Reader Tutorial: Geometric Flower Effect Logo in IllustratorListThumbs
Reader Tutorial: Geometric Flower Effect Logo in Illustrator
In this tutorial I will show you how I made this nice logo for one of my clients in Czech Republic. Feel free to use it as inspiration, but please do not copy it in any form. All copyrights belong to the owner whom I made it for. Last but not least, please excuse Czech language appearing in the dialog boxes on pictures; I use a localized version of illustrator.
The final product will look like this:
Step 1
We'll start by making a new document with 180 mm width and height. If you do not like it you can select whatever dimensions you want. Then we will make one horizontal and one vertical guide positioned directly in the center of the document.
Select the Ellipse tool (L), create the ellipse, fill it with no color, select black outline and put it in the center of the document. I made one 160 mm high and 40 mm wide. So it will look something like this:
Step 2
Now, we are going to copy the ellipse 8 times around the circle. Easiest way to do this is to use Rotate Tool (R). So select the ellipse, click on the Rotate Tool (R), hold down ALT and click on the center of the ellipse, dialog box should appear. Enter 20 in angle and click on copy button. You will get this:
Step 3
Now press CTRL+D 7 times and you get to this point:
Step 4
We can now delete the guide lines; we do not need them later. The easiest part of this tutorial is done, now we are starting with ant work :-) We need to divide the final product in to small pieces. We are going to make it using Pathfinder. So select all ellipses and go to Window>Pathfinder and click on Divide:
Step 5
Now press Shift+CTRL+G to ungroup all objects. We are going to delete all needless objects. It is all 5 inner circles composed of 18 objects. So, 3 outer circles of objects remain as on the picture below.
Step 6
We are going to play with gradients now. It will be quite long but the output will be awesome. So let’s start: select the objects with Direct Selection Tool (A) (press Shift and click on each object) and apply a gradient from C30 M100 Y0 K0 to C30 M100 Y0 K80 like the image below:
Step 7
Then select another group of 6 objects and apply gradient from C80 M100 Y0 K0 to C80 M100 Y0 K80, here we go:
Step 8
Select another following group of 6 objects and apply gradient from C0 M100 Y100 K0 to C0 M100 Y100 K80. You’ll get something like this:
Step 9
For now you have enough information to know how to apply gradients for other groups of 6 objects.
- 4th group gradient from C0 M50 Y100 K0 to C0 M50 Y100 K80
- 5th group gradient from C0 M0 Y100 K0 to C0 M0 Y100 K80
- 6th group gradient from C50 M0 Y100 K0 to C50 M0 Y100 K80
- 7th group gradient from C100 M0 Y100 K0 to C100 M0 Y100 K80
- 8th group gradient from C100 M0 Y0 K0 to C100 M0 Y0 K80
- 9th group gradient from C100 M100 Y0 K0 to C100 M100 Y0 K80
If all went well you will get something like this:
Step 10
Now we are almost done, just remove the black outlines from all objects. And you are done with the output. This output does not correspond to physics. But applying the gradients to specific directions on each object, which our flower consists of, can make for some pretty awesome effects. It can be done by selecting each object, clicking on a Gradient Tool (G) and playing with it. Like these two examples:
Conclusion
First example is a bit complicated I will explain it later. Second example goes out from our output made in this tutorial. It was made only by rotating a gradient in proper direction on each object.
If you were able to make the second example, then change the Blending mode to Darken and copy it. On the copy - you have to make axial symmetry of each object or gradient. You can make it by axial mirroring or just by rotating the gradient to opposite side of object. If you are done with it, just put the copy over the original one and you will get the output like in the first example.
59 Comments
Awesome !! Thank you .
Great tut and technique.
___________________________
http://www.thepeachdesign.com
yes true
-------------------------------------
www.contestdesigns.com
design contests for cash!!!
Très sympa j'ai appris plein de choses !
----------------------------------------------
http://hybrid-creation.deviantart.com/
Man start writing in english or stop it..
Why is that? Is that your blog? People are free to use the language they want. Start by learning punctuation and use a proper language. You are not a teenager anymore.
haha no body knows what you are saying:)
He said "Very nice, I learnt a lot from this article".
@moe: Google Translate is your friend.
"my body" does not understand what you are saying also.
lol he said "very nice.i learned a lot!" :)
Nice tut ..... its really awesome to see a biology student inspired to become a digital artist ...
Great tut and nice final output. I'm expecting a lot of people will use this technique to create identities after seeing this tut...
it reminds me of the bp logo....
I'm sorry too say but this is simply "nice" - I've grown to except from Abduzeedo tutorials "full awesomeness", not "nice". The final effect does not uphold the high aesthetics of all the other tutorials. Furthermore, there is nothing interesting about it. All the author did is -> make ellipse; rotate+duplicate; erase middle; fill with gradient. It's a nice symbol but nothing more. I like the colors :]
It's about the technique.
Muito bom, um simples processo e um excelente resultado.
Parabéns pelo blog.
A similar technique can be used to make the BP logo - see bp.com
I converted the ellipse into a leaf shape, rotated + copied it and set the color mode to hard light.
Hey!
I really like the final effect. Thank you for sharing.
ooh i love it!
________
http://lateant.deviantart.com/
Nice tuts
_______________
www.maraihan.com
www.d-guru.deviantart.com
Czech Republic rules! :D
This is beautiful! Also, what books did you read that helped you to get where you are now? Or what were the best ones that you would recommend?
Thanks!
thanks for the nice and simple tutorial
the last image; too bad about the gradient on the text if you left it just plain black it would be way nicer
totally irrelevant anyway but still
its relevant...:)
below
-------------------------------------
www.contestdesigns.com
design contests for cash!!!
Can I make a suggestion? The result is wonderful, but I would think that making the initial ellipse shapes using a 'some color' fill vs a 'no color' fill would be far more helpful.
The way you describe it, the only way to select each individual shape after the 'Divide' and ungroup instructions is by using each shape's stroke.
It is simply far less trouble to use a pointer tool in illustrator to select a shape using its fill vs its stroke, especially since this entire graphic has coindicing strokes, and since all the shapes have to be colored with unique blend anyway, its not like leaving them as a no color fill is any advantage IMHO.
Excellent Tutorial. Thanks for sharing :)
Wow, that's fantastic.
_________
www.jacobfg.tumblr.com
http://www.3rdelement.com/illustrator_lotus_flower
My take on it a similar tutorial, creating a lotus flower in Illustrator.
Very simple tutorial and a nice effect!
This is an awesome tutorial. Its going into my Delicious account right now.
look the Louis Vuitton bags at first ,maybe you will think the profile of it would not flaunt. But when you know it you will think the thought you just had was wrong . Louis Vuitton bags is one of the Louis Vuitton classical sigins . the raw complexity of this bag is its charm ,you could put your office things and any things else into it . when you work ,when you shopping and so on ,it is a good firend with you . use simple color vogue, you could wear any dress which you like . the tie-in dress everyday is bacoming very easy.
TheLouis Vuitton replica bags is a good item for you . we use the creation craft of professional creation process, forerunner,and premium leathers. Make out the excellent goods. Have a Louis Vuitton replica bags is become very easy .it must be a surprize for you .you could use the free money and time to do any thing else which you like . Come to our website store ,we will give you a judgmatical service and cheap price .
the technology bring the conveniece to all over the world . and will hope we could bring the conveniece to your life .
Stop it
Dude. Why do you put this all over the place. I'm getting the feeling that your some Asian in a back room of a fake LV bag warehouse in the middle of japan. That would explain the English. Or maybe your a fat 45 year old American citizen, who failed out of Junior High. That would explain the grammar and the shitty job.
Well Done
www.behance.net/angrysteel
I think for step 3 it's Command-D, just to help out the beginners.
Hey guys, this was my first tutorial ever :-) I am pleased you liked it. For the one that asked which books i have read to do this? None is the answer :-) i just like to play with illustrator...and i really enjoy it...
I cant wait to try this out looks really great.
Another comment for Peter. I am glad you like at least the colors ;-P anyway i am glad that abduzeedo staff agreed to publish this tutorial, i think that the main magic is the idea and the point that it is simple with nice output effect. People can learn just how to combine more gradients together, if they did not know that. Peter, how many tuts you have made? ;-)
For Quentin: Thank you for the suggestion, you know everyone, working with illustrator has its own methods to make things done :-), i am always open to learn new easiest methods and Adobe products is just like this...there is no universal method for every thing to make...you can use a tons of methods and modification with same result...but anyway i agree your method is easier ;-)
no problem, Tomas.
Just thought you might wish to make it easier for instructing new followers by including a simple method to avoid frustration.
I was helping a co-worker do this actual tutorial, and we both found it difficult to select anything by merely the path. I said to her, "start over with a colored fill on the ellipse and proceed from there" and she protested my suggestion because she wanted to follow the directions you gave.
Hence, my offer to help alter your initial instructions slightly. Very good instructions otherwise.
cheers
It looks very similar like the mexican government logo
mexican logo?
below
-------------------------------------
www.contestdesigns.com
design contests for cash!!!
i like your tutorials, please put more tutorials soon:)
Sweet Tutorial.
just made an animation of the flower...
Thats a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Oh my God really really good...i follow your tuts and i cold make the same like you . Thanks for All.
We need guys like in the world.
2 Amilcar: I am glad to read that :-)
hmm..simple, but i never think it..great job! :D
"All copyrights belong to the owner whom I made it for. " Guess not! This is the logo from the President of Mexico's Campaing "Vivir mejor": http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/vivirmejor/vivirmejor.html It was designed for one of the best design studios in the country... guess not either!
Its funny. It looks similar, but I have no idea about this logo. I have seen it for the first time now here...
The president of Mexico has a copyright on the color spectrum?
Btw, nice job Tomas. Pay no attention to the haters.
Axian thank you for your support, there will be always nerds :-) world is all about it...but i do not want to talk about politics...
This is fairly similar to a logo I designed recently, although you've gone about creating it in a totally different way. And the colouring works in a very different way. Also mine didn't have any shading.
Cool to see this effect achieved this way.
I cant stop wondering how many people are still reading my tut, and I am so happy for that :-) Would like to see your logo ;-) I expected much more critics...
Thanks for this Tutorial, it's really a wonderful color effect :)
I love it.
hi, i am very new to illustrator and am having trouble selecting the inner shapes to delete them (Step #5). What is the secret to select only the correct shapes please?
Thanks - looks like a good tutorial.
Hello stu, u have to first ungroup whole group CTRL+SHIFT+G/CMD+SHIFT+G and then if you hold down CTRL/CMD and click on each shape you will add it to selection...you can also click and drag...cheers
Great tut! i am new with illustrator and this just helped me understand more about it!
here is mine :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v336/dragonx141/FlowerEffect.jpg
I really was waiting for to learn how to make a nice logo like this. I will use it as learning purpose only and not will copy it. The procedure is although long, it's very useful, to the point and helping. Very nice blog.
Post new comment