![Final product image](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/final_image/Screenshot_32.jpg)
In this tutorial, you will have the opportunity to learn how to use the Gradient Mesh Tool to draw a party flyer template design. Then you’ll see how to turn this template into a real flyer with Placeit!
If you’d like to skip this tutorial and just use this flyer background in your work, you can go ahead and simply purchase Summer Holiday Background With Tropical Plants from GraphicRiver!
![Summer Holiday Background With Tropical Plants](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/ooo.jpg)
1. How to Draw a Tropical Flower
Step 1
Let’s start off by drawing a flower petal with Gradient Mesh.
Create an orange rectangle—the color is #F55703
.
Next, grab the Mesh Tool (U). Click to create nodes, which in turn create a Mesh Grid.
When you have a thick enough mesh grid, grab the edges of the
rectangle and move them to make the shape rounder. It should resemble
the shape of a petal.
Once you’re done with the shaping, select
the left cluster of nodes (they are already colored differently in the
screenshot) and color them with #F8B67F
.
Next, select the nodes that are darker (they’re selected below) and proceed to change their color to #C54E0A
.
Add some darker orange tones in the fourth step with #872E0D
.
Always make sure to select the nodes that are selected in each screenshot below and apply the corresponding color to them!
![Tropical Party Flyer Design](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_1a_.jpg)
Step 2
Create another petal with Gradient Mesh.
#FD8604
#D74E02
#B82E02
-
#FFD38C
![Party Flyer Template Tropical Petal](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_2a_.jpg)
Step 3
Draw a third petal.
#F05A03
#F9A15D
#CA4725
-
#7E2309
![Party Flyer Background Mesh](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_3_.jpg)
Step 4
Finish the third petal.
#B35C11
#FA9234
![Vector Mesh](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_4_.jpg)
Step 5
#DF4502
#EA8A1C
#550500
-
#962607
![Tropical Party Flyer Design](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_5_.jpg)
Step 6
Draw one more orange petal.
#F75506
#F2A05F
#FB730D
-
#C44001
![Party Flyer Template Petal Tutorial Vector](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_6_.jpg)
Step 7
#F35909
#FD9E04
#DC3500
-
#99361F
![Party Flyer Background Tropical Flower](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_7_.jpg)
Step 8
Finish the petal.
#D66B01
#D56A02
#FD7604
![Tropical Flower Tutorial Vector](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_8__.jpg)
Step 9
Draw a blue element.
#E2F1FF
#224FA3
#72A6BE
-
#AFCAF3
![Tropical Party Flyer Design Mesh Element](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_9_.jpg)
Step 10
Draw the final mesh element.
#6284C2
#67180A
#0A2D2B
#A5B29F
![Party Flyer Template Gradient Mesh](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_10.jpg)
Step 11
Place the two elements together.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_11.jpg)
Step 12
Create a copy of the group, and then recolor that copy with Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Colors.
- Red: 11%
- Green: 13%
- Blue: 25%
![Party Flyer Background Edit Colors](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_12.jpg)
Step 13
Draw leaves with Mesh.
#313D21
#778D26
#4E561C
-
#60605B
![Gradient Mesh Tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_13_.jpg)
Step 14
Finish the leaf.
#5B593E
#BD7D0E
#BCB150
![Tropical Party Flyer Design Leaf](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_14.jpg)
Step 15
Draw the final element.
#2A3B17
#A5973C
#79815D
-
#475530
![Party Flyer Template Leaf Mesh](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_15.jpg)
Step 16
Assemble the flower.
![Party Flyer Background Tropical Background](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_16.jpg)
2. How to Complete the Flyer Template
Step 1
To learn how to draw the tropical leaf, consult this tutorial.
Next, recolor the leaf with Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Colors.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template Edit Colors](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_17.jpg)
Step 2
Bend the leaf with Effect > Warp > Arc Lower.
- Bend: 21%
- Horizontal Distortion: 14%
- Vertical Distortion: -34%
Expand Appearance of the object.
![Party Flyer Template Warp Effect](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_18.jpg)
Step 3
Draw a Mesh backdrop.
#386D4B
-
#326143
![Mesh Vector Tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_19.jpg)
Step 4
Draw #36763C
lines for the leaf.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template Tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_20_.jpg)
Step 5
Use a Clipping Mask to create the leaf.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template Leaf Vector](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_21.jpg)
Step 6
Draw one more Mesh backdrop.
#386D4B
#1D492C
-
#3F7A52
![Party Flyer Template Mesh](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_22.jpg)
Step 7
Use #547554
for the lines.
![Vector Tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_23.jpg)
Step 8
Use a Clipping Mask.
![Tropical Party Flyer Design Leaf Vector](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_24___.jpg)
Step 9
Draw another #547554
element.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_25_.jpg)
Step 10
Assemble a plant frame for the party flyer background.
![Party Flyer Template Tropical Leaves](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_26.jpg)
Step 11
Draw a Gradient element and set it to Multiply.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template Gradient](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_27.jpg)
Step 12
Place some of the elements on a #EDF0EE
background to create a backdrop for the party flyer design.
![Party Flyer Background](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_28.jpg)
Step 13
Place the party flyer backdrop behind the plant frame.
![Party Flyer Design Background](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_29.jpg)
Step 14
Add a Radial Gradient highlight, set to Screen.
![Radial Gradient](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_30.jpg)
Step 15
Place the highlights on top of the party flyer background.
![Tropical Party Flyer Template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_31.jpg)
Step 16
Make a Clipping Mask for the final version of the flyer design!
![Party Flyer Background](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_32.jpg)
3. How to Use Placeit to Make a Flyer
Step 1
Our tropical flyer template is done—now it’s time to add text and other decorative elements to truly turn it into a flyer!
You can easily do this on the Placeit site! Just head over to the Designs > Flyer Maker section for various flyer designs.
I’ve decided to search for a “summer party flyer” to complete our template.
![tropical flyer template tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_2.jpg)
Step 2
After you type in your keywords, you will be presented with various designs to choose from.
Choose the one you like the design of most—we will be changing the actual background image!
![online design template maker](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_1.jpg)
Step 3
I have chosen the first design, Online Flyer Maker for a Summer Party! Now, head over to the bottom left section, Background, and choose to add a Custom Image.
Select a .jpg version of the flyer template we made!
![placeit tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_3.jpg)
Step 4
After cropping the image accordingly, it’s already in place!
Now you can change the text or the colored filter on the image.
![online placeit flyer design tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_4%20copy.jpg)
Step 5
You can also change the color of the text…
![how to create flyer interactive design](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_5%20copy.jpg)
Step 6
… and move all the elements around as you’d like!
![online easy flyer design tutorial](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/Screenshot_6%20copy2.jpg)
Step 7
Don’t hesitate to play with the options while creating your ideal tropical flyer on Placeit!
![tropical flyer placeit template](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/placeit.jpg)
Awesome Work, You’re Now Done!
What now? You can try any of my other tutorials from my profile, or check out my portfolio on GraphicRiver, as well as the original vector we recreated in this tutorial.
I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, and I would be super happy to see any results in the comments below!
![Summer Holiday Background With Tropical Plants](https://cms-assets.tutsplus.com/uploads/users/1500/posts/32101/image/ooo.jpg)
Check out more tutorials!
- Gradient Mesh ToolHow to Draw a Wreath of Tropical Flowers in Adobe IllustratorVladimir Galantsev
- NatureHow to Create a Vacation Beach Background in Adobe IllustratorVladimir Galantsev
- Gradient Mesh ToolHow to Create a Showroom Background With a Red Carpet in Adobe IllustratorVladimir Galantsev
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