Create Web 2.0 Stickers

Web 2.0 Stickers Thumbnail

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!

Notes

This tutorial was created in Adobe Illustrator CS3. Most, if not all, functions should be available in Illustrator 10 and up. Functions specific to Illustrator CS3 will be noted.

Keyboard shortcuts are displayed in orange. ⌘ is displayed for the Command key (mac), with the Ctrl key being the Windows equivalent (not displayed).

Step 1: Create The Sticker and Fold Shapes

Create a box with rounded corners with the Rounded Rectangle Tool. Next, create another box that is a little smaller. Grab a corner of the second box with the Selection Tool (v), hold Shift, and rotate the box 45 degrees. Place the second box on the bottom right corner of the first box where you would like the fold of the sticker. Copy (⌘c) both boxes and Paste In Front (⌘f). Select one of the original boxes and one of the rotated boxes and Intersect and Expand the shapes, creating the fold. Take the second copy of each box and Subtract and Expand them, creating the sticker. Now, select the fold, grab a corner, hold Shift and rotate 180 degrees.

Create The Sticker and Fold Shape

Step 2: Create The Shimmer Shape

Use the Ellipse Tool (l) and draw a circle half way down the sticker overlapping the left, top, and right corners of the sticker shape generously. Copy (⌘c) the sticker and Paste In Front (⌘f). Take one sticker shape and the circle and Intersect and Expand, creating the shimmer shape.

Create The Shimmer Shape

Step 3: Create The Shiny Effect

In this step I am briefly going to explain using gradients to create the shiny effect. If you need a more in depth explanation, refer to Step 3 in my previous post Shiny Buttons Without Blends or Transparencies.

Use the follow steps for the shiny effect.

  1. Select the shimmer shape and create a Linear gradient with the first swatch in the gradient 20% Cyan and second swatch in the gradient 100% cyan.
  2. Adjust the gradient with the Gradient Tool (g).
  3. Remove the borders.
  4. Select the sticker shape and create a Linear gradient with the first swatch 100% Cyan and the second swatch 100% Cyan and 50% Magenta.
  5. Adjust the gradient with the Gradient Tool (g).
  6. Remove the borders.

Again, if that was too brief, refer to Step 3 in the Shiny Button post.

Creating the Shinny Effect

Step 4: Adding Detail to the Fold

Now it is time to give the fold some depth. Select the fold shape and create a Linear gradient. Keep white as your first swatch, select 20% black as the second swatch and remove the border. When you adjust this gradient, start in the middle of the fold shape, hold Shift, and drag out to the bottom right of the fold at a 45 degree angle.

Now the fold is looking pretty good, but to give it a little more depth we can add a shadow to the fold. Select the fold shape, hold down the Alt/Option button and drag the shape slightly down and to the left. Copy (⌘c) the the sticker shape and Paste In Front (⌘f). Select the newly copied sticker shape and the copied fold shape and Intersect and Expand. Change the color of the fold shadow to 100% Cyan and 50% Magenta. Select the original fold shape and Bring It To The Front (⌘ Shift ]). Now you have a fancy Web 2.0 sticker!

Adding Detail to the Fold

Step 5: Expand

These stickers look great with icons or text on them, just experiment! Try adding different colors, shapes, or whatever. If you are to lazy or need some sticky icons quick, go check out some I created on iStock!

Expand

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125 thoughts on “Create Web 2.0 Stickers”

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  25. […] vectips.com hat ein schönes Tutorial erstellt, wie man die beliebten Web 2.0 “Sticker” als Vektor-Grafik in Illustrator erstellt. Viel Spass beim Nachmachen… […]

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  26. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn’t…it just got way too annoying, as if some leprachaun was slowly sawing away on my auditory nerves using dental floss coated in shards of glass. But I digress

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  29. We are LogoProDesign as a Custom Logo Designer, We checked your artwork collections. Those are amazed us. Thanks for that type of good work collections. We regularly checked your website for good artwork example.
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  39. color are essential when I create glossy buttons and icons. In the Glossy Buttons and Web 2.0 Stickers tutorials, I used Cyan because it was easy to enter a percentage

    konteyner

    Reply

  41. Nice tutorials! But how do you the icon one? I mean the color effect…its like transparent or something. I wanted to do that one.

    Reply
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  47. Yah am using cs4 …… the expand button appeared as u said but the same problem already exist … only the included part is appearing and no intersection happen

    Reply

  51. Awesome !!!
    Thanks a lot for sharing 🙂

    I am a total newbie to illustrator and when i first created the sticker, i was like f*****k !

    Reply

  55. Currently i am following this tutorial, this site is helpful for vector artist, taking idea and exploring creativity thanks to the team of this site.

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  69. Here I found something that’s very usefull and I’ve been searching for long time. This tutorial is really good..so please visit the website Vectips

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  84. I found the web 2.0 stickers tutorial really useful, easy to understand and insightful. I’m still learning alot about illustrator and I have to say this is the ONLY time I’ve ever used the Pathfinder Palette! If I had to suggest anything, it would be maybe have a quick video tutorial also? Keep em’ coming!

    nice one!

    PH

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  88. Very nice tutorial. I actually didin’t know that much about Illustrator but i got pretty inspired with doing this tutorial. But I have to say, even though this tutorial isin’t that hard, If you make one thing wrong you could be forced to start over hehe. I actually had to visit other tutorials to realize how some of the things were done. But I’m a noob so that could explain my struggle 😛

    Over all, as I said a very nice tutorial!
    Thanks, Very helpfull 🙂

    Reply

  91. Very nice tutorial. The other tutorials i have seen for this effect have been difficult to read and understand. Yours however is readable and followable.

    Reply
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    • Hi, Great tutorials

      I am struggling a bit trying to combine the two techniques
      I would like to create a sticker with a background image covering the background like a texture but an image I already have and then apply a shimmer and it still look good. So far it’s a bit hit and miss!
      The image is already vector so I guess it shouldn’t be too tricky but I’m stalling!
      Any ideas?

      Reply

      • I usually do this a couple of ways. One way, is to make the shimmer shape a transparent white, instead of a gradient. Another way (I do this for stock illustration) is make a separate shimmer shape for the texture.

        Let me know if that makes sense.

        Reply

  110. Hello mate!

    I am a beginner with Illustrator and I want to tell you that these tutorials are helping me alot. The explanation is very clear and good enough for a beginner like me. Keep up the good work mate!

    Jouwplek

    Reply
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    • select 20% black as the second swatch and remove the border. When you adjust this gradient, start in the middle of the fold shape, hold Shift, and drag out to the bottom right of the fold at a 45 degree angle.

      Reply

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