I declare this week Texture Week on Vectips! No reason, I’ve just been working with a number of textures in some recent illustrations, and wanted to pass along some of the techniques. It is starting to warm up oustide, so it is only fitting I start with wading water, like in a pool. It is a relatively quick and easy technique using Illustrator’s Effects, Simplify, Offset Path and some bright colors.
I like illustrating characters, icons, and other highly representative illustrations. I do this kind of work the majority of time in Illustrator, so it’s nice to break out and create abstract backgrounds. Abstract backgrounds are easy to create in Illustrator with a couple of simple techniques. Using Gradient Meshes, Steps Blends and Opacity Masks you can quickly create an abstract background.
The Create Web 2.0 Stickers and Shiny Buttons tutorials have been very popular. With their popularity came many requests for reflections, another attribute synonymous with the Web 2.0 style. Creating these reflections is simple. With Vertical Flipping and Opacity Masks you can have a reflection in no time! Moreover, Opacity Masks are versatile, easy to edit, and not just for reflections. (more…)
In celebration of St. Patricks Day, I wanted to do a four-leaf clover tutorial. Some of you might not celebrate St. Patricks Day or have no use for a four-leaf clover, but still take a look at this tutorial. This tutorial combines some good techniques. You will Divide, Transform, and add Warping Effects. These techniques will help you quickly and easily create with Illustrator!
It used to be a time consuming process to create a halftone. First, I would open a picture in Photoshop, convert it to grayscale, apply a halftone effect, open it up in illustrator, trace it, and if didn’t get messed up somewhere in the process, I would use the halftone in Illustrator. In Illustrator CS3 it is quite a bit easier to create halftones without leaving Illustrator.
I wonder how long the Web 2.0 style will be around. All those shiny graphics are great to look at and create, but it can’t last. In some respects, it’s good to capitalize on the trend, but it the same respect it’s good to explore new techniques and styles. Regardless, there is enough demand with the Web 2.0 style to justify a tutorial on some nifty Web 2.0 Stickers!
