Post pobrano z: Art for All: Celebrate Diversity in Design—Volume 5

Welcome back to our Diversity in Design series on Envato Tuts+. Discover four talented artists with inspiring styles you’ll love.

4 Artists You Should Know: Diversity in Design

Celebrate
the work of these extraordinary artists. Each with their own unique
background, they draw inspiration from their culture and surroundings to
create phenomenal designs.

Antonio Reinhard

The hidden stories of Indonesia come alive in the beautiful illustrations of artist Antonio Reinhard’s work. Check out his alluring style
below.

See more in his portfolio.

Nesia in Pambelang

I’m a freelance illustrator from Indonesia, mostly illustrating for children’s books or culture-themed projects.

Limas Palembang: The Traditional House of The Palembang

My
work is mostly about Indonesian culture,
in this case the culture of Palembang during the Indonesian colonial era. I focus on its
current architectures, clothing and hierarchy.

Nesia in Pambelang

Colonial Times

For these
illustrations, the artists that influence me the most are Norman Rockwell,
and the airy paintings of Degas and Mikhail Zichy. I always look for a
style that is somehow timeless, so I took inspirations from mostly
the Romanticism era.

Janice Sung

Toronto-based artist Janice Sung has a lovely way of capturing faces that you simply won’t forget. Check out her extraordinary work below.

See more in her portfolio.

Tropical Bitties Series

I am an illustrator based in Toronto. Most of my work is done digitally but I also play around with watercolor as well.

China Girl

My will to learn and improve is what gives me the drive to
paint every single day.

I try to find inspiration from everything and everyone around me. I
am mostly inspired by people, nature, and the beauty found in everyday
life.

Tropical Bitties Series

Thank You

I look up to a new artist almost every week but I would definitely
say my biggest inspiration growing up as a young artist would be Audrey
Kawasaki. The way she draws girls in such a sensual and elegant way
is something I always strive for in my own paintings.

As for style, I take great interest in graphic
design and abstract art as well.

Mario McMeans

Illustrator and graphic designer extraordinaire Mario McMeans mixes his unique point of view with his clean graphic style. Check out his super dope vector work below.

See more in his portfolio.

iHeart Vector

My name is Mario McMeans, otherwise known as 'Supahmariostyle.’ I’m a
Graphic Designer, horror junkie, and all around connoisseur of
paternal witticisms.

Hueston Branding and Design

Every project has a story
tell. It’s up to you as the designer to be receptive to that
message, whatever it is. That’s kind of the approach I’ve been taking
lately with all my projects.

Currently, I’m teamed up with other amazing talents of this collective
we call 'The Design Room’ where the talent owns the rights to their
work and not the company.

Dre Dynasty

Iron Horse Industries

There are so many artists that have given me inspiration
for many different reasons. I have to start things off with Tasso Art because if it wasn’t for his illustrations I would’ve never touched Illustrator at all. Next, Chris Do, founder of 'Blind’, really
helped me to understand the business side of design.

There’s my friend
Jarmon Maxie aka King Maxie Animation, and lastly, this free-spirited artist that’s always keeping me
on my toes, the world knows her as Melody Nieves.

Kaylan M

Black greatness and epic celestial goodness are a just a few of the words I’d use to describe the work of designer and artist Kaylan Michael. Check out her brilliant manipulations below.

See more in her portfolio.

Stay – Cover Art

I’m a self-taught visual artist and graphic designer based in Montreal Canada. Highly passionate and all about art and design, I enjoy everything from
fashion, interior and graphic design, extending to photography and video
editing.

Infinity

My work explores themes of spirituality and femininity with
an African touch.

The inspiration behind my work is basically my life. I share a
little bit of my pain, scars, growth and visions through each of my pieces and hope that it inspires people.

Patterns on Mug

The Dreamer

Being originally from Africa, I look up to African art and afro
futuristic art styles. I love patterns, colors and designs that represent
my roots.

I love the fact that
each person can see different things in one piece of art and relate to
it. Some artists I look up to are: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Frida Kahlo,
Gustav Klimt, and a New York based artist Kehinde Wiley. I love the energy behind their work, it truly inspires me.

Celebrate Diversity! Send Us Your Favorite Artists!

Help us find more incredible artists from different backgrounds to share with our audience! Tweet me your recommendations at MelloNieves or use the hashtags #artforall and #tutsplusdesign on Twitter and Instagram. You never know, we may just feature you in our next article!

I’d
like to extend a warm thank you to all the artists who participated in
this feature. Feel free to see more of their work in the links below:

• Antonio Reinhard
• Janice Sung
• Mario McMeans
• Kaylan M

Post pobrano z: How to Create a Galaxy-Inspired Self-Portrait Photo Manipulation in Adobe Photoshop

You can turn your selfies into cool digital art! And working with your own portraits is a fun way to learn more about Adobe Photoshop.

Today, you’ll learn how to create this galaxy manipulation using one of my own photos and a few free stocks from Pixabay.

Get inspired! Find more incredible stocks and assets for your manipulations on Envato Market.

Tutorial Assets

The following assets were used in the production of this tutorial.

• My Picture
• Earth
• Moon
• Mars
• Milky Way
• Galaxy
• Frame Mockup

1. How to Take Photos for Manipulations

I’ve always wanted to do a photo manipulation with one of my own pictures. And after ten years of working with Photoshop, I finally did it!

My general love for space inspired this piece. I once created this painting with a similar vibe, so I decided to use it as inspiration to help guide me towards a fun result.

Plan out your photo shoot ahead of time with what you would like to wear and which way you’ll be facing. I never really liked pictures of myself in profile, so I wanted to see how I could make it happen.

For this shoot, I used my Samsung NX3000 mirrorless camera. It has a super helpful LCD screen that allows me to see myself in the shot. Feel free to use your phone to take selfies or ask a friend for help. Just make sure there’s enough lighting!

Take several photos to get the best shot possible. I usually stick to my safe place for selfies, but if you learn your angles for picture taking and try to take risks, it can actually empower you and lead to awesome results!

Need more help with photography? Check out these articles:

• 
  Inspiration
  100 Seriously Cool Self-Portraits (And Tips to Shoot Your Own!)
  Josh Johnson

• 
  Portrait
  How to Pose People and Get Great Expressions in Headshot Photos
  Scott Chanson

You can really build a photo manipulation from scratch just using a general concept and a few free stocks! Keep in mind this was initially made out of fun, so feel free to add more details to your own self-portraits.

Let’s get started!

2. How to Manipulate Your Own Photo

I’m giving you free rein to do as you please with my photo. I promise I won’t take anything personally, so take advantage of using it like any other stock.

This photo has already been edited to boost up the clarity and hair (and to save my precious ego). But I’ll show you how I made the hair more voluminous for more style.

I knew I wanted to create a massive, stylish bun, but I didn’t have enough hair to fill it out naturally. Instead, I’ll take advantage of the Liquify Tool for amazing, glamorous results!

If you’re working on your own photo, skip this step or add the edits you prefer.

Open My Picture or yours in Photoshop.

Next, go to Filter > Liquify.

Use a combination of the Bloat Tool (B) and the Forward Warp Tool (W) to stretch the hair. Increase the Brush Size to make sure it’s wide enough to stretch out the structure of the bun.

Continue playing with the bun size until it’s about the size of my head.

Hair stylists often pull the underside of the hair out for a fluffier look.

So let’s do the same!

Use the Forward Warp Tool (W) again to pull the bottom side of the hair to the right. Balance the shape out for a full, natural appearance, or go crazy for a fabulous result!

Now on to the manipulation!

3. How to Add the Other Stocks

Step 1

Create a New Document in Photoshop. My final document comes in at 1262 x 1410 pixels.

Square-like compositions are usually great for Instagram and more!

Fill the background layer with black using the Paint Bucket Tool (B). Then Copy and Paste the edited stock onto the canvas. Position it towards the center.

Step 2

Let’s remove the background from my photo!

Add a Layer Mask to the stock. Select it then paint black onto the mask to remove the background using a Hard Round Brush (set to 100% Hardness for a crisp, clean line).

Step 3

Use the Free Transform Tool (Control-T) to decrease the size of the photo. Position it so that it’s floating in the center of the black space.

Continue modifying the shape of the mask.

Remove the majority of the lower outfit and clean up all the edges around the hair and body.

Remember the reference from before? I’m going for the same „bust portrait” vibe. An abstract shape like this will help us float the portrait in space more effectively.

Right-click the Layer Mask and select Apply Mask.

Step 4

Now let’s add the rest of our stocks, starting with the planets.

Extract Mars, Earth, and the Moon from their photos. Using the tool of your choice (here I used the Elliptical Marquee Tool (M)), select the planet and then Copy and Paste each one onto New Layers.

Arrange the layers as shown below. Make sure that Mars is on a layer beneath the main stock so that it’s situated behind me. This will create a sense of depth of field.

4. How to Create the Galaxy Look

Step 1

Now for some stars!

1. Copy and Paste the Milky Way stock onto a New Layer above the black background.
2. Add a Layer Mask, and then use a Soft Round Brush to mask away the edges with black.

Step 2

Let’s add more depth to the space background.

1. Create a New Layer and Right-click to set it as a Clipping Mask to the Milky Way layer. Use a Soft Round Brush (0% Hardness, 60-100% Opacity) to paint dark blue #081a40 and black onto the clipped layer. Create shading similar to the result above.
2. Set the Layer Blend Mode to Multiply, and then lower the Opacity to 70%.

Here’s the result so far.

Step 3

Clip another New Layer to the same Milky Way stock.

Add some subtle lighting to the scene.

1. Use a Soft Round Brush (0% Hardness, 10-30% Opacity) to paint light blue #a8b7e3 onto the left side of the canvas.
2. Set the Layer Blend Mode to Hard Light and lower the Opacity to 30%.

Step 4

Let’s work on the main stock again.

Feel free to retouch your photo as far as you need to for this step.

Here I added a little more light to my face, neck, and body, by using a Hard Round Brush (80-100% Hardness, 10-25% Opacity) and a light tan #efd2b7 color. Adjust the Layer Opacity as needed.

Step 5

We can recolor the main stock with a few Adjustment Layers.

Start with Levels.

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels. Add the following values for the RGB, Red, and Blue Channels. Then Right-click to set it as a Clipping Mask to my picture.

• RGB: 0, 0.90, 196; Output: 17, 210
• Red: 0, 0.92, 255; Output: 0, 191
  
• Blue: 0, 1, 179; Output: 35, 192

Here is the result, along with the layer setup.

Step 6

Apply more contrast and warmth to the photo.

Above the previous levels layer, Clip a New Adjustment Layer of Curves to the stock.

Adjust the curves for the RGB, Red, Green, and Blue Channels like the ones below.

Step 7

You’re doing great, keep going!

Let’s add some stars to the subject.

Copy and Paste the original Milky Way stock on a New Layer above the last one. Set it as a Clipping Mask to the main stock and use the Free Transform Tool (Control-T) to rotate the image counter-clockwise.

1. Position the stars so that they cover me completely.
2. Then set the Layer Blend Mode to Difference, adjusting the Opacity to 70%. Follow up with a Layer Mask to mask away the stars on the face and body with a Soft Round Brush.

We’ll clip one last New Layer to the main stock. This layer will be used for more shadow.

1. Use a Soft Round Brush (50-70% Opacity) to paint an orange color #f3a279
   on the right side of the hair and body. I’m following the light source
   from the original photo, so all our shading will coincide with it.
2. Then set the Layer Blend Mode to Subtract and lower the Opacity to 50%. Refine the shadow even more with a quick Layer Mask.

Step 8

We still need to adjust the shading and coloring of the planets.

Let’s begin with planet Earth.

1. As before, set a New Layer as a Clipping Mask to the planet layer. Use a Soft Round Brush (0% Hardness, 60-80% Opacity) to paint dark blue #080e1b onto the right side of the planet. 
2. Set this layer to Color Burn. 
3. Follow up with another Clipped New Layer above it. This time, use a deep red color #120500 to paint more shadow.

Step 9

Now shade Mars.

Clip two New Layers to the Mars planet. Use a Soft Round Brush to paint deep red #1a010d shadow on the first layer, and purple #14051b on the second.

Step 10

Before we move on to shading the moon, let’s tweak the colors of the scene first.

Add two New Adjustment Layers above the Earth layer. Do not clip these.

Here’s the setup below for clarification.

Start with a New Adjustment Layer of Color Lookup.

Set the 3DLUT File to:

• Fuji F125 Kodak 2395

Then set the Layer Blend Mode to Hue.

Boost the colors with a New Adjustment Layer of Levels.

Adjust the values for the RGB Channel to the following:

• Input: 0, 1, 211
  
• Output: 0, 255

Step 11

Now for the moon!

Clip a New Layer to the moon. Use a Soft Round Brush (0% Hardness, 50% Opacity) to paint soft black color for some shadow. Follow the upward direction of the arrow shown below.

5. How to Finish the Manipulation

Almost there!

Here is how the manipulation looks so far:

Next, we’ll need to figure out the last few elements of this piece.

If you’re working on your own photo, feel free to follow your own natural inclinations for lighting, colors, and detailing.

Step 1

Pump up the lighting for more intensity!

Create a New Layer above all the rest. Set it to Overlay.

Use a Soft Round Brush (0% Hardness, 60-90% Opacity) to paint white all over the scene for more light. Add a Layer Mask to refine it if needed.

Step 2

Orbital rings aren’t actually real, but they’ll add another cool element to this manipulation.

1. Use the Ellipse Tool (U) to create two 2 pixel white orbital rings. Rasterize the shape layers and Merge them together.
2. With the merged layer selected („Rings”), go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, setting the Radius to 15 pixels. Lower the Layer Opacity to 60% and remove any unwanted areas with a Layer Mask.

Step 3

Let’s add our last stock.

Make several extractions from the brighter sections of this Galaxy stock. I used the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) to grab different sections of stars and stardust. Copy and Paste them onto New Layers positioned around the composition.

Set the first two (Earth and hair sections) to Hard Light and the second two (star sections) to Pin Light. Adjust the Opacity as desired and use Layer Masks to remove unwanted areas with a Soft Round Brush.

Step 4

This next step will require a bunch of Adjustment Layers.

I know, you’re ready to finish, right? Let’s try to run through them as quickly as possible.

Add a New Adjustment Layer of Color Lookup.

Set the 3DLUT File to

• FuturisticBleak.3DL

Next, add a New Adjustment Layer of Levels.

Add the following values to the RGB, Red, and Blue Channels.

• RGB: 27, 0.94, 240; Output: 20, 255
• Red: 0, 1.11, 204; Output: 0, 255
• Blue: 29, 1.38, 226; Output: 51, 224

Step 5

Fill a New Layer with neon green #76ff39. Lower the Opacity to 10% and set the Blend Mode to Divide.

Step 6

Keep going! You’re doing so well!

Add a New Adjustment Layer of Color Balance. Adjust the values for the Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights to the following ones shown for a much bluer tone. Then set the Blend Mode to Hue.

Next, add a New Adjustment Layer of Gradient Map.

Select the Red, Blue, and Yellow preset, and lower the Opacity to 10%.

The last New Adjustment Layer we’ll use is Photo Filter.

Set the Filter to Violet and the Density to 52%.

Step 7

Now that we have the colors all set, we just need to do some light maintenance on the composition itself.

Take this opportunity to clean up any harsh edges or blend them with more shadows using a Soft Round Brush. Use the Brush Tool (B) to paint these areas, and hold the Alt key to select the colors you need from the composition.

On a New Layer set to Overlay, use a combination of violet #c6a2d0 and white to paint highlights onto the hair and planets. Keep the bright spots in line with our current lighting setup.

Step 8

Clean highlights are also an important part of this composition. On a New Layer, paint white highlights around the planets, body, and face. Make sure each planet gets a highlight on the upper left side.

Continue painting any areas you would like to sharpen for more appeal, and don’t forget to add more white dots for stars wherever you’d like!

You might notice a slight blur to the final piece. I achieved this with a quick Tilt-Shift Filter, but you can opt to leave it out instead.

Now
that you’ve finished your work of art, hang it on the wall! Check
out how your self-portrait would look using this awesome Frame Mockup from
Envato Elements.

Check out the final result below!

All Done! Great Job!

You can create amazing photo manipulations using your very own photos. Take your time and have fun conjuring up fantasy compositions from scratch!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. How’d you do? Share your comments and results below.

For more photo manipulation tutorials like this one, check out these links:

• 
  Photo Manipulation
  How to Create an 80s-Inspired Double Exposure Manipulation in Adobe Photoshop
  Melody Nieves

• 
  Photo Manipulation
  How to Create an Egyptian Goddess Manipulation in Adobe Photoshop
  Melody Nieves

Post pobrano z: How to Create a Candy Monster Character in Adobe Illustrator

In
this tutorial, you will learn how to draw a candy monster cartoon
character in Adobe Illustrator. 

There are plenty of techniques used
throughout the entire tutorial, from textures to small details, a new
Blend Art Brush, masking techniques, reverse spine blending options, and even a 3D effect. Not to mention the colorful candy and jelly
worms that are fun to draw. 

By the end of the tutorial, you will have
the skills to draw other cartoon characters in future projects. Let’s
start!

If
you are hungry for more cartoon characters or cartoon styles in
general, make sure to go over to GraphicRiver and you’ll surely find
what you are looking for there. 

1. How
to Open a New Document 

Launch
Illustrator
and
go to File
> New to
open a blank document. Type a name for your file, set up the
dimensions, and then select Pixels
as the Units
and
RGB
as the Color
Mode.
Make sure that Align
New Objects to Pixel Grid is
not checked.

Next,
go to Edit
> Preferences > General and
set the Keyboard
Increment to
1
px and
while there, go to Units
to
make sure they are set as in the following image. I usually work with
these settings, and they will help you throughout the drawing process.

2. How
to Create the Body of the Monster

Step
1

Take
the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw a 192 x 339 px ellipse on your artboard
(1). Switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A) and use it to select
only the right and left points; then move them outwards to make the
ellipse rounder (2). Now, select only the bottom point and drag the
handles to make them longer (3).

Step
2

Make
a few extra adjustments to get the shape from the image below and
fill it with light blue. This will be the “body shape”.

3. How
to Create the Eyes of the Monster

Step
1

Draw
two shapes like the ones in the following image as the eyes and give them a 1
pt light blue Stroke. They don’t have to be perfectly rounded.

Select
only the left eye and go to Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel.
Change the settings as indicated and hit OK. As a result, you will get
the outer contour of the eye.

Step
2

Select
the right eye and go to Effect
> 3D > Extrude & Bevel
again. The settings are the same except for the rotation coordinates
and the light, which you have to move from the upper right side
(default) to the upper left side.

Step
3

Zoom in on the eyes and draw the eyeballs inside the 3D contours, making sure
not to cover the shading and highlights created by the 3D effect (1).
Fill the eyeball shapes with the radial gradient shown (2), and you
can see the result in the image below (3).

Step
4

Use
the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw a small 18 x 19 px ellipse as the iris
for the right eye. Select light brown as the fill color; then go to
Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow and apply the settings shown (1).

Next,
grab the Pencil Tool (N) and draw a random star-like path over the
iris (2). Use the Ink Spatter 1 Scatter Brush from the Brush
Libraries Menu > Artistic > Artistic_Ink and reduce the Stroke
Weight to 0.1 pt. Set the Blending Mode to Multiply (3).

Select
the iris shape and Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) in order
to make a copy of it in front of everything. Remove all existing
appearances. Now, select the stroked path along with the copy of the
iris and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Control-7) (4).

Step
5

Draw
a 7 x 7 px black circle in the center of the iris as the pupil (1).

To
add a sparkle, draw a small circle in the upper right side filled
with a basic white to black radial gradient (2), and then set the
Blending Mode to Screen (3).

Step
6

Select
the iris, the stroked path, the pupil, and the sparkle, and make copies
of them for the left eye.

Group
(Control-G) all the shapes that make up each eye to keep things
organized in the Layers panel.

Step
7

Select
the left eye contour, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow, and
apply this effect twice using the settings shown.

Step
8

Now,
select the right eye contour and apply the two Drop Shadow effects.
The settings are the same as above, except for the X Offset, which is
negative this time.

4. How
to Create the Mouth of the Monster

Step
1

Take
the Pen Tool (P) and draw a big mouth shape for all that candy, and fill it with a dark burgundy red (1). While this shape stays
selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and apply the
settings shown (2) to obtain the blue bottom lip. Apply the Drop
Shadow effect again, using the other settings shown (3) to obtain the
upper lip.

Step
2

With
the mouth shape still selected, apply the third Drop Shadow effect to
obtain a thin highlight line above the upper lip (1).

Apply
the Drop Shadow effect for the last time to obtain the highlight line
under the bottom lip (2).

Step
3

Select
the mouth and Copy and Paste
in Front (Control-F)
to make a copy of it. Remove the four Drop Shadow effects and just
keep the dark red fill color (1). Draw a similar but smaller shape at
the top of the mouth and fill it with a lighter shade (2).

Now,
select both shapes and go to Object > Blend > Blend Options.
Choose 20 Specified Steps, hit OK, and then go back to Object >
Blend > Make (Alt-Control-B) (3).

Step
4

Next,
take the Pen Tool (P) and draw four paths on the lips (1). Give them
a 1 pt white Stroke and use the Black Blend Art Brush 100×3 (info
below). Set the Blending Mode to Overlay for all four (2).

I
have an entire tutorial dedicated to Blend
Art Brushes and
how useful they are. I use them in my drawings all the time. You can
find out how to create and save the Black
Blend Art Brush 100×3 that
we are using today in How
to Create a Set of Multi-Use Blend Brushes in Adobe Illustrator.

Since
the Colorization of the brush is set to Tints, when you select white
as the stroke color, the brush becomes white as well, despite its
name. The same thing happens with any other color.

5. How
to Create the Tongue of the Monster

Step
1

Use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw a shape like the one in the following image as the
back piece of the tongue (1). Continue with the front piece and fill
it with red (2).

Step
2

Draw
a path through the middle of the back piece and move it behind the
front piece of the tongue (1). Give it a 1 pt Stroke using the color
indicated and select Width Profile 2 in the Stroke panel.

With
the path still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Outer Glow
and apply the settings shown. Reduce the Opacity to 75%, but only for
the Stroke attribute, and you can see the result below (2).

Step
3

Next,
draw a path through the middle of the front piece of the tongue (1). Give
it a 1 pt Stroke using the color indicated and select Width
Profile 2 again. Set this Stroke attribute to 75% Opacity.

With
the path still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Outer Glow
and apply the settings shown (2).

6. How
to Create the Teeth of the Monster

Step
1

Grab
the Pen Tool (P) and draw the shapes of the four top teeth filled
with beige (1). Next, draw a similar but smaller shape above each
tooth filled with cream (2) and finally, four smaller shapes filled
with white (3).

Now,
select the three shapes that make up the first tooth and go to Object
> Blend > Blend Options. Choose 10 Specified Steps and hit OK, and then go back to Object > Blend > Make (Alt-Control-B).
Repeat the same thing for the other three teeth (4).

Step
2

Follow
the technique explained above and create the four bottom teeth.

Step
3

Group
(Control-G) the four top teeth and apply the Drop Shadow effect to
create a shadow. Do the same thing for the bottom teeth.

Step
4

Select
the two pieces of the tongue and apply the Drop Shadow effect using
the settings shown.

Step
5

It’s
finally time for a mask. Select the mouth shape and then Copy and
Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) to make a copy of it in front of
everything. Remove all existing appearances (1).

Now,
select this copy of the mouth along with the top teeth, the bottom
teeth, and the tongue, and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make
(Control-7). You can see the result in the image below (2).

7. How
to Add Texture on the Monster’s Body

Step
1

Grab
the Pencil Tool (N) and draw a random path on the body of the monster, and then send it behind the eyes and the mouth (1). Give it a 1 pt white
Stroke using the Ink Drop Scatter Brush from the Brush Libraries Menu
> Artistic > Artistic_Ink (2).

While
the Stroke attribute stays selected in the Appearance panel, go to
Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a Radius of 2.5 px. Set
the Blending Mode to Overlay and reduce the Opacity to 20% (3).

Step
2

With
the path still selected, add a New Stroke in the Appearance panel
above the first. Use the Ink Drop Scatter Brush again, but open the
Stroke Options window and switch the Scatter settings. This will make
the dark spots not overlap with the white spots from the previous
step (1).

Apply
a 2.5 px Gaussian Blur again; then set the Blending Mode to Overlay
and reduce the Opacity to 50% (2).

If
your spots go over the edge of the body, simply use the Direct
Selection Tool (A) to modify the path or create a mask.

8. How
to Add Shading on the Monster’s Body

Step
1

Use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw a curved path at the top of the head. Give
it a 10 pt blue Stroke and choose Width Profile 6 from the Stroke
panel (1).

Next,
draw a curved path at the bottom of the body. Give it a 15 pt blue
Stroke and use Width Profile 6 again (2). Apply a 12 px Gaussian
Blur for both of them (3).

Step
2

Select
the body shape and then Copy and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) to
make a copy of it in front of everything. Remove all existing
appearances. Now, select the two curved paths along with the copy of
the body and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Control-7).

9. How
to Create the Arms of the Monster

Step
1

Use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw the shapes of the arms as shown in the following
image (1). Next, draw two smaller shapes on the inside filled with a
darker shade of blue (2).

Select
the two shapes that make up one of the arms and Blend them using 20
Specified Steps. Do the same thing for the other arm (3).

Step
2

Draw
two curved paths on the arms and apply the two strokes using the Ink
Drop Scatter Brush as you did earlier for the body. Position the
paths so the spots fall on the arms (1).

Make
a copy in front for each arm shape and use them to mask the stroked
paths (2).

10. How
to Create a Tapered Blend Art Brush

Step
1

Earlier in the tutorial, you used the Black Blend Art Brush 100×3 from How
to Create a Set of Multi-Use Blend Brushes.
Now, let’s create a new Blend Art Brush that is not featured in that
tutorial but definitely should be.

Grab
the Line Segment Tool (\), click on your artboard, and choose 100 px
as the Length and 0 degrees as the Angle. This will generate the
green horizontal line. Use the Line Segment Tool (\) again, and this
time choose 5 px in Length and 90 degrees as the Angle to generate
the small blue vertical line. While both lines stay selected, press
Vertical Align Center and Horizontal Align Right in the Align panel
(1).

Use
the two lines as guides and draw a sharp triangle (2). While this
triangle stays selected, go to Object > Path > Offset Path and
apply an Offset of -2 px to obtain a smaller one inside (3).

Fill
both triangles with black, but set the Opacity of the bigger one to 0%
(4). Blend them using 15 Specified Steps, and the brush is ready to be
saved (5).

Step
2

Drag
the blend group obtained in the previous step into the Brushes panel
and choose New Art Brush. Type Tapered Blend Art Brush 100×5 as the
name and choose Tints as the Colorization Method. Hit OK, and you’ll
find the new brush right next to the Black Blend Art Brush 100×3 in
the Brushes panel.

11. How
to Create the Feet of the Monster

Step
1

Draw
the shape of the right foot with the Pen Tool (P) and fill it with
blue (1). Continue with a smaller shape above, filled with a lighter
shade of blue (2), and with the smallest shape at the top filled with
a darker shade of blue (3).

Blend
these three shapes using 15 Specified Steps, and you can see the
result below (4).

Step
2

Use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw a path at the bottom of the foot, and give it
a 5 pt Stroke using black and Width Profile 6. Apply a 5 px
Gaussian Blur and set the Blending Mode to Overlay.

Step
3

Draw
two short paths at the top of the foot and give them a 1 pt azure
blue Stroke using the Tapered Blend Art Brush 100×5 that you saved earlier (1).

Make
a copy of the foot shape in front and set it to stroke-none and
fill-none. Use this copy to mask the last three stroked paths (2).
You can see the result below (3).

12. How
to Create the Claws of the Monster

Step
1

Draw
three triangle-like shapes as the claws and fill them with dark
orange (1). Next, draw a similar but smaller shape on each claw, filled with a pale shade of orange (2).

Select
the two shapes that make up one of the claws and Blend them using 10
Specified Steps. Repeat the same thing for the other two claws (3).

Step
2

Follow
the top edge of the claws and draw three paths with the Pen Tool (P).
Give them a 2 pt Stroke and use Width Profile 6. Send these paths
behind the claws in the Layers panel.

Step
3

Use
the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select only the bigger claw shapes
from the blend groups and then Copy and Paste in Place
(Shift-Control-V) to make copies of them. Move the copies behind the
claws in the Layers panel. Keep the same fill color and just apply
the Drop Shadow effect to create the shadows (1).

Copy
and Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) the bigger foot shape, and set
the copy to stroke-none and fill-none. Use it to mask the three
copies of the claws with the shadow applied to them (2). As a result, the shadow that falls outside the foot area will not be visible (3).

Step
4

Use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw a path on each claw and give them a 0.5 pt white
Stroke using the Tapered Blend Art Brush. Also apply a 1 px Gaussian
Blur.

The
base (thicker part) of the brush should be at the top of the claws, and the tip of the brush should be at the bottom. If not, open the
Stroke Options window and check the Flip Along option.

Step
5

At
this point, the right foot is ready, and you can Group (Control-G) all
the shapes that compose it to keep things organized in the Layers
panel.

While
the right foot stays selected, go to Object > Transform >
Reflect. Check Vertical and hit Copy to obtain the left foot. All you
have to do is to move it into place and make small adjustments if needed.

Step
6

Focus
on the right arm of the monster and use the same technique to create
the claws (1-3).

Select
only the bigger claw shapes from the blend groups, and then Copy and
Paste in Place (Shift-Control-V) to make copies of them. Move these
copies behind the claws in the Layers panel, and choose brown as the
fill color. Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select only the top
anchor points of these shapes (without the tip) and move them inwards
a little with the help of the arrow keys on your keyboard (4). You
can see the result below (5).

Step
7

The
right arm’s claws are ready now, and you can Group (Control-G) all the
shapes. Reflect this group to obtain the claws for the left arm.

13. How
to Create the Horns of the Monster

Step
1

Use
the technique explained earlier for the arm claws to create the horn
on the right side of the head (1-4).

To
add some shine, use the Pen Tool (P) to draw a path on the horn (5).
Give it a 1 pt white Stroke and use the Tapered Blend Art Brush. Also
apply a 2 px Gaussian Blur (6).

Step
2

Follow
the previous step again, and create a smaller version of the horn next
to the first one (1). Now, take the Pen Tool (P) and draw a shape
like the one in the next image at the base of the horns (2).

To
add some details, draw a few short paths on the blue shape. First,
select a 2 pt blue Stroke and use the Tapered Blend Art Brush. Add a
New Stroke above, select a 0.25 pt gray Stroke, and use the Tapered
Blend Art Brush again (3). You can see the result below (4).

Step
3

At
this point, the right horns are ready, and you can Group (Control-G)
all the shapes. Reflect this group to obtain the horns on the left
side and move them into place.

14. How
to Add Extra Details on the Monster’s Body

Step
1

Take
the Pen Tool (P) and draw a few triangle-like shapes at the bottom of
the body filled with the linear gradient shown at a 90 degrees Angle
(1). Continue with the pieces of fur at the top of the head, and use
the same gradient but change the Angle to -90 degrees (2).

Step
2

Next,
draw two fur pieces on the sides of the head and a few smaller ones
on the arms. Use the gradient shown to fill all of them. The darker
shade of the gradient should be at the tip of these fur shapes, so adjust the angle accordingly.

Step
3

Use
the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw a bunch of ellipses of different sizes
on the body. Fill all of them with blue. Add a New Fill above and use
the same color; then apply a 4 px Gaussian Blur.

Step
4

Use
the Pen Tool (P) or the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw a few tiny shapes
under the eyes as the freckles. They don’t have to be perfectly
round.

Step
5

Select
the body, the arms, and the feet, and then Copy and Paste in
Place (Shift-Control-V) to make copies of them. Remove all existing
appearances (1) and then press Unite in the Pathfinder panel to merge
them into a single shape (2).

Step
6

Select
the body shape; then go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and
apply the settings shown (1).

Select
the shape that you obtained in the previous step, set it to
stroke-none and fill-none, and move it right in front of the body in
the Layers panel. Now, select the body along with this shape and go
to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Control-7) (2). As a result,
the shadow around the monster that falls on the white background will
not be visible (3).

15. How
to Create the Colorful Candy

Step
1

Grab
the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw a 35 x 35 px circle filled with the
radial gradient shown (1). Switch to the Pen Tool (P) and draw four
shapes as shown in the image below. All four shapes have a white fill
color, but set the Opacity for the bigger ones to 0% (2).

Select
the pair of shapes on the upper left side and Blend them using 15
Specified Steps. Set the resulting blend group to Blending Mode Soft
Light.

Blend
the other two shapes on the bottom right side; then set the Blending
Mode to Soft Light and reduce the Opacity to 75% (3).

Step
2

The
orange candy is ready, and you can Group (Control-G) all the shapes.
Make a copy of the group; then select only the circle and replace the
orange gradient with the green radial gradient shown.

Do
the same thing to obtain the pink candy, the chocolate candy, and the
caramel candy.

Step
3

It’s
time to arrange the candy inside the monster’s mouth. First, arrange
the orange candy in the desired place; then select only the orange
circle and apply the Drop Shadow effect.

Arrange
the pink candy on the right side and apply the Drop Shadow effect
again to the pink circle. Continue to arrange the rest of the candy or as many as
you want. You can also scale them up or down, and don’t forget to add
the shadow.

After
you are done, select all the pieces of candy and move them behind the
teeth but in front of the tongue in the Layers panel under the
existing mask.

16. How
to Create the Jelly Worms

Step
1

Use
the Pen Tool (P) to draw a wavy path between the colorful candy and
one on the right side of the mouth. Give them a 10 pt Stroke using
the color of your choice.

Step
2

Draw
a small 10 x 10 px circle on your artboard. Go to Object >
Transform > Move, type 170 px in the Horizontal field, and hit Copy
to obtain the second circle. The fill colors are not important at this moment—just make sure they are different.

While
the two circles stay selected, go to Object > Blend > Blend
Options and choose 18 Specified Steps. Hit OK and then go back to
Object > Blend > Make (Alt-Control-B).

Step
3

First,
make a copy of the blend group from the previous step because you
have worms to create. Now, select the blue path along with one of
the blend groups and go to Object > Blend > Replace Spine (1).
Use the other blend group for the green path and do the same thing.
You can see the result below (2).

Step
4

Zoom in on the mouth and use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select each
circle at the end of the blended worms and replace the fill colors
(1). You can choose other colors as well.

Use
the Pen Tool (P) or the Pencil Tool (N) to draw slightly curved paths
on the yellow/green worm. Give them a 0.5 pt black Stroke and select
the Width Profile 1 in the Stroke panel. Set the Blending Mode to
Overlay and reduce the Opacity to 75%; then Group (Control-G) all of
them (2).

Repeat
the same thing for the pink/blue worm.

Step
5

To
add shine, draw a path on the yellow/green jelly worm following its
shape (1). Give it a 1 pt white Stroke and use the Tapered Blend Art
Brush (2). With this path still selected, duplicate the existing
Stroke attribute in the Appearance panel, but open the Stroke Options
window and check the Flip Along option (3). Set the Blending Mode to
Overlay (4).

Draw
a similar path on the pink/blue jelly worm and apply the same
settings to make it glossy as well.

Step
6

Select
only the blended yellow/green worm (without the lines and the
highlight), and then Copy and Paste in Back (Control-B) to make a copy of
it and expand it (Object > Expand). Apply
the Drop Shadow effect to the resulting group using the settings shown (1). Repeat the same
thing for the other jelly worm.

It’s
time to mask the yellow/green jelly worm, and for that, you need a
copy of the mouth shape. Bring the copy in front of everything by
going to Object > Arrange > Bring to Front (Shift-Control-])
and set it to stroke-none and fill-none. 

Now, select all the shapes
that make up the yellow/green worm, along with the copy of the mouth, and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make (Control-7) (2). The
result is not quite what we want, so you need to distort the mask
shape a little to reveal the front end of the worm (3).

17. How
to Add the Final Elements

Step
1

Let’s
create a stick for the orange candy. Draw a rectangle-like shape, slightly rounded at the ends and filled with a very light gray (1). Continue
with a similar but smaller shape on the stick filled with white (2)
and finally, draw a small ellipse at the end filled with gray as the
hole (3).

To
add the shadow, draw another rectangle-like shape under the stick
filled with a linear white to black gradient. Set the Opacity to 0%
for the white slider to make it transparent, and after that, apply a
1.5 px Gaussian Blur (4).

Step
2

You
can also add smaller versions of the chocolate and caramel candy on
the tongue and then apply the Drop Shadow effect to the circles.

Step
3

The
last thing is the saliva, and it’s easy to make. Use the Pen Tool (P)
to draw a shape between the top teeth, as shown in the next image. Select
light blue as the fill color; then set the Blending Mode to Screen
and reduce the Opacity to 30% (1).

Draw
a small, droplet-like shape at the bottom, filled with pale blue; then
set the Blending Mode to Screen and reduce the Opacity to 40% (2).
Group (Control-G) these two shapes and apply the Drop Shadow effect
using the settings shown (3).

You
can add more saliva using the same technique, but draw different shapes to
make it more realistic.

Step
4

This
big guy is done now.

Congratulations!
You’re Done!

Here
is the final image of the candy monster. He is quite cute, right?

I
had a lot of fun creating this cartoon character, and I hope the
tutorial was fun for you as well. If you decide to recreate it,
please share an image because I would love to see it.

Now
you have the knowledge to create other cute characters, so be creative
and keep drawing!