to the letter or allowing it to inspire your creations, share it with us in the comments.

by Mary Winkler, design.tutsplus.com

How to Create an Easy Cooking Card in Adobe Illustrator

 

 What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial, we will learn to create a cooking card that can be used as a cover for cookbook or recipe card, in Adobe Illustrator. We will use simple forms, learn how to move individual anchor points using the Direct Selection Tool. We will also use the Warp Effect, make Round Corners and cut off the shapes.

1. Create the Pot

Step 1

First, we are going to create the pot. Using the Rectangle Tool (M) draw a rectangle. Fill the resulting shape with color R=115 G=202 B=192. Then, go to Effect > Stylize > Round Corners and set the Radius to 30 px. Expand this shape by Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 2

Create another rectangle with any color that overlaps our blue rectangle on the top. Select two shapes together and go to the Pathfinder panel, and press Minus Front button.

Step 3

Now take the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw a small rounded rectangle. This will become the handles of the pot. Put it on the left side of the pot. Now, holding the Alt and Shift keys together, move the handle to the right side of the pot to create another copy of the handle.

Step 4

Let’s create the lid. Using the Ellipse Tool (L), draw an ellipse in the same color. Then, draw a rectangle with any color that overlaps the oval on the bottom. Keep the two shapes selected and press Minus Front button in the Pathfinder panel.

Step 5

Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool create two more rounded rectangles at the top and at the bottom. That's becomes the lid of the pot.

Step 6

Place the pot and the lid together.

2. Create the Mushroom

Step 1

Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw a gray oval (color R=191 G=182 B=173). Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the left and right anchor points and shift them a little bit down.

Step 2

Draw a horizontal ellipse and set its color at R=216 G=207 B=198. Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), shift the left and right anchor point a little bit down.

Step 3

Duplicate the created shape and make it smaller and darker (color R=154 G=139 B=125).

Step 4

Put all parts together. To put the stem over the hat you need to select the stem and press Control-X, Control-F keys.

3. Create the Olive

This is the easiest object to create — olive. Simply create an oval (color R=159 G=166 B=23) and a smaller ellipse (color R=129 G=124 B=0).

4. Create the Tomato

Step 1

Create an ellipse and set its color to R=234 G=50 B=79.

Step 2

Make a very thin oval (color R=143 G=210 B=202). Next, take the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and simply click on the top anchor point of the oval and the bottom. Create three copies (Copy-Paste), and then lay them like a snowflake.

Step 3

Place the leaves on the tomato.

5. Create the Carrot

Step 1

Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw an oval (color R=241, G=93, B=94). With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the left and right anchor points; shift them up. Then add three thin ovals to make the carrot leaves. Set the color to R=96, G=197, B=186.

6. Create the Beet

Step 1

Start with a red ellipse (R=234, G=50, B=79). Then, using the Direct Selection Tool (A), shift up the left and right anchor point little bit. Now, take the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and click on the bottom anchor point of the ellipse to make it sharp.

Step 2

On to the beet. Click on the Polygon Tool and then click on your work space. A new dialogue window will ask you how many corners and what radius you want. You need to make 3 corners with any radius you want. Then click OK. So, you have a triangle, which you fill with color R=231, G=25, B=57. Copy-paste this triangle to make two and make them narrow.

Step 3

Place the stems on the beet.

Step 4

The leaves. Draw two blue ovals - light blue (R=143 G=210 B=202) and darker blue (R=96 G=197 B=186). Then go to Effect > Distort and Transform > Roughen. In the dialogue window, enter Options Size 10 px Absolute, Detail 3/in, and in the Points section, check Smooth. Press OK. Make the same options for two leaves.

Step 5

Put the leaves in place, behind the stems (Control-X, Control-B).

7. Create the Ladle

Step 1

Cut off the unnecessary part from the green (R=159 G=166 B=23) ellipse.

Step 2

Create a narrow rectangle with the same color and slightly rotate it to the right. Go to Effect > Warp > Wave. In the new dialogue window, enter the following: Style Wave Horizontal, Bend 60%, Distortion Horizontal 0%, Vertical 0%. Press OK. You just created the handle for the ladle!

Step 3

Put two parts together to create the ladle.

8. Create the Onion

Step 1

After you created an oval (R=216 G=207 B=198), shift the left and right anchor points little up and make the top and bottom anchor points pointy.

Step 2

Add three green narrow ovals (R=159 G=166 B=23) to create the leaves of the onion.

9. Mix the Vegetables

To make it easier to maneuver, group every vegetable separately. For example, you need to select the whole beet, right-click the mouse and press Group. After you have grouped everything, place the vegetables in the pot as shown in the image below.

10. Create the Background

Step 1

Draw a circle with the fill color R=0, G=142, B=127. Send it to the back (Control-X, Control-B). Then add a square with the fill color R=216, G=207, B=198 and at size 600 px in the width and height. Send it to the back (Control-X, Control-B).

Step 2

To finish off the design, create few small circles and on the Transparency panel make their transparency Soft Light. Voila! We finally have one complete illustration of the cooking card.

Conclusion

You made it! Now you can create any vegetable you want using just simple forms! Have fun creating your own cooking pot of vegetables and please share your creations in the comments.

by Nataliya Dolotko, design.tutsplus.com