- Software: Inkscape (or any other software with vector tools)
- Level: Beginner
- Subject: Crystal Orb
This is the first of the tutorials that would be put up at KalaaLog. I had put up graphics tutorials earlier at Splat (see shiny ball and eyeball tutorial) and have got good response – with the readers and on-line friends asking for more. It was one of the driving forces behind the creation of KalaaLog.
Enough with the history. Let us start our vector programs – Inkscape in my case, but you should be able to walk through this tutorial quite easily. I will try to make it as generic as possible.
Step 1
I do not think that needs any explanation in terms of shape. Take the circle (or ellipse tool) and make a circle. Give attention to the color you choose for the stroke or outline and the fill color. Choose a darker color for the outline and a very light – almost pastel color of the same hue for the fill.
Step 2
Now, create a copy of the circle, and choose a transparent outline (or no-outline). Choose a color which is in the mid-range in terms of luminosity and give a circular (or radial) gradient to it. Note that the gradient is from full color in the middle to transparent at the edge – not white at the edge.
Give careful attention to the color chosen for the gradient. It should not be the same hue as the first color, but with a bit of shift in hue. Here the first color I chose was a yellow-green. Hence for the gradient I chose deep green.
Other such combinations could be cyan and deep blue, or yellow and orange, and many other set of colors that are next to each other in terms of hue.
But do not bother too much about it – after some experimentation, you would get a hang of it.
Step 3
The step is quite simple. Get the circle with gradient fill over the first circle and position it in absolute center.
Step 4
Now paste another copy of the original circle, switch of the outline and give it a gradient of dark color to transparent from bottom to top. The color chose is same as the one for the outline of the first circle.
Step 5
Again, as before, get the dark gradient over the other two circles and position it at absolute center.
Step 6
Make another copy of the circle. Do not bother about the color yet. We need to get the proper shape that will give it the glassy glare.
Step 7
Move that circle over the rest of them, and then resize it to have an approximate shape as above. It should be around half the height of the rest of them, and the width should be such that it just squeezes with in the outline.
Step 8
Now choose a color that is a very light hue of the fill color of the circle in Step 1.
Step 9
Give a faint gradient to it. Solid color at the top, and a bit transparent at the bottom. You can live it at this point, but to give it the extra ‘oomph’ proceed to the next step.
Step 10
Now, just select the ellipse and change its overall transparency to 0.75 or 75%.
And you are done. Pat yourself on the back and have a cup of coffee.
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Pingback from Peacock Feather at KalaaLog on February 25, 2007 at 3:13 pm
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These tutorials that are marked beginner seem to be more appropriate for someone who is familiar with the program. I say this because you tell what you did, not at all how you did it. Where are the gradient options, how do you control outlines and fills.
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I graded it as beginner in terms of the details I would be giving with respect to other tutorials I would post here.
You see, there is another reason I did not give the details on how to create the gradient. I did not want the tutorial to be a spoon-feeding walk-through, but rather, something that would spark of ideas and let one develop more on it or create variants.
And I could give how I got the gradient – in Inkscape – but that would render it useless to people who use Corel Draw or Adobe Illustrator for example. There are enough documentations on where a particular tool is out there.
Just my thought. But if you think, I should include such details, may be I will have a spin off series of posts on pre-beginner level detailing those.
What do you think? -
This tutorial was not to spark anything it was to show how to make a crystal orb. You shouldn’t have put a specific title on something if your trying to spark ideas. I also hope you don’t have kids because they will probably starve. And it would be great help if you could point me to the spoon feeding section so I can learn some illustrator basics.
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I also hope you don’t have kids because they will probably starve.
Well, I do not have kids now, but the future time will tell if my future kids would starve or not. I will let that part of the comment pass.
As for the title of the tutorial – the assisting illustrations were for creating a crystal orb. And hence I named it so – I think it is apt.
But again, the same general technique can be used to create other shapes. Example: Crystal Button
Now for the section on detailed use of a particular software. I do not have it yet. I would write a few tutorials but that would likely not be on Illustrator. I use Inkscape, and I would be writing tutorials for that software.
You could though check out the following links for Adobe Illustrator Basics:
Adobe Illustrator for Beginners
Adobe Illustrator Basic Tutorials -
usefull trick especially for Inkscape
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Thank you, andrea.
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thanks for this tutorial, it takes really long time if you try to figure all by yourself..
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Glad that you found it useful, pinar.
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Very concise and clean tutorial!
I enjoy it but I’m having a bit of trouble. I can’t seem to choose [None] for a gradient color. Every time I drag it to the gradient bar it automatically turns to white! Any idea on why this is? I’m by no means a pro but this really has me stumped! Thanks! -
I would be glad to answer, but I would need to know what software you are using? (Inkscape, FreeHand, Illustrator, Corel DRAW or something else?)
The exact steps to do that would depend on the specific vector graphics software.
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Oh sorry for leaving that out! I was linked here through some other Illustrator tutorials so I just assumed. But yes I am using Adobe Illustrator CS2. Thanks for the speedy reply by the way!
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I am not very sure about Adobe Illustrator. I use Inkscape. But here is a link that should help you out: http://www.creativetechs.com/iq/transparent_gradients_in_illustrator_cscs2.html
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Pingback from 10 Step Crystal Orb Tutorial on July 26, 2007 at 10:31 pm
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Trackback from Mahesh K Bhat on August 12, 2007 at 5:35 pm
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It’s a very nice tutorial.but i have corel draw tutorial
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Thanks Gayatri – do you have the link to that corel tutorial? It would be helpful for others searching from Corel Draw specific tips.
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I incorporated this into a basic piece. http://aquariumhell.deviantart.com/art/HAL1000-93597543
Thanks for the tutorial! -
You are welcome, aquariumhell.
HAL1000? Space Odyssey reference?
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I haven’t tried this yet, but the instructions seem clear enough, and I think I will be able to do this in PS. Thanks, that’s a nice effect.
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