Film Can, Reel and Clapper Board Vector Tutorial in Illustrator CS5 – Part I

Today I am going to show you how can we create film reel in Adobe Illustrator CS5. In this tutorial adobe illustrator CS5 is basic tool and I will perform Gradient effects in illustrator cs5 so we will create illusion using Gradient. It’s quite easy tutorial even for beginner to understand, my main object is to transfer my way of working to you briefly. So today I will demonstrate my skills for Film Reel illustration in adobe illustrator cs5.

As usual let me show you the final results before going on; following image describes itself what we gonna do today.

Let’s begin with

Film Reel

Step 1:
Our very first step is to create a new Artboard, File > New (Ctrl+N) in adobe illustrator cs5. New Document setting panel will open and ask for size and some other details. I use (1280px x 800px) sized artboard.

Step 2:
Now select the Ellipse Tool from Tool bar, just single left click on artboard and yo will see a popup box will appear ask for sphere size. We need to create 5 circles with the following sizes.

• Circle #1: 391px x 391px
• Circle #2: 391px x 391px
• Circle #3: 356px x 356px
• Circle #4: 347px x 347px
• Circle #5: 327px x 327px

Step 3:
Now we will start with circle #1, select circle #1 and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Gaussian Blur popup box will appear and ask for blur radius, set the radius value 5.0px and click OK.

Step 4:
Now visible circle #2, select both circles (Circle #1 & Circle #2). Align them horizontally and vertically. Select circle #2 and make the Gradient as you can see in the following image.

Step 5:
Follow step 4 with circle #3 but change the Gradient values. Left side Gradient value is 15.3 and on the right side Gradient value is 81.96.

Step 6:
Now again follow the step 4 with both remaining circles (Circle #4 & Circle #5). Use different values of the Gradient for these remaining circles, as you can see in the following image.

Step 7:
Now you have to create 3 more circles with the given values;

• Child Circle #1: 107px x107px (Gradient Left: 74.77 & Gradient Right: 15.73)
• Child Circle #2: 101px x101px (Gradient Left: 15.73 & Gradient Right: 75.84)
• Child Circle #3: 94px x94px (Gradient: 80)

After this Align all 3 circles horizontally and vertically centred and you will see the final shape.

Step 8:
Now very important part of this tutorial, many time people mess with it. Select child circles, Group them (Ctrl+G), Now (Ctrl+Y) to see the outline as you can see in 18th diagram. Select Rotation Tool and take child circles in the big circles holding Alt key and click on the centre of the big circles and then a popup box open and ask for Rotation Angle 72 degree and click on Copy. Again being holding Alt key click on the big circles centre and give again the value of 72 degree, please keep this step repeating until you are able to see 5 child circle groups.

Now you are able to see 5 child circle groups on the screen. Again (Ctrl+Y) to see the actual vector.

Step 9:
Now you very last step is to draw 5 rectangles and set them as a star style as you can see 20th diagram. Now group all and copy, paste 20th diagram and shrink the size as mush as you want, please take a look at 21th diagram. Your last turn is to Align 21th diagram circles horizontally and vertically centred as you can see 3rd picture. This is the final result of our previous steps.

Finally:
Now you can use shade effect to make it clean and clear.

PART II of this illustrator cs5 Tutorial

Film Can, Reel and Clapper Board Vector Tutorial in Illustrator CS5 – Part II