Vector Smiley Icon

Final Image Output

Just to give you an idea of what we will be working on, check out the image below.

Tutorial Details* Software Used: Adobe Illustrator CS3

* Difficulty: Beginner / Intermediate

* Color Mode: CMYK

Some notes before proceeding with the tutorial, as you may see this quite often. This is the gradient tool direction, so the square part means you start clicking from that part and the cross means, you drag then stop from there. Now let’s get started.

Step 1: The FaceTo start off, create a new document, create a 240px by 240px circle using the ellipse tool, be sure to hold shift to constrain the proportion of our circle.

Step 2: Gradient on FaceOpen up the Gradient Panel then fill the circle with a radial gradient. To do this, first is to modify our color values and location of the color sliders.

With the circle selected, modify the first slider color values for a pale yellow, Add another slider by clicking in between the first and the third slider, then give it a rich sunny yellow color, Move the second slider location to 75% or simply type in 75% on the location textbox, Now the third slider should have the yellow orange color.

Adjust the gradient with the Gradient tool (G) by clicking from middle to the outer part of the circle make the inner part lighter.

Step 3: The EyesUsing the ellipse tool, create a small circle and position it slightly above the middle part of the face.

Fill it with a linear gradient, and set the color values, first slider set at dark gray and the second is black. With the eye selected, use the Gradient tool [Shortcut key - G], and adjust the gradient from top to bottom.

Step 4: Duplicating the EyeWith the eyes still selected, Hold Command/Ctrl + Shift then drag towards the right. If you’re not confident in doing these you may try Copy [Command/Ctrl+C], Paste Forward [Command/Ctrl+F] then Hold Shift then press Right arrow key 6 times [depends upon the size of your eye].

To make sure that the eyes are horizontally aligned with the face, we need to group the two eyes first. With the ‘eyes group’ selected, Shift + Select the face, then open Align Panel, then click Horizontal Align Center.

Step 5: The Mouth

Use our pen tool, then click from just below the eye, Shift + Click to the other part, just below the second eye, then click back again to our first anchor point.

Make sure that our handlers are at the center of the mouth.

It seems like our smiley icon, isn’t happy enough, have no fear, warp effect is here.

With the mouth still selected, Choose Effect > Warp > Arc then Change the values to -50, Horizontal. Make sure to click Preview.

Now that’s more like it.

Press OK then, Choose Object > Expand Appearance so that we can edit the points later.

Let’s change the colors of our mouth and give it a brownish touch, let’s set a light brown to dark brown linear gradient, with the gradient tool [G] adjust it from the gradient starting from top to bottom.

Let’s make sure that, everything is centered, so let’s select all elements, and to the Horizontal Align Center Again.

Step 6: Facial Highlights

Assuming our light source comes from the upper left of our smiley, let’s add some highlights to it.

Copy [Command/Ctrl+C] the face of our smiley, then Paste to Front [Command/Ctrl+F].

With the new circle selected, Click and Hold Shift + Alt then drag towards the middle of the face, to make it smaller than the face, this will serve as the part that will be hit by the lights.

Let’s Change the Colors of our light, set the first slider to a full black then the second to gray, change the transparency blending mode to ‘Screen’ for this to take effect. Follow the gradient direction from the image shown below to achieve a similar effect.

We’re done with the light on the face, now lets put some light on the smaller elements.

Step 7: Eye Depths and LightsLet’s put in some depth on our smiley’s eyes, first is to click the ‘eye group’, Copy and Paste in Front [Command/Ctrl+F].

Let’s change the Gradient from Linear to Gradient

With the ‘new eye group selected’ Go to Effect > Path > Offset Path.

A new window panel will be open, the change the Offset value to -3 then click OK.

By doing so, this will give some depth to the eye of our smiley.

Step 8: Light on EyesTo Begin with the eye highlights

Select the Ellipse Tool [L] then create a thin ellipse, Click Rotate Tool [R] then change the fill color to white and the little round circle below it, as we will be adding a subtle light pointing from below the smiley.

Group the two lights. Copy it, then Paste in Front, if you remember how many times you’ve pressed the Right Arrow key 6 times while holding the Shift Key.

Go to Object > Expand Appearance to make it editable.

Step 9: Lights on Eye ContainerNow let’s proceed on the part the holds the eyes, this should have lights also.

Select the ‘eye group’, the larger one, Copy and Paste in Back [Command/Ctrl+B] then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path.

A new window panel will be open, the change the Offset value to 2 then click OK.

Again, Object > Expand Appearance. After Expanding Appearance, Hold Shift + Click Up Arrow Key 4 times, we will begin editing the eyes container.

Begin by double clicking this group to enter editing mode.

From the Gradient Panel, Change the first color value to full black and the second to full white, and the transparency blending mode to ‘Screen’. You can manually apply a gradient sweep along these containers or you may set direction of the angle to -135.

Double click outside the box to exit editing mode. And select the eye container group. Hold Shift then Click Down Arrow Key 4 times. We now have these.

Step 10: Mouth HighlightsIt’s easy now to have lights applied to the mouth just follow the previous steps that we’ve applied on the eyes.

With the mouth selected, Copy it, Paste to Back [Command/Ctrl+B], Click Object Expand Appearance.

This time you don’t need to set the gradient colors from the gradient panel cause we will be using the colors that are on the ‘eye container group’.

From the toolbar simply select our eyedropper tool [I], then Click on the ‘eye container group’. The amazing thing about Illustrator is that it doesn’t only Copy Color Values but other attributes such as well. Make sure to zoom in first before clicking the eye container so that you pick the right colors.

With mouth container selected, set the linear gradient angle to -135, then change its transparency blending mode to screen. And now we have this.

Step 11: Rim LightsWe will now continue on creating some rim lights.

Begin Copying our Main Face Light and, Pasting it in Front [Command/Ctrl+F],

Resize [while holding Alt + Shift] it a little, the same as the space between the face and the main lights.

Copy the newly created Highlights and Resize it [Holding Shift] then drag the cursor downwards.

Select the Two Newly Created Highlights then open the Pathfinder Panel.

From the Path Finder Panel, Click Subtract from shape area, then Click Expand Compound Shape.

Again with the eyedropper tool [I], click on the ‘eye container’ then change the type to linear gradient then set the angle direction to 45 and the transparency blending mode to Screen. This will now serve as the High rim light.

Copy this light, then Paste to Front, with the ‘copied high rim light’ selected, double click on the rotate tool, to view additional options. Change the angle to 180, do not click OK, and instead click Copy.

After clicking ‘Copy.’ The result would be like this.

Click Ctrl+Y to enter Outline Mode.

Hold Shift + Down Arrow Key until both rim lights are balanced.

Click Ctrl + Y Again to Return to Preview Mode. From the eyes of our smiley’s, lights coming from below should be a little less brighter than the one coming from above, so we only need to adjust the radial scope for this one.

Here is our result, now we’re down with two final steps.

Step 12: Mid Face LightsBegin by selecting our Main Lights, Copy It the Paste in Front 2 times. Move the second pasted light up using Hold Shift + Up Arrow Key about 5 times.

Transform it [E], by moving the handlers of the circle.

Select both lights then open up, the Window > Pathfinder

Click Intersect Shape Areas then Click Expand Compound Areas

With the Mid Face Lights Selected, Click on Eye Dropper Tool [I] then click on our low rim light. Adjust the gradient so that the light isn’t as bright as the main light.

Here is the result.

Almost done, only one step left, the shadows.

Step 13: ShadowsClick on our Smiley’s face then Copy it, Paste to Back.

Transform it [E] by dragging down the upper-middle handler

Hold Shift + Left Arrow Key for 5 times.

Change the First Color Value to Full Black and the next to Full White, then change the transparency blending mode to multiply. Also move the diamond gradient slider’s location to 25%.

You may also want to move the shadows precisely by using the arrow keys.

Final ImageAnd there you have it, your very own vector smiley icon. ^_^