create a tri-color rosette ribbon in illustrator

Create a Tri-Color RosetteRibbon in IllustratorCheryl Graham on Mar 23rd 2011 with 4 comments

Tutorial DetailsProgram: Adobe Illustrator CS4•Difficulty: Intermediate•Estimated Completion Time : 1 hour•

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of 34Create a Tri-Color Rosette Ribbon in Illustrator | Vectortuts+

3/31/2011http://vector.tutsplus.com/tutorials/illustration/create-a-tri-color-rosette-ribbon-in-illustrator/

Final Product What You'll Be Creating

The key to this satiny ribbon is the careful placement of gradients on its component parts. And onceyou have the individual elements down, it’s a snap to create award ribbons, medals, or bunting. Let’sget started!

Step 1Draw a rectangle that’s about four times as tall as it is wide. You can do this freehand, or click onceon the artboard with the Rectangle Tool (M) and enter values in the Options box.



Step 2Go to Effect > Warp > Arc and enter a slight horizontal bend, and a negative horizontal distortion.Once your warped rectangle looks like the one below, expand its appearance under the Object menu.



Step 3Use the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and add a point to the top segment of the shape. Then take theDirect Selection Tool (A) and pull down the new point as shown.



Step 4Choose the Convert Anchor Tool (Shift + C) and click once on the left handle of the top right anchorpoint. This will remove that handle and make the corner sharper. Do the same with the point on theleft. Now grab the remaining handle and drag it up so that the top of the shape is wavy. The resultingshape should look like the image below.



Step 5Rotate the shape so that the left edge is at 90 degrees. It will help to drag a guideline out from the leftruler and line it up.



Make sure that the two top points are aligned. Again, it will help to draw out a guide. Adjust thepoints using the Direct Selection Tool if necessary. You now have the basic “fold” shape.



Step 6Select the fold shape and while holding down the Alt key, drag down about one third to make a copy.Press Command + D to make another copy. We will divide the fold into three sections.

Use the Shape Builder Tool (Shift + M), to subtract excess shapes. Holding down the Alt key willmake the tool subtract. Then click on each of the remaining three sections so that they becomeindividual shapes (note that this tool is only available in Illustrator CS5).



For CS4 and earlier versions, you may select the three shapes, then press the Divide function on thePathfinder panel. Use the Direct Selection Tool to remove the unwanted shapes.



Step 7Create a four-stop gradient, as in the image below. I have used three global swatches — a bright red,medium red and dark red — plus a tint of one of them. Drag this gradient into your Swatches panel tosave it.



Step 8Drag with the Gradient tool (G) across the top shape at a slight angle. Use the Gradient Annotator toposition the gradient so that the highlights and shadow follow the curves of the shape, as in the imagebelow.



Step 9Now make two more gradients based on the red one, in blue and white. Fill the remaining twosections with each gradient, and position them as before. The highlights and shadows on each sectionshould line up, so that the combined shapes look like one piece of tri-colored fabric. Group the threesections.



Step 10Draw a circle that’s about twice as tall as the fold shape. That is, the radius of the circle should beabout equal to the height of the fold shape. Keep the circle selected and go to View > Guides > MakeGuides. The keyboard shortcut is Command + 5. Draw out a vertical guide that bisects the circleguide.



Step 11Position the fold shape so that its left edge lines up with the vertical guide, and its lower right pointaligns to the circle guide.



Step 12Draw a vertical line using the Line Segment Tool (\) or the Pen Tool (P) that aligns to the left edge ofthe fold shape. Extend it until it meets the center of the circle guide. Turn on Smart Guides(Command + U) to help position it. This path can have any color — it is just a “helper” and will bedeleted later. Group the new path and the fold shape.



Step 13Go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Check the Preview box. Click the lower left squareon the 9-square grid proxy. This will be the reference point for the transform effect. Enter a positivevalue in the Rotate field, about 12 degrees. You’ll see the rotation preview on screen. Make sure thatthe rotated shape will overlap the original. Use the up or down arrow keys to change the rotate angleuntil it overlaps slightly, with no gaps.



Enter a number in the Copies field, so that there are enough copies to complete the circle. Again, addor subtract using the arrow keys to adjust.



Step 14Go to Object > Expand Appearance. Now select the helper lines with the Direct Selection Tool (A)and press the Delete key twice to delete them.



The last fold in the series will overlap the original one — don’t worry about it, we’ll cover it up later.



Step 15Draw a circle for the center piece. Go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag. Choose Smoothpoints and enter 15 in the Ridges per segment field. This should give you 32 ridges (I know, it doesn’treally make sense). Expand the appearance and place this shape in the center.



Step 16Draw a circle and fill it with a radial gradient that is made up of 2 stops of the bright blue and one ofthe medium blue. Drag the gradient across the circle so that just a bit of the darker color is visible onthe bottom right, to give the circle a little dimension.

Copy and paste this circle behind the original. Use the Paste in Back command (Command + B) fromthe Edit menu. Fill the copy with a tint of the light blue, and nudge it up and to the left one or twoclicks, for a highlight.

Center these circles on top of the zig-zagged one.



Step 17For the ribbons, draw a thin rectangle, then add a point at the center of the bottom segment. Drag thepoint up to form the ribbon shape, then fill the shape with the blue gradient.



Step 18Take the Convert Anchor Tool (Shift + C), and drag the upper left point so that the left side of theribbon is curved. Do this with the upper right corner, then adjust the paths with the Direct SelectionTool. Make two copies, one each for the red and white gradients.



Step 19Position the ribbons underneath the center circles. Adjust the gradients if necessary, with the Gradienttool.



Now go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and add a slight shadow to each of them.



Remember the overlap in Step 14? Rotate the rosette so the overlapping part is hidden underneath theribbons, and you’re done!

ConclusionAs with many vector illustrations the beauty of this one is its versatility. Spending the time up front tocreate the individual elements will make it super quick and easy to change colors for any occasion.



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Tags: ribbonrosette

By Cheryl GrahamCheryl Graham trained as a traditional artist in drawing and painting. These days she spends moretime in front of the computer than the easel. Her Illustrator work has been featured in the "The AdobeIllustrator WOW! Book" and "Real World Illustrator CS5." She wrote the now-defunct Illustratorblog at freetransform.net.



create a tri-color rosette ribbon in illustrator

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