Create the QuickTime Logo

vforvectors.com/create-the-quicktime-logo

my banner
Andrei Marius On November - 25 - 2010

Hi there. A few months ago I received a message from Pete

Difficulty: Intermediate
Estimated Completion Time: 1 hour
Number of Steps: 18

This is what you’ll be creating:

1/26
Step 01
Create a 700 by 700px document. First, enable the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to
Grid (View > Snap to Grid). Next, you’ll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences
> Guides & Grid, enter “5” in the “Gridline every” box and “1” in the “Subdivisions” box.
You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and
position of your shapes. Do not forget to replace the unit of measurement to pixels from
Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. Al these options will significantly increase your
work speed.

2/26
Step 02
Pick the Ellipse Tool(L), hold Shift and create a 420 by 420px shape. Fill it with none,
add a 85px, aligned to inside stroke then go to Object > Expand Appearance.

3/26
Step 03
For the next step you’ll need a grid every 2.5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides &
Grid and enter “2.5” in the “Gridline every” box. Pick the Rectangle Tool(M) and create
a 95 by 175.5px shape. Fill it with any color then go to Object > Path > Add Anchor
Points. Grab the Direct Selection Tool(A), select the bottom, left&right anchor points
and move them 47.5px up (hold Shift to select several anchor points). Now, your shape
should look like in image #3. Select it and go to Object > Transform > Rotate. Enter a
45 degrees angle and click OK. Next, go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a
3px radius, click OK then go to Object > Expand Appearance.

4/26
Step 04
Select the other shape made in the previous step and place it as shown in the following
image. Select it along with the other shape and click on the Unite button from the
Pathfinder panel.

5/26
Step 05
Now, it’s time to add some color. First, make sure that Appearance panel is opened.
Now, select the shape made in the previous step and fill it with R=8 G=145 B=228.
Select this fill (from the Appearance panel) and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow.
Enter the data shown below image #1 then click OK. With the shape still selected, add a
new fill from the pop-up menu of the Appearance panel. Select this second fill and use
the linear gradient shown in the second image. Take a closer look at the gradients. The
yellow text stands for Opacity and the white text text stands for Location. Let’s continue.
Add a new fill and use the linear gradient shown below image #3. Add a fourth fill and
use the radial gradient shown below image #4. Select it (from the Appearance panel)
and lower its opacity to 70%. Add one final fill and use the last radial gradient. Finally,
select the entire path and add the Inner Glow effect shown below the last image.

6/26
7/26
Step 06
Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid and enter “5” in the “Gridline every” box. Pick
the Rectangle Tool(M) and create a 60 by 260px shape. Select it, add a 30px Rounded
Corners effect (Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners) then go to Object > Expand
Appearance. Reselect the Rectangle Tool(M) and create a shape like the one shown in
the third image. Select it along with the rounded rectangle and click on the Minus Front
button from the Pathfinder panel. Your new shape should look like in the fourth image.

Step 07
Lets’ focus on the shape made in the previous step. First, select it and go to Object >
Path > Add Anchor Points. Now, pick the Direct Selection Tool(A), select the anchor
point highlighted in image #1 and move it 5px up. Switch to the Convert Anchor Point
8/26
Tool (Shift + C), click on the same anchor point and drag to the right. It will add a
roundness effect for this anchor point. Reselect the entire shape and duplicate it (Ctrl+C
> Ctrl+F). Select the copy and move it 45px down. Now, select both shapes and click on
the Divide button form the Pathfinder panel. You’ll get a group of four shapes. Keep the
two shapes shown in the final image and remove the other two.

Step 08
Now, let’s focus on the top shape made in the previous step. First, fill it with white then
add four new fills and use the linear gradients shown beow.

9/26
Step 09
Next, let’s add some color for the other shape made in the seventh step. Fill it with R=8
G=130 B=228 then add a new fill and use the linear gradient shown in the second
image.

10/26
Step 10
Duplicate the blue shape then select the Rectangle Tool(M) and create a shape like the
red one shown in the first image. Select it along with the copy of the blue shape and
click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the
first linear gradient then add a second fill and use the same linear gradient (as shown).
Select both fill and lower their opacity to 30%.
11/26
Step 11
Disable the Grid and the Snap to Grid. Go to Edit > Preference > General and enter “1”
in the Keyboard Increment box. Make two copies of the blue shape then select the top
copy and hit the left arrow six times (to move it 6px to the left). Reselect both copies and
click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with
R=0 G=30 B=157 and lower its opacity to 10%. Go to Edit > Preference > General and
enter “0,5” in the Keyboard Increment box. Make two new copies of the blue shape then
select the top copy and hit the left arrow three times (to move it 1,5px to the left).
Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill
the resulting shape with R=2 G=97 B=254 and lower its opacity to 50%. Make another
two copies of the blue shape then select the top copy and hit the right arrow nine times
12/26
(to move it 4,5px to the right). Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button
from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the linear gradient shown in the
final image.

13/26
Step 12
Select the shapes made in the last six steps and group them (Ctrl + G). Select this group
and go to Object > Transform > Rotate. Enter a -45 degrees angle, click OK then place
these shapes as shown in the second image.

14/26
15/26
Step 13
Reenable the Grid and the Snap to Grid. Pick the Ellipae Tool(L). First, create a 320 by
280px then create a 270 by 235px shape and place it as shown in the second image.
Reselect both circles and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.
Next, grab the Rectangle Tool(M) and create a shape like the one shown in the final
image. Select it along with the other shape and click on the Minus Front button from the
Pathfinder panel.

Step 14
Select the shape made in the previous step, Bring it to Front (Shift + Ctrl + ]), place it as
shown in the following image then fill it with the radial gradient. Don’t forget that the
white text stands for Location and the yellow text stands for Opacity.

16/26
Step 15
Pick the Ellipse Tool(L), create 295 by 35px shape then grab the Convert Anchor Point
Tool (Shift + C) and click on the anchor points highlighted in image #1. Select the
resulting shape, add the Arc effect (Effect > Warp > Arc) then go to Object > Expand
Appearance.

17/26
Step 16
Select the shape made in the previous step, Bring it to Front (Shift + Ctrl + ]), place it as
shown in the following image then fill it with the radial gradient.

18/26
Step 17
Select the large, blue shape then go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Enter a “-3px” Offset
and click OK. Pick the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the red one shown in the
second image. Select it along with the other fresh shape and click on the Intersect
button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the radial gradient then
lower its opacity to 85%. Next, you need to mask a part of this shape. Duplicate it then
open the Transparency panel (Window > Transparency). Select the copy and fill it with
the second linear gradient. Now, select the copy and the original shape, open the pop-
up menu of the Transparency panel and click on Make Opacity Mask. In the end, your
shape should look like in image #5.

19/26
Step 18
Finally, select all the shapes created so far and group them (Ctrl + G). Select this new
group and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown below, click OK
and you’re done.

20/26
Final
Now your work is done. Here is how it should look like.

21/26
Categories: Logos

26 Responses

1. Nikola Lazarevic
Another super tutorial from you Marius. Well explained and easy to
follow. Thanks

Reply
2. woody
Very nice! gratz!

Reply

22/26
3. Nana Yaw
Am just gonna take some practice on it,very interesting hope it easy to
follow

Reply
4. FAQPAL
Excellent tutorial and love the result. Good job.

Reply
5. Amr Boghdady
Yet another awesome tutorial, extremely easy to follow as well.
Many thanks mate!

Reply
6. GTA 5
Great tutorial! thanks for sharing

Reply
7. Dobre Tutoriale
Great tutorial. Very professional. Thanks for sharing!

Reply
8. techwench
Well depicted tutorial, impressive work.
thanks!!!

Reply
9. ThemeKiss
Awesome tutorial and very nice outcome.

Reply

23/26
10. Design Blog
Thanks for the Tutorial. good one.
I have a doubt. If i apply the first effect to my Text it show some rather
way. even i created outline from the text. but the same effect wont
apply.

What to do. can you help me in this. ??

Reply
Marius
I do not understand. What are you trying to say by “rather way”?
Are you trying to add an effect for a text? What kind of effect?

Reply
Design Blog
I mean this is applied on the shapes ( circle , rectangle ) I
like to implement the same effect on text . the Result
should be looking same like this quick time logo. what to
do. ??

I hope you understand now !!!

Reply
11. Curt
what program is this?

Reply
Marius
Adobe Illustrator

Reply
12. Brett Widmann
This is a great tutorial! Thank you for the tips.

Reply

24/26
13. Abel.Xavie
great tut, one question however. How did you make final background?
It looks like some kind of metal brush style…

Reply
Andrei Marius
Hi, here is how I made it:
Create a rectangle and fill it with a radial gradient from white to
light grey. Select this shape, go to the Appearance panel and add
a second fill. Select this new fill from the Appearance panel,
make it black, lower its opacity to 2% then go to Effect > Sketch > Graphic
Pen. Drag the Stroke slider to 15, the Light/Dark Balance slider to 16 then
select Right Diagonal from the Stroke Direction drop down menu and click
OK. I also added a third gradient filled with a radial gradient from black
(opacity:100%) to white (opacity:0%). This last fill it’s not essential.
Let me know if you got it.

Reply
Abel.Xavier
Thanks for response.I did it your way but didnt get same
looking result so I increased black opacity to 4%. Thanks
for hint. How long are you working with graphic
programs? You are really one of the best Ive seen.

Reply
Andrei Marius
Thanks, I started working with Illustrator and other
graphic programs three years ago.

Reply
14. lee
wow, it’s so beautiful, thank you

Reply
15. Lin
Fantastic. Great job.

Reply
16. ducsu
I do like the background. Nice choice of shade and graphic for the
Quicktime logo.
Here is my version.

Reply

25/26
 17. Constantin
Salut ! I ‘ve just found your tutorials and they are great, I am starting
to use illustrator for web design … however i have a technical question
regarding gradients in illustrator: Why when i use a gradient from
k:100 to K:90 i am not seeing a fade between the two shades instead i
see different steps of black ? Thanks.

Reply
Andrei Marius
Salutare! Send me your Ai file at [email protected] and I’ll
try to figure it out.

Reply
18. Shabnum Amin Khan
Great tutorial,thanks for sharing.

Reply
19. eduardo
Thanks by this Tutorial, i’m begginer in Illustrator and i put this
exercise in college, i loose lot of time making this tutorial, is some
complicated but I could do approach and thank to this tutorial i do it
better than all other students because i make identical to the final
result.

Reply

Leave your comment

26/26