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Design a flower in 5 easy steps

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Illustrator

Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Latest performance enhancements
      3. Illustrator release notes
      4. Common questions
      5. Illustrator system requirements
      6. Illustrator for Apple silicon
      7. GPU performance
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Create documents
      3. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      4. Accelerate workflows using the Contextual Task Bar
      5. Toolbar
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      8. Introduction to artboards
      9. Manage artboards
      10. Customize the workspace
      11. Properties panel
      12. Set preferences
      13. Touch Workspace
      14. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      15. Undo edits and manage design history
      16. Rotate view
      17. Rulers, grids, and guides
      18. Accessibility in Illustrator
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Illustrator generative AI FAQs
      2. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      3. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      4. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      5. Generate graphics to expand artwork and fill the bleed area
      6. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  4. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  5. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Trace images
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
    2. Measurement
      1. Measure distance and area
      2. Measure and plot dimensions
    3. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    4. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    5. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    6. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Expand, group, and ungroup objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Align, arrange, and move objects on a path
      6. Snap objects to glyph
      7. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      8. Stack objects    
      9. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      10. Copy and duplicate objects
      11. Rotate and reflect objects
      12. Intertwine objects
      13. Create realistic mockups
    7. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    8. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Add basic formatting to text
      3. FAQs on fonts in Illustrator
      4. Fonts and typography
      5. Create type on a path
      6. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      7. Manage text area
      8. Add advanced formatting to text
      9. Format paragraphs
      10. Character and paragraph styles
      11. Special characters
      12. Tabs
      13. Scale and rotate type
      14. Line and character spacing
      15. Hyphenation and line breaks
      16. Spelling and language dictionaries
      17. Format Asian characters
      18. Arabic and Hebrew type
      19. Composers for Asian scripts
      20. Reflow Viewer
      21. Preview, add, or replace missing fonts
      22. Import and export text
      23. Identify the fonts used in images and outlined text
      24. Creative typography designs
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    9. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    10. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  6. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  7. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  8. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  9. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. Repair damaged documents
    6. Safe mode
    7. File issues
    8. Supported file formats
    9. GPU device driver issues
    10. GPU performance issues
    11. Wacom device issues
    12. DLL file issues
    13. Memory issues
    14. Preferences file issues
    15. Font issues
    16. Printer issues
    17. Media issues
    18. Missing plugin issues
    19. Share crash report with Adobe
    20. Unable to apply effects in Illustrator
    21. Improve Illustrator performance

Want to give a floral theme to your posters, cards, brochures, and more? Let's learn how to create a flower with heart-shaped petals using the basic features of Illustrator.

Before you proceed with designing a flower

Download Illustrator

Look at the basics of Illustrator:

Set the following options:

Step 1: Create the first petal

Use the Ellipse tool

Let's create a circle with the Ellipse tool.

Press L to use the Ellipse tool, or long press the Rectangle tool () and then select the Ellipse tool () from the drop-down list.

 To create a perfect circle using the Ellipse tool, press the Shift key and then draw the circle.

Create a circle
A circle created using the Ellipse tool

Design journey of a petal

Duplicate the circle

a.

Press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (macOS) and drag the first circle from its center to create a duplicate.

Merge the circles

b.

Merge the two circles using the Unite shape mode in Pathfinder
(Windows > Pathfinder).

Remove extra anchor points

c.

Remove extra anchor points from the bottom of the circle using the Delete Anchor Points tool.

Create a heart-shaped petal

d.

Press the Shift key and drag the handles of the bottom-most anchor point to form the heart-shaped petal.

Watch this animated illustration to see how these steps work:

Watch the design journey of the petal in action
Creating a petal in heart shape

If you are working with Illustrator 24.1.2 version, press the Shift key when you delete anchor points, else the path shape will change.

Step 2: Create the flower structure

Use rotate and duplicate features

Rotate the petal by 90 degrees and create duplicate petals
Creating the flower structure by rotating and duplicating petals

  • Select the first petal using the Selection tool.
  • Click the Rotate tool from the toolbar.
  • Hold Alt and click right below the petal shape to open the Rotate settings dialog.
     To maintain symmetry in the petal arrangement, ensure you click vertically below the center of the shape.
  • In the Rotate dialog, specify the angle as 90 degrees and click Copy.
  • Now, press Ctrl+D or Command+D to create duplicate shapes.
Flower structure
Flower structure

Step 3: Create components of the flower

Create fold lines

Fold lines

Create pollen

A Pollen

Create a sepal

A Sepal

Create fold lines for petals using Rotate and Ellipse tools
Creating fold lines for petals using Rotate and Ellipse tools

  1. Create a straight line using the Pen tool and then select it using the Selection tool.
  2. Choose Width Profile 1 (leaf shape) and change the Stroke to 5.
  3. Click the Rotate tool. Alt+click at the bottom point on the line to open Rotate settings. Specify Angle as 12 degrees.
  4. Press Ctrl+D or Command+D to form a circular pattern.

Convert strokes to path

We have now got a collection of strokes and now will expand appearance to convert your strokes to a path. To do this, select all strokes and choose Object > Expand Appearance. 

Note: Alternatively, if you don't want to convert strokes to a path, set the General > Scale Strokes and Effects preference.

Convert strokes to path
Converting outlines to a shape

Create pollen using Rotate and Ellipse tools
Creating pollen using Rotate and Ellipse tools

Create sepal using the Star tool
Creating sepal using the Star tool

Sepal is a green leaf-like support on the base of the flower.
  • Select the Star tool from the toolbar. Press Alt and click to open the Star settings. As we have 4 petals, let's create a 4-point star with Radius1 as 25px and Radius2 as 100px. 
  • Use the Ellipse tool to create a small circle at the center of the flower shape.

Step 4: Add color to flower components

Add color to the flower and its different components using the Color panel.

Add color to petals

Add color to sepal

Add color to fold lines

Add color to pollen

See also: Paint with fill and strokes.

Step 5: Arrange the flower components

Prerequisites

Before arranging the components, do the following:
  • Create a petal group: Select the petals and then right-click and choose Group.
  • Create a compound path:
    • Select the petal group and create its copy. Keep it aside.
    • Choose Object > Compound Path > Make or press Command+8 or Ctrl+8.
      See also: Combine objects.
    • Select the fold lines and the compound path. Align them using the Align panel (Horizontal and vertical Align Center). Ensure that Align to key object option is enabled. Ensure that the petal comound path is on the top. 
Create a petal group, create a compound path, and align fold lines and the compound path
Creating a petal group and a compound path

Create the clipping mask to clip the fold lines inside petals: 

  • Select the petals and flower folds and choose Object > Clipping Mask > Make.
    See also: Edit clipping masks.

 To control the visibility of objects, right-click the objects and choose Arrange > Send to Back or Bring to Front.

Create a clipping mask to clip the fold lines
Creating clipping mask to clip the fold lines inside petals

To derive the final shape for the fold lines, trim the clipping mask using the Trim option in Pathfinder.

See also: Cut, divide, and trim objects

Trim the clipping mask using the Trim option in Pathfinder
Trim option in Pathfinder

Clipped fold lines
The trimmed art

Arrange the components to form the flower

Arrange flower components to form the flower
Order in which the components are to be placed

Select all the components and align them using the Align panel (Horizontal and Vertical Align Center). Ensure that Align to Selection option is enabled.

The final artwork. You did it!

The completed flower design

Recap of tools and features used

Tools:

Features:

Try it yourself

Download the sample files to try out this creation at your end.

Practice and learn

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