Create a Simple Trunk Icon

 Tutorials

 October 21st, 2010

 13 Comments





 4Save

In the following tutorial created by Andrei Marius,  you can learn to create a simple trunk icon. This detailed
Illustrator tutorial uses some Extrude & Bevel 3d effects, gradients, offsets, and other techniques that can be
easily applied to other icons ans illustrations.

Author: Andrei Marius

Andrei Marius is a a relatively newcomer illustrator who loves to share his knowledge with the design
community through detailed Illustrator tutorials. You can see more of his work on VforVectors.

Tutorial Details
 Program: Adobe Illustrator
 Version: CS4
 Difficulty: Intermediate
 Estimated Completion Time: 1 hours 30 minutes

Final Image
What You’ll Be Creating
Step 1
Create a 256 by 256px document. First, turn on the Grid (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View >
Snap to Grid). Now, you need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > preference > Guides & Grids then enter “5” in the
“Gridline Every:” box and “1” in the “Subdivision:” box. You should also open the Info palette for a live
preview with the size of your shape. All these options will significantly increase your work speed. Now, let’s
make some shapes. Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a 130by70px shape then pick the Rectangle Tool (M),
create a 130 x 130 shape and place it as shown in the second image. Duplicate the rectangle shape. Select this
copy along with the ellipse and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Reselect both
shapes and group them (Ctrl + G).
Step 2
Disable the Grid and the Snap to Grid. Select the group made in the previous step and go to Effect > 3D >
Extrude & Bevel. Enter the data shown below, click OK then go to Object > Expand Appearance. You’ll get a
group with a lot of shapes. Drill down in the group, remove the clipping mask and ungroup the rest of the
shapes. Select the shapes shown in the second image and click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel.
In the end you should have only four shapes. In the final image I’ve separated these shapes so that you can
distinguish them easier.
Step 3
Let’s focus on the bottom, left shapes. Select it and go to Object > Path > Offset Path. Enter a “-7” Offset and
click OK. Double click on the resulting shape (in the Layers panel) and name it “1”. You should also fill it
with a different color (to distinguish it from the rest of the shapes). Duplicate this shape. Select this copy along
with the larger shape and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Name the resulting shape
“2”.
Step 4
Let’s move to the bottom, right shape. Select it, add the “-7” Offset and click OK. Name the resulting shape
“3” and duplicate it. Select the copy along with the bottom, right shape and click on the Minus Front button
from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting shape and name it “4”.
Step 5
Continue with the top, right shape. Select it, add the “-7” Offset and click OK. Name the resulting shape “5”
and duplicate it. Select the copy along with the top, right shape and click on the Minus Front button from the
Pathfinder panel. Double click on the resulting shape and name it “6”.
Step 6
Finally, the top, left shape. First, duplicate this shape, then add the “-7” Offset and click OK. Pick the Pen
Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in the third image. Select it along with the copy of the top left
shape and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting shape along with the
smaller shape (the one made with the Offset) and click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Double
click on this newly created shape and name it “7”.
Step 7
Duplicate “7”. Select this copy along with the top, left shape and click on the Minus Front button from the
Pathfinder panel. Name the resulting shape “8”.
Step 8
Enable the Grid and the Snap to Grid. Next, you need a grid every 1px. Go to Edit > preference > Guides &
Grids then enter “1” in the “Gridline Every:” box and “1” in the “Subdivision:” box. Now, let’s create the lock.
First, grab the Rectangle Tool(M), create a 20 by 30px shape and add a 5px Rounded Corners effect. Next, use
the Ellipse Tool and the Rectangle Tool to create the white shapes shown in the second image. Select these two
shapes and click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Finally, select the resulting shape along with
the rectangle and group them (Ctrl + G).
Step 9
Select the group made in the previous step, place it as shown in the first image then go to Effect > Distort &
Transform > Free Distort. Transform the buttons as shown then go to Object > Expand Appearance. Select the
rounded rectangle along with shape “2” and click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Double click
on the resulting shape and name it “2”.
Step 10
Now, it’s time to add some color. Fill shape “1” with R=96 G=56 B=11. Add a new fill for this shape (from
the flyout menu of the Appearance panel) and use the linear gradient shown in the second image (the yellow
text stands for Opacity percentage). Select this second fill (from the Appearance panel), change its blending
mode to Multiply and lower its opacity to 25%. Add a third fill for this shape and use the second linear
gradient shown below. Again, select this fill, change its blending mode to Screen and lower its opacity to 10%.
Save these two gradients in the Swatches panel. You’ll need them in the further steps.
Step 11
Let’s move to shape “2”. Fill it with R=128 G=128 B=128 then add three new fills and use the linear gradients
shown below.
Step 12
Go to Edit > Preferences > General and enter “1” in the “Keyboard Increment” box. Make two copies of “2”.
Select the bottom copy and hit the left arrow three times. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus From
button from the Pathfinder panel. You should get a group for three shapes. Keep the shapes shown in the
second image and remove the other one. Fill them with black and lower their opacity to 10%. Don’t forget to
remove the extra fills from the Appearance panel.
Step 13
Go to Edit > Preferences > General and enter “0,5” in the “Keyboard Increment” box. Let’s focus on the lock
shape. First, fill it with R=51 G=51 B=51 then make two copies. Select the top copy and hit the right arrow
once. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting
shape with R=230 G=230 B=230.

Step 14
Fill shape “3” with R=96 G=56 B=11. Add two new fill for this shape and use the gradients shown below (the
same gradient saved in step #10). Don’t forget to change the blending mode and the opacity for each fill as
shown below.
Step 15
Let’s continue with shape “4”. Fill it with R=179 G=179 B=179 then add three new fills and use the linear
gradients shown below.
Step 16
Go to Edit > Preferences > General and enter “1” in the “Keyboard Increment” box. Make two copies of “3”.
Select the top copy and hit the right arrow three times. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus Front
button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 10%.
Step 17
Fill shape “5” with R=96 G=56 B=11. Add a second fill for this shape and use the linear gradient shown
below. Select this new fill (from the Appearance panel), change its blending mode to Multiply and lower its
opacity to 25%.

Step 18
Fill shape “6” with R=179 G=179 B=179. Add two new fills for this shape and use the linear gradients shown
below.
Step 19
Make two copies of “5”. Select the top copy and hit the right arrow three times. Reselect both copies and click
on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity
to 10%.
Step 20
Fill shape “7” with R=96 G=56 B=11. Add two new fills for this shape and use the gradient shown below (the
saved gradients). Don’t forget to change the blending mode and the opacity for each fill as shown below.
Step 21
Fill shape “8” with R=128 G=128 B=128. Add two new fills for this shape and use the linear gradients shown
below.
Step 22
Go to Edit > Preferences > General and enter “0,5” in the “Keyboard Increment” box. Make two copies of “1”.
Select the top copy then hit the up arrow and the right arrow. Reselect both copies and click on the Minus
Front button from the Pathfinder panel. You should get a really thin shape. Fill it with R=204 G=204 B=204.
Step 23
Make two copies of “3”. Select the top copy then hit the up arrow and the left arrow. Reselect both copies and
click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=204 G=204 B=204.
Step 24
Make two copies of “5”. Select the top copy then hit the up arrow and the left arrow. Reselect both copies and
click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with R=204 G=204 B=204.
Step 25
Make two copies of “7”. Select the top copy then hit the up arrow and the right arrow. Reselect both copies and
click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shapes with R=204 G=204 B=204.
Step 26
Make two copies of “1”. Select the top copy and hit the up arrow. Drill down in the group and remove the
bottom shape (pointed by the arrow).
Step 27
Now, let’s focus on the shapes made in the previous step. First, fill them with white then pick the Delete
Anchor Point Tool and remove the anchor points highlighted in the first image.

Step 28
Pick the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown below. You should Enable the Smart Guides (Crtrl
+ U) to ease your work. Name it “vvv” an duplicate it. Make a copy of “2”, select it along with the copy of
“vvv” and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower
its opacity 15%. Make a copy of “4”, select it along with the original “vvv” shape and click on the Intersect
button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill this newly created shape with black and lower its opacity to 10%.
Step 29
Reselect the Pen Tool(P) and create a shape like the one shown in the image below. Again, name it “vvv” and
duplicate it. Make a copy of “2”, select it along with the copy of “vvv” and click on the Intersect button from
the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity 5%. Make a copy of “4”, select it
along with the original “vvv” shape and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill this newly
created shape with black and lower its opacity to 5%.
Step 30
Disable the Smart Guides. Make a copy of “2” then select the Pen Tool(P) and make a shape like the red one
shown in the first image. Select it along with the copy of “2” and click on the Intersect button from the
Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with black and lower its opacity to 10%.
Step 31
Grab the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape like the red one shown in the first image. Make a copy of “8”, select
it along with the newly created shape and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder panel. Fill the
resulting shapes with white and lower their opacity to 20%.
Step 32
Make two copies of “8”. Select the top copy and hit the up arrow twice. Reselect both copies and click on the
Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Remove the shapes pointed by the arrows (image #2) and save
the one shown in the final image. Fill it with R=128 G=128 B=128.
Step 33
Make two copies of “6”. Select the top copy and hit the up arrow twice. Reselect both copies and click on the
Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Remove the top shapes (pointed by the arrow) and fill the
bottom one with R=128 G=128 B=128.
Step 34
Make another two copies of “6”. Select the top copy and hit the right arrow once. Reselect both copies and
click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Remove the right shapes (pointed by the arrow) and
fill the left one with R=128 G=128 B=128.
Step 35
Make two copies of “8”. Select the top copy and hit the left arrow once. Reselect both copies and click on the
Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Remove the left shapes (pointed by the arrow) and fill the right
one with R=128 G=128 B=128.
Step 36
Enable the Smart Guides, pick the Pen Tool and create a path like the one shown in the first image. Fill it with
none, add a 1px stroke (any color) then go to Object > Expand. Grab the Direct Selection Tool(A), select the
bottom anchor points and go to Object > Path > Average. Check the Both button and click OK. Fill the
resulting shape with R=128 G=128 B=128.
Step 37
Finally you need to add a little shadow effect. Pick the Pen Tool(P) and create a path like the one shown in the
first image. Fill it with black, lower its opacity to 80% and add a 2px Gaussian Blur effect. Don’t forget to
Send it to Back (Shift + Ctrl + [). Reselect the Pen Tool and create a larger path as shown in the second image.
Send it to Back (Shift + Ctrl + [), fill it with black, lower its opacity to 30% and add a 5px Gaussian Blur
effect.

Final Image