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

This is third part of the tutorial (Film Can, Reel and Clapper Board Vector Tutorial in Illustrator CS5 – Part III). In other two sections I talk about Film Can and Clapper Board with several different tools of Adobe Illustrator CS5. Now today in the following tutorial we will discuss about Envelope Distort tool that how we can use this tool to create Film Reel.

As usual let me show you the final result before we start. Please take a look at the following image then we continue our tutorial.

Step 1:

Lets create a New Document, simply go to File > New (Ctrl+N) and then New Document popup box will appear and ask for further settings. Set the size of New Document, I use (1280px x 800px).

Step 2:

Lets start with creating a shape using Pen Tool (P). This shape must represents a curve from upward to downward. As you can see in the following image (Tag #3). And apply 4 points gradient using Gradient Tool (G) from Upside to downside. I also described the gradient color and location below.

Step 3:

Now our very first turn is to create boundires of the Film Reel. Lets create a small box with Rounded Rectangle Tool. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool and just click one at the artboard and you will see Rounded Rectangle option box will appear, now set the width 45px, height 26px and corner radius 6px and simply OK. (Tag #5)

Step 4:

Now we need to create 19 more similar boxes. Lets go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform and set the Transform Effect values, under the move area change the vertical value to 40px, 19 copies and OK. (Tag #6 and #7)

Step 5:

Now you can see 20 rounded rectangle boxes on the screen but only first one is being selected. Our next turn is to Expand Appearance, go to Object > Expand Appearance. After this process you will all 20 boxes are being selected. (Tag #8)

Step 6:

This is very important section of our tutorial. Now we gona use Envelope Distort Tool. Go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Mesh (Alt+Ctrl+M) and Envelope Mesh option box will appear, now set Mesh Rows to 1 and Mesh Columns to 1 and OK.

Step 7:

Now our next turn is to apply this envelope shape on the top of the first shape we created using Direct Selection Tool (A) (Tag #12). Now our earlier practice become worthy, set the enveloped shape over the first shape carefully as it really looks like film reel corner area. Please take a careful look at the following image (Tag #13).

Step 8:

Lets Expand this enveloped shape, go to Object > Expand and check the Object and Fill boxes and OK. And after this process we will subtract the enveloped shape from background shape with the help of Pathfinder (Shift+Ctrl+f9), take a look at below image (Tag #16).

Step 9:

This step is same as above steps. No need to get tense just follow the above steps and create another edge of the film reel.

Step 10:

Its time to create the centre area of film reel. Now create any size of rounded corner rectangle, active Smart Guides (Ctrl+U) click this rounded rectangle and holding ALT key copy this rounded corner rectangle, set it in centre and then use (Ctrl+D) to repeat this copy 4 times.

Now again we need Envelope Distort Tool. Go to Object > Envelope Distort > Make with Mesh (Alt+Ctrl+M) and set the values of Envelope Mesh rows and column 1 and then OK.

Step 11:

Now apply again the Step 7 and Step 8 for the centre area.

Step 12:

Set the copied layer top of these layers and you can see in the following image (Tag #24).

Step 13:

Its our last step, Now open Appearance Window (Shift+F6) and Opacity : 90% and Multiply mood.

Final:

This is the final results after following the above steps.