VforVectors

Hi there. In this first tutorial you’ll learn to create an illustration of a fountain pen. It is more of an advanced tutorial but I tried to make it as detailed as I could. Hopefully you’ll understand the exact steps I followed to reach this final illustration.

Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced
Estimated Completion Time: 2 hours
Number of Steps: 35

This is what you’ll be creating:

Step 01

Open a new 1280px by 1024px document.Load this photo inside your document.Resize it so it fits your Artboard.You can select the photo then click on Transform button from the top bar and insert the numbers shown in the image below.This, only if you want to use the exact size and position that I’ve used. In most of the pictures below I lowered the opacity to 30% so that you can distinguish the shapes.When I normally work I leave the opacity at 100%. Now, create a new layer and name it “IMAGE”. Move the pen image inside the “IMAGE” layer and lock the layer. That way you won’t select or move accidentally the image.

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Step 02

Select the Pen Tool(P) and create the shape of the entire fountain pen. Try to pay extra attention at the areas zoomed in the picture below.Name this shape “FP”

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Step 03

Duplicate “FP”. Select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select it along with the copy of “FP” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “vvv”. Duplicate “vvv” and “FP”. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #3. Select this new shape and the fresh copy of “FP” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Move the resulting shape below the copy of “vvv” then select both shapes an click on Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 3”.

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Step 04

Duplicate “Section 3”. Choose the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. First select this new shape along with “FP” and click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Next, select the resulting shape along with the copy of “Section 3” then click on Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name this new shape “Section 4”.

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Step 05

Select the Pen Tool(P), create the shape of the clip (as shown in image #1), name it “Section 1-Yellow” and duplicate it. Select this duplication along with “vvv” the click on Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the top resulting shape “Section 1” and the bottom resulting shape “Section 2”

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Step 06

Create a copy of “Section 2”, “Section 3” and “Section 4”. First, select the Pen Tool(P) and make a shape like the on eshown in image #1. Select it along with the duplication of “Section 2” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 2 – Yellow” and make sure it is placed above the original “Section 2” shape (in the Layers pallete). Next,reselect the Pen Tool(P) and make a shape like the one shown in image #4. Select this new shape along with the duplication “Section 3” the click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 3 – Yellow” and make sure it is placed above the original “Section 3” shape (in the Layers pallete). Finally, with the Pen Tool(P) create a shape like the on eshown in image #7. Select this shape along with the copy of “Section 4” and click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 4 – Yellow” and make sure it is placed above the original “Section 4” shape (in the Layers pallete). Now, you should have a group of 8 shapes(as shown in the final picture).

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Step 07

We’ll start with “Section 4”. Create a new layer, name it “SECTION 4” and place it in the bottom of the layer, above the “IMAGE” layer. Move the shape “Section 4” inside this layer then fill it with the color and the gradient shown in image #1 and #2. Next, select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #3. Fill it with the gradient then apply a 5px Gaussian Blur and lower the opacity to 60%. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a new shape as shown in image #4. Fill this new one with R=84 G=89 B=75, add a 5px Gaussian Blur then lower the opacity to 30%.

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Step 08

Create a new layer. Name it “SECTION 4 YELLOW”. Move this layer above the “SECTION 4” layer then move the shape “Section 4-Yellow” inside this layer. Fill this shape with the color and the gradients shown in the image below.

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Step 09

Duplicate “Section 4-Yellow” then select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select it along with the duplication of “Section 4-Yellow” then click on Intersect button from the Parhfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 4-Yellow-Bottom” then fill it with the color and the gradients shown in iamges #3, #4, #5 and #6. Duplicate “Section 4-Yellow-Bottom”. With the Pen Tool(P) create a shape like the one shown in image #7. There should be a thin area where this new shape and “Section 4-Yellow-Bottom” intersect. Now, select this new shape along with the duplication of “Section 4-Yellow-Bottom” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the newly created shape with R=162 G=127 B=59.

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Step 10

Continue with “Section 3”. Create a new layer, name it “SECTION 3” and place it above the “SECTION 4” layer. Move the shape “Section 3” inside this new layer then fill it with the color and the gradient shown in image #1 and #2. Next, select the Pen Tool(P) and create a rectangle along the “Section 3” shape (image #3). Fill it with the gradient then add the 5px Gaussian Blur and lower the opacity to 40%. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a new shape like the one shown in image #4. Fill it with R=84 G=89 B=79 then add a 5px Gaussian Blur. Duplicate this shape (erase the Gaussian Blur) and fill it with the gradient shown in image #5. Now select this duplication along with the original shape and from the drop down menu of the Transparency pallete choose Make Opacity Mask.

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Step 11

Create a new layer. Name it “SECTION 3 YELLOW”. Place this layer above the “SECTION 3” layer then move the shape “Section 3-Yellow” inside this layer. Fill it with the color and the gradients shown in the image below.

Step 12

Duplicate “Section 3-Yellow” then choose the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image 1. Select it along with the duplication of “Section 3-Yellow” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shown in the image below.

Step 13

Onace again, duplicate “Section 3-Yellow” then with the Pen Tool(P) create a shape like the one shown in image 1. Select it along with the duplication of “Section 3-Yellow” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shown in the image below.

Step 14

Duplicate the shape created in the previous step then select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one in image #1. There should be a thin bottom area (0.5px) where this new shape and the duplication intersect. Select both shape and click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the colorand the gradients shown in images #3, #4 and #5.

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Step 15

Next is “Section 2”. Create a new layer, name it “SECTION 2” and place it above the “SECTION 3” layer. Move the shape “Section 2” inside this new layer then fill it with the color and the gradient shown in image #1 and #2. Next, select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #3. Fill it with R=84 G=89 B=75, add a 10px Gaussian Blur then lower the opacity to 80%. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and make a smaller shape like the one shown in image #4. Fill it with R=97 G=97 B=85 add a 5px Gaussian Blur and reduce the opacity to 40%.

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Step 16

Create a new layer. Name it “SECTION 2 YELLOW”. Place this layer above the “SECTION 2” layer then move the shape “Section 2-Yellow” inside this layer. Create three copies of this shape then select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select it along with one copy of “Section 2-Yellow” (doesn’t matter which) then click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 2-Yellow-Left”. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one from image #4. Select it along with another copy of “Section 2-Yellow” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 2-Yellow-Middle”. Once again with the Pen Tool(P) create a new shape like the one shown in image #7. Select it along with the last duplicate of “Section 2-Yellow” then click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Name the resulting shape “Section 2-Yellow-Right”. Now you should have four shapes: the original “Section 2-Yellow”, “Section 2-Yellow-Left”, “Section 2-Yellow-Middle” and “Section 2-Yellow-Right”. Duplicate the last three, select them along with “Section 2-Yellow” then click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallete(“Section 2-Yellow” must be the last in the Layers pallete). Name the resulting shapes “Brown-Left” and “Brown-Right”. Finally fill these five shapes with the colors shown in the images below.

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Step 17

Select the layer “SECTION 2 YELLOW” then click on Create New Sublayer button from the Layer pallete. Name this new layer “SECTION 2 YELLOW LEFT”. Move the shape “Section 2-Yellow-Left” inside this new layer then add the gradients shown in the images below.

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Step 18

Duplicate “Section 2-Yellow-Left” then choose the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select this new shape and the copy of”Section 2-Yellow-Left” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shwon in the image below.

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Step 19

Select the layer “SECTION 2 YELLOW” then click on Create New Sublayer button from the Layer pallete. Name this new layer “SECTION 2 YELLOW MIDDLE”. Move the shape “Section 2-Yellow-Middle” inside this new layer then add to it the gradients shown in the images below.

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Step 20

Duplicate “Section 2-Yellow-Middle” then choose the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select this new shape and the copy of “Section 2-Yellow-Middle” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shwon in the image below.

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Step 21

Duplicate again “Section 2-Yellow-Middle” then with the Pen Tool(P) create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select this new shape and the copy of “Section 2-Yellow-Middle” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shwon in the image below.

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Step 22

Select the layer “SECTION 2 YELLOW” then click on Create New Sublayer button from the Layer pallete. Name this new layer “SECTION 2 YELLOW RIGHT”. Move the shape “Section 2-Yellow-Right” inside this new layer then add to it the gradients shown in the images below.

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Step 23

Duplicate “Section 2-Yellow-Right” then choose the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Select this new shape and the copy of “Section 2-Yellow-Right” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shwon in the image below.

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Step 24

Fill “Brown-Left” and “Brown-Right” with the gradients shown in the image below then create two thin shape like those from image #5 and image #6. Follow the colors and the effects shown below.

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Step 25

Create a new layer, name it “SECTION 1” and place it above the “SECTION 2” layer. Move the shape “Section 1” inside this new layer then fill it with the color and the gradient shown in images #1, #2 and #3. Next, select the Pen Tool(P) and create two shapes like those shown in images #4 and #5. Fill them both with R=255 G=255 B=255 then apply a 2px Gaussian Blur and reduce the opacity to 20%.

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Step 26

Create a new layer. Name it “SECTION 1 YELLOW”. Move this layer above the “SECTION 1” layer then move the shape “Section 1-Yellow” inside this layer. Fill it with R=291 G=171 B=76 and with the gradients from all the images below.

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Step 27

Create two copies of “Section 1-Yellow” then select the Pen Tool(an create a small shape like the one shown in image #1). Select this new shape and the copy of “Section 1-Yellow” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with the color and the gradients shown in iamge #1, #2 and #3. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one you can see in image #4. Select it along with the other “Section 1-Yellow” and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the newly created shape with the color and the gradients shown in iamge #6, #7 and #8.

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Step 28

Once again duplicate “Section 1-Yellow” then choose the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1. Next select it along with the copy of “Section 1-Yellow” the click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with R=146 G=108 B=36 and with the gradients from images #4 and #5. Create a copy of “Section 1-Yellow”. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #6. Fill it with R=255 G=249 B=250 and apply a 3px Gaussian Blur. Select this new shape along with the copy of “Section 1-Yellow” then go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

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Step 29

Create a new layer, name it “NIB” and move it in the bottom of the layers pallete (above the “IMAGE” layer). Select the Pen Tool(P) and create the shape of the nib (as shown in image #1). Name this new shape “Nib” then fill it with R=242 G=196 B=86 and with the gradients from image #2,#3 and #4. Duplicate “Nib”. Choose the Pen Tool(P) and create new shape like the one shown in image #5. Select this new shape along with the copy of “Nib” then click on Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallete. Fill the resulting shape with R=161 G=115 B=39 and reduce the opacity to 50%.

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Step 30

Create two copies of “Nib”. Select the second copy then hit the left arrow once. Now, select both copies and click on Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallete. Now you should get two shapes (image #2 and #3). Fill them with the colors and the gradient shown in the image.

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Step 31

Select the Pen Tool(P) and create tho shapes like the onw shwon in iamge #1. Fill it with R=42 G=25 B=13 and with the gradient shown in image #2. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a new shape as shown in image #3 and will it too with R=42 G=25 B=13. Select onace again the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #4. Fill it with R=61 G=47 B=33 and with the the gradient. Continue and create 4 new shapes as shown in image #6. Move all these shapes in the bottom of “NIB” layer.

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Step 32

Create a new layer, name it “FOUNTAIN PEN” and move all the layers, except “IMAGE” layer, inside this layer. Now,the fountain pen is done. You can continue with the shadows and the background.

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Step 33

Create a new layer, name it “SHADOW” and move it below “FOUNTAIN PEN” layer. Select the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in image #1 (basically you need to trace the shape of the shaow from the photo). Fill this new shape with gradients shown below. Don’t forget to apply a 2.0px Gaussian Blur for the second gradient.

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Step 34

Create a new layer, name it “BACKGROUND” and move it below “SHADOW” layer. Select the Rectangle Tool(M), create a 1280x1024px rectangle(the size of the Artboard) then fill it with R=241 G=242 B=242 and with the gradient shown in image #2.

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Step 35

Now, to create a simple notebook, select the Pen Tool(P), create a shape as shown in image #1 and fill it with R=255 G=255 B=255. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create an oblique path like the one shown on the right side of image #2. Fill this path with none then add a 1pt stroke (color R=41 G=171 B=226). Duplicate this path and move it to the left. Next, select both shapes and go to Object > Blend > Make. Click on Object > Blend > Blend Options (or double click on the Blend Tool) and set the blending steps at 70. Select this blend and lower the opacity to 40%. Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create two horizontal paths like those in image #3. Add a 1pt stroke for each shape(color R=41 G=171 B=226). Select them and go to Object > Blend > Make. Set the blending steps at 20. Select this blend and lower the opacity to 40%. Finally for a simple scribble effect, create a path (as shown in image #4) with a 3pt stroke(color R=46 G=96 B=146). Select this path, go to the Appearance panel, click on Stroke and select the Round Cap and Round Join buttons.

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Final

Now your illustration is done. This is how it should look.