February, 2007
This lesson covers the art of making a gradient ribbon in Illustrator Tutorial Includes project files.
We start with a long rectangle.
Let's go ahead and apply Flag Warp Option to the rectangle.
Create a new rectangle the size of the end of the first rectangle.
Now apply Flag to it as shown below.
With the Direct Selection tool, select the to right end points and readjust.
Create a third rectangle.
Apply these settings to that rectangle.
Press Control+Y to view Outline mode and readjust the position of the rectangle to meet the side of the second one.
In Preview mode, make height adjustments.
I've sent the second one to the back and then the third one to the back and noticed the height of the third one has to be adjusted.
Create a new rectangle for the other end and follow the Warp Options below.
You can choose Expand Appearance and then make adjustments the height of the rectangle.
Create another rectangle and apply these options. Use Expand Appearance.
With the Direct Selection tool choose the two end points and drag out as shown below.
Use the Add Anchor Point tool and add an anchor point to the middle of each end piece then use the Direct Selection tool to drag inward.
Your piece should look like the one below.
For the longest ribbon, create a gradient that appears like the one below and drop it onto the Swatches palette.
Apply this new gradient to the second part of the right side of the ribbon.
Readjust the gradient and apply to the left second part of the ribbon.
Readjust the first gradient and then apply it to the left third part of the ribbon.
And for the right third part of the ribbon, apply this gradient.
I grouped the ribbon pieces then used the Reflect tool to make a opposite copy of the ribbon then I moved it into place and create a nice little design.
NEW FEATURE: Download the original source files from this tutorial in Zip format Here
Copyright (c) 2007, Jacquelin Vanderwood, All Rights Reserved
