Illustrator and Illustrator CS Tutorials


 


Bottles, Gradient Mesh and Warp - Illustrator Tutorial

GRADING - This project is worth 20 points. You are graded entirely on the accuracy of your drawing. Minus 1 or 2 points for each mistake. Example: No highlight -2, shading wrong -2, shape wrong -2, Cork wrong -2.

 

 

1   Let's begin with a rectangle using the Rectangle tool.

 

2   Draw out the rectangle.

 

3  

Select Select Gradient Mesh and set the rows at 6 and Columns at 4.

IMPORTANT READ CAREFULLY!- After you make the mesh, do to object>envelope distort>release. Then deselect the rectangle. Using the black arrow (selection tool) move the rectangle to the left. This should reveal a second colored rectangle behind it. Delete the colored rectangle. Select the meshed rectangle with the black arrow and pick a color in the swatches pallette.

 

4   Use the Direct Selection tool and select a row at a time and move it. Make sure to hold down Shift as you go along.

 

5   With the Direct Selection tool, select the mesh on the right and left. Use the Shift key to add the extra selections. Now click a darker brown. 

 

6   Using the same method as above continue to add shadow and light to the piece as below.

 

7   Select the bottom two rows.

 

8   Double-click on the Scale tool. Set to Uniform and Scale of 120%.

 

9   Select the top and third rows and scale to 80%.

 

10   Select a couple of points on the bottle and then click a highlight color.

 

11   Now create an Envelope Distort and choose Make with Mesh.

 

12   Set Rows to 3 and Columns to 1.

 

13   Select the bottom row with the Direct Selection tool and move up. Hold the Shift key down too.

 

14   Select the two top rows and Scale to 30%.

 

15   The bottle should now look like the one below.

 

16   To draw a cork stopper, create a rectangle and add a gradient then add some circles to represent the holes in the cork. Group. Now group the bottle and the cork.

 

17   Select Warp Options and set to Bulge with a Horizontal Bend of 37%. After selecting OK, choose Expand Appearances.

 

18   Select the bottom points and Scale to 30%.

 

19   Making sure everything is grouped, hit Expand Appearance.

 

20   To change and make the original bottle a new color, use the Direct Select tool and click on new colors then reuse Warp to remake the shape.

 

Copyright 2004, Jacquelin Vanderwood, All Rights Reserved