What do you think of when you hear the word “celebrating”? I think of festive things such as parties, birthdays, celebrating people, and so on. So today we are going to create an image of a celebrating man in Adobe Illustrator. We will be using basic shapes, effects, and tools.
Hopefully you will learn something new in Adobe Illustrator. For more amazing images and inspiration, feel free to visit GraphicRiver. It has a lot of different characters and will inspire you for future creating.
Let´s get started!
1. How to Create the Man’s Head
Step 1
After opening Adobe Illustrator, create a New Document with 850 x 850 px Width and Height.
Let’s start by creating the head. Draw a light brown rectangle with the help of the Rectangle Tool (M). Set the fill color as shown in the image below. To deform this rectangle, we’ll use the Arc Upper effect. While keeping the rectangle selected, go to Effect > Warp > Arc Upper. In the new dialogue window, adjust the options to the ones you see in the image below and press OK. Expand this shape again (Object > Expand Appearance).
Step 2
Next, we will use the Polygon Tool to make a nose. Take the Polygon Tool and click on your artboard. In the new dialogue window, enter 3 Sides. Then click OK. Now select this triangle and go to Effect > Warp > Bulge. In the new dialogue window, enter the options you see in the image below. Expand this shape again (Object > Expand Appearance).
Step 3
For the eye, use the Ellipse Tool (L) to create a dark brown ellipse and place it on the head. Make a copy of the ellipse in front (Control-C, Control-F), and then slightly enlarge it and shift it up. Make sure to do this while holding the Alt key. Now, we need to change the color of the upper ellipse to the same color as the face. So take the Eyedropper Tool (I), and while the upper ellipse stays selected, click on the face.
Step 4
Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a dark brown ellipse and place it where you want the mouth to be. Make a copy of this ellipse in front (Control-C, Control-F), slightly enlarge it, and shift it up. It will be better to change the color to light brown, similarly to how you did it for the eye, so you can see how the mouth will look.
Now we will cut away the bottom part of the ellipse underneath. While keeping these two ovals selected, press the Minus Front button on the Pathfinder panel. We will end up with the bottom part of the ellipse underneath. We still need that mouth to stay within the boundaries of the face.
So select the head shape and the crescent shape and press the Divide button on the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder). After that, right-click your mouse and hit Ungroup. The shape used for the mouth will be divided into two parts in the places where it intersects with the head. And finally, delete the part which is outside of the shape of the head.
Step 5
Now we will add an ear. Again, using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a light brown ellipse and place it on the side of the head. You remember how to use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to take the same fill color as the face, right?
Add another darker and smaller copy of the ellipse in front. Finally, add a third light brown ellipse, which is smaller and shifted slightly to the left. This will create an ear.
Step 6
For the hair, add two dark brown ellipses. They are the same fill color as the eye. Unite these ellipses by selecting them and hitting the Unite button on the Pathfinder panel.
Next, create a copy of the head shape in front (Control-C, Control-F), and while keeping this copy selected, select the united dark ellipses as well. Then hit the Intersect button on the Pathfinder panel. You will end up with a dark brown set of united ellipses which overlap with the shape of the head.
Next, add another dark brown ellipse on top of the head. Now we will modify this ellipse to create a fancy hairstyle for the man. To create the shape shown below, move the handles of the ellipse by using the Direct Selection Tool (A) until you get the necessary result. To have a pointy edge, keep the Alt button pressed while moving the handle. In such a way, you will move only one handle at a time.
Actually, you can create any hairstyle you want—it would be interesting for me to see your end result!
2. How to Create the Body
Step 1
Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a dark grey rectangle under the head. To have a curved chest, transform this shape: go to Effect > Warp > Arch, and enter the options shown below. Expand it (Object > Expand Appearance).
Step 2
Delete the fill color and set the stroke color to the same color as his chest (press Shift-X). Make the Weight of this stroke very thick (around 30–40 px) on the Stroke panel (Window > Stroke). Add a straight line as his left arm. Here it would be better to switch on the Smart Guides (View > Smart Guides or just press Control-U) if you want the arm to be aligned to the chest.
Now, using the Arc Tool, draw the man’s right arm. Move the handles of
the anchor points using the Direct Selection Tool (A) to achieve the
result you want.
Step 3
Delete the stroke color and set the fill color as shown below. Add a grey rectangle in front of the body. The Smart Guides will help you out to draw it directly under the chin. Then take the Delete Anchor Point Tool (-) and delete the anchor point marked in the image. You will end up with a grey triangle.
Make a copy of this triangle in front (Control-C, Control-F), change its
color to white and make it narrower. Next we will modify these two
triangles. First, select the darker triangle, go to Effect > Warp
> Arch, and enter the options shown below in the second image. Expand
this shape. Do the same for the white triangle, adjusting the options shown in the third image.
Here is that second image where the options shown are for the grey triangle:
Here is that third image where the options shown are for the white triangle:
Step 4
This elegant man wears a bow tie. We will start by creating a triangle. Set the fill color shown below, and take the Polygon Tool. Now, click on your artboard. In the new dialogue window, make 3 Sides with any Radius, and press OK. Rotate it to the right.
Make a vertical reflection of this triangle: click on the Reflect Tool (O) and while keeping the Enter button pressed, in the new dialogue window enter Vertical, Angle 90 degrees and press Copy. Move the new copy to the right. Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool, create a small rounded rectangle in the middle. Group the two triangles, and then select the whole bow tie (all three parts) and press Horizontal Align Center in Align. Make sure that on your Align panel the following is checked: Align To: Align to Selection (lower right corner of this panel).
Step 5
Delete the fill color and set the stroke color as you did for the face. We are creating the fingers. Draw an oval first. Then grab the Scissors Tool (C) and click on the left and right sides of the ellipse at the points shown in the image. Delete the upper part of the ellipse by pressing the Delete button on your keyboard. You should be left with an arc. Increase the stroke Weight and check Round Cap on the Stroke panel (Window > Stroke).
Now move the handles of the arc by using the Direct Selection Tool (A) until you get the necessary result. Add two more fingers using the Arc Tool, and don’t forget to check Round Cap on the Stroke panel.
3. How to Create the Glass
Step 1
Let’s start by creating a white ellipse. You don’t need the black stroke—it’s just so that you can see it better. Now we will cut away its upper part. For the cutter, create a rectangle with any fill color you want. Make sure that the rectangle overlaps the top part of the ellipse. While keeping these two shapes selected, press the Minus Front button on the Pathfinder panel. We will end up with the bottom part of the ellipse.
Now do the same operation to create a tiny foot for the glass: create an ellipse, use a rectangle as a cutter, and cut off the bottom part of the ellipse.
Step 2
For the stem of the glass, create a rectangle and attach it below the glass bowl. Add the tiny glass foot at the bottom.
For the champagne, make a copy of the glass bowl, change its color to yellow, and slightly decrease its size. Now we will cut away part of the yellow shape in the same way you did for the glass bowl. Make sure that the rectangle that’s used as a cutter overlaps the top part of the yellow shape, and that only these two shapes are selected during the cutting process.
After that, we will add a few bubbles. Create a few light circles of different sizes. To make an even circle, use the Ellipse Tool (L) while
holding down the Shift key. Place these circles evenly on the champagne
part.
Finally, place the glass into the man’s right hand.
4. How to Create the Background
Step 1
Hit the Rectangle Tool (M) and click on your artboard. Enter 850 px
Width and Height, and press OK. Set the necessary fill color. Be sure
the background stays behind everything (Control-X, Control-B).
Step 2
Create an ellipse in front of the square.
Step 3
Make sure that the man with the glass is expanded and grouped. To check that, select the man with the glass and move him a bit to the side. If some parts of the man are left behind, he is not grouped and you still need to do this. If you want to check if the man is expanded, select him with the glass and look on the bottom of the Tools panel (on the left). If the Fill is with a question mark and no Stroke color, that’s how it should be, and it means that your man is expanded. If you still have a Stroke color, go to Object > Expand, OK.
Place the image of the man with the glass in front of the background as shown below.
Step 4
Select the background ellipse and create another copy in front (Control-C, Control-F). Delete the fill color of this new copy so you can see what is underneath a bit more clearly.
Now you need to deform it by moving its anchor points to get a result similar to the one presented below. Place this shape over the man (Control-X, Control-F).
Next, select the deformed ellipse and the man and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Control-7). This action will hide all parts of the man that are beyond the deformed ellipse.
5. How to Create the Decorations
Step 1
Draw a vertical line by using the Line Segment Tool (\). Don’t forget to remove the fill color and set a stroke color similar to the one you have for the champagne. To get a straight line, hold the Shift key while drawing the line.
Now we will modify this line to make it curly, and more like something we would see at a party. Go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig-Zag. In the Zig-Zag options window, adjust the Size and Ridges per segment to achieve a result you like. Be sure to select Smooth Points and Absolute. For your convenience, select Preview while adjusting these options.
Next, while keeping this line selected, go to Effect > Warp > Arc. In the new window, adjust the options to match the image below.
Step 2
Create a few more Zig-Zag curves using a similar process to the previous step: use the Line Segment Tool (\) to create the line and then modify this line: Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag. Deform it in different directions: go to Effect > Warp > Arc.
To make these lines bend in different directions, you can move the Bend slider in different directions. Remember to Expand Appearance at the end. Try to avoid sharp looks, and rather make it nice and curly, like party ribbon.
Step 3
Now, you can place the first couple of decorations onto your image.
Step 4
Let’s add a few sparkly stars to the background. You should have a yellow fill color. To make the stars, use the Star Tool. While the Star Tool is selected, click on the artboard and enter 8 points. Your star probably won’t look very good the first time around. So create another one, but this time hold down the Control key on your keyboard while drawing and watch how the corners change.
Next, create a circle and place it in the middle of the star. To align
these two shapes, open the Align panel (Window > Align).
Set Align To: Align to Selection (open the fly-out menu and go to Show
Options if you don’t see the Align To: section shown here), make
sure that your shapes are selected, and click the Horizontal Align
Center and Vertical Align Center buttons. In the end, your circle should
be in the middle of the star.
Now, while keeping these two shapes
selected, press the Minus Front button on the Pathfinder panel. We will
end up with the star with a cut-out circle in the middle.
Step 5
Now distribute these stars over the image by holding the Alt button. This will give you copies of the stars. Change the size of some stars, and that’s it! We have the completed illustration!
Conclusion
Awesome work, you did it! Now you are ready to create other images for future celebrations. Have fun creating your own illustrations! See you soon!
{excerpt}
Read More