Discover the process of creating intricate graphics using a pen tool. This article provides a step-by-step guide on creating a digital illustration of a rocket using various graphic design techniques.
Key Insights
- The pen tool is crucial in tracing and creating the outline of intricate graphics such as a rocket. The tool is utilized on a traced rocket layer to develop detailed portions of the design.
- Manipulating anchor points allows for adjustments to the design. With the direct selection tool, the anchor points can be moved and adjusted to ensure the lines match with the desired sketch.
- Various tools and shapes are integrated to create specific elements of the image. The rounded rectangle tool, for instance, is used to build the rocket's fuel jet, while the rectangle and line segment tools are used for additional detailing.
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In this video, we'll begin tracing our rocket. In order to do this, we'll be utilizing the Pen Tool and making sure that we're in our “Traced Rocket” layer.
Let's zoom in using CTRL+PLUS (+). We'll start by creating the outline of a larger piece of our rocket. First, we'll click on the Fill and make sure that we have No Fill, as we'll only be utilizing our Stroke.
Again, I'll be using a 3-pixel Stroke in red. However, feel free to use whatever Stroke you'd prefer. From here, we're simply going to create each of these lines. So let's start with this top piece, selecting at the path. With the Pen Tool, we'll click right where the curve becomes straight, clicking here and dragging while holding the mouse button until we're in line with the sketch below.
We'll release, and from here we'll see that it bends to each side unless we hold Shift, allowing us to draw straight down. We'll then click below, right about here. While the Pen Tool wants to continue drawing and adding anchor points, we can hit Escape to end our line. Next, let's work on our rocket.
We'll zoom in, and again, starting at our center path, we'll click up top. From here, we'll have to add a couple of anchor points. I find it works best to add points right between our curves. Therefore, on top we have a curve to the right, down below we have a curve going down into the right, and finally, we have a curve right at the edge. We'll want to add a point right between our initial curve down and to the right, before the curve to the left.
In this case, we'll add it right about here and simply click and drag upward. As we release, we'll see our line is intact. From here, we can click right between this curve and the end—right about here—and click over. Even though our line isn't perfect, we can make adjustments afterward. Finally, we want to place our last point here at the edge. To create a straight line here, we can click right at the point and finish our line at the edge.
Now we can make some adjustments to our line. We'll hit A on the keyboard for the Direct Selection Tool and select our first anchor point. From here, if we click the anchor point and drag to the right while holding Shift, we can align the line with the sketch below.
In addition, we also need to adjust this anchor point. Let's move it up and to the left a little bit, and if we manipulate the handles here, we’ll have the ability to bring it more in line with our sketch. It takes a little practice depending on how your anchor points are set.
We can often match the line created below. In this case, our lines don’t have to be perfect to still create our rocket image. So let's hit CTRL+Shift+A to deselect.
Next, let's work on the fuel jet to the right. To do this, we could use the Pen Tool. However, instead, let's utilize our shapes and use the Rounded Rectangle Tool. From here, we'll match the width and drag to the right. If your rounded rectangle doesn’t look quite as round, you can use the right and left arrow keys, or up and down, to adjust the curvature.
We'll leave it there for now and release. Next, we’ll drag the top so that it matches the top of the right-hand side. Finally, to make this more rounded, we'll hit A on the keyboard and select the anchor point on the right-hand side, and while holding Shift, select the anchor point on the left-hand side. We'll then click and drag downward while holding Shift until it's in line with the sketch below.
Next, we’re ready to continue adding shapes. We can use the Rectangle Tool to add the lines within our fuel jet. We'll click when we're intersecting with the path, drag across to the right-hand side, and release. Then, using V on the keyboard and zooming in, we can hold ALT as we click and drag while holding Shift to duplicate the rectangle downward. We’ll release to create a second rectangle below.
From here, we can hit CTRL+D on the keyboard to repeat this action, and we’ll do that one more time to add our final rectangle below. Next, let's add our two lines. To do this, we can utilize the Line Segment Tool. We'll simply click when intersecting with the left-hand side or center line and drag across while holding Shift. Do the same thing below—click and drag while holding Shift. In this case, we can extend beyond the rocket ship, as we’ll clean it up later using the Live Paint Tool.
Finally, we’ll utilize the Rectangle Tool, clicking and dragging a rectangle. If we zoom in, rather than recreating this rectangle, let's hit V on the keyboard to select it. Holding ALT and Shift, we’ll drag it downward and release. If we then drag to the right-hand side, we can match the length of this lower rectangle. If you notice the Stroke increases beyond your desired pixel size, right-click and go to Transform > Scale, as you may still have “Scale Strokes and Effects” enabled. In this case, we want it off. Click OK.
Finally, as the last item to add, we’ll create the bottom piece. We'll again use the Pen Tool, selecting the bottom-left anchor point. Let's add an anchor point right about here and click and drag. We’ll then add our bottom-right anchor point, and we can adjust this later.
Finally, we'll connect it on the left-hand side and drag downward until it aligns with the sketch. Now, we’ll need to tidy up this anchor point. To do this, we’ll hit A and select our anchor point. The first thing we’ll do is drag our handle inward, and then drag the opposite handle inward as well. If we zoom in closer, we can adjust more finely. Sometimes it just takes a little bit of finessing to align with the sketch.
I think this does a good job for now. Just tweak it as needed—this looks pretty good. If we zoom out, we can see that we've now built most of our rocket ship.
In this case, however, we're going to wait to create our center circles until we've completed both sides of the rocket. So let's hit CTRL+S on the keyboard to save our work. In the next video, we'll be going over a few new tools.
See you there!