Prevue

Step 1: Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

Fire ascending Illustrator, create a new document (Ctrl/Cmd + N), and let's set the artboard to 500x500px in size.

Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

First, we necessitate to create a transmitter itinerary which we leave use for the 3D Roll effect.  Grab the Pen Tool (P) and draw the itinerary shown below.

Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

Go down to Effect > 3D > Orb. In the Roll option window, we can adjust the settings for the pattern of the hat.

Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

Play around with the settings until you are satisfied with the result.

Once satisfied, press OK to enforce the effect.

Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

We need to construct edits to the figure, so buy the farm to Object > Enlarge Appearance.

Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

We will actually just use this shape arsenic a reference; we need to retrace it with the Pen Tool around.

If you take away a smel at our book of fact object, you will notice lots of anchor points and areas we actually don't need.

Create the Reference Shape of the Hat

Rather of cleaning it up, it will be much easier to just create a red-hot shape supported it. This as wel gives the States more control with our exemplification; we can make changes on-the-flee and let our creative thinking drive the process.

Step 2: Lock the Reference Shape

In the Layers Venire, curl the layer with the reference 3D chapeau sol that we don't accidentally move IT.

Then, create a new layer higher up it. This layer is where we will draw the actual hat.

Lock the Reference Shape

Step 3: Draw the Lower Part of the Hat

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tools Panel and start drawing the lower part of the hat (this part of a hat is much named the crown).

Lock the Reference Shape

Lock the Reference Shape

Eastern Samoa you can see to a higher place, I wasn't perfect with the tracing. That is OK.

Stair 4: Standoff the Pep pill Part of the Hat

Now we will create the top division of the hat (in chapeau lingo, it's called the brim). We'll make few changes ready to create the proper perspective. With the Pen Tool (P), make the shape of the brim of the lid.

As you draw this shape, put on't forget that the angle with respect to the viewer's perspective is quite important.

Draw the Upper Part of the Hat

Draw the Upper Part of the Hat

Draw the Upper Part of the Hat

Draw the Upper Part of the Hat

Choose the Direct Survival Joyride (A) and manually aline the anchor points of the brim until you achieve edges that look smooth.

Draw the Upper Part of the Hat

We also need a jam and so the magician can wear the lid!

Draw a chromatic shape on top of the brim. I chose yellow-bellied equitable to make it easier to date (but we'll vary this color later).

Draw the Upper Part of the Hat

At this gunpoint, you can delete the reference object we've created in Step 1. Our imagination and creative thinking allowed us to make over a shape that is more interesting.

Whole step 5: Applying Color Gradients

It is time to add color to our thaumaturgist's hat. Color gradients volition help us do that. To start, make sure your Gradient Panel is open (Window > Slope).

Since magician's hats are often lined with felt fabric, we have to try to simulate a matte fabric surface look. To the get down part of the chapeau, we will use a moody linear slope.

Applying Color Gradients

For the brim of the hat, use the same twilit lengthwise gradient.

The highlighting along the rim should be almost on the cookie-cutter place A IT is on the lower role of the hat (we offset it a infinitesimal bit to give it a gumption of realism).

Applying Color Gradients

For the gob, we volition use up a radial gradient. The unimportant Robert Gray section of the gradient testament simulate the effect of the light reflective cancelled the fabric's silky surface.

Applying Color Gradients

Step 6: Make an Edge connected the Rim

Our conjurer's hat is progressing nicely, simply IT's looking quite apartment. There is no depth and it looks rather boring. We'll take care of that in the next few steps.

First, let's create the edge along the hat's brim. Reduplicate (Ctrl/Cmd + C, Ctrl/Cmd + F) the brim twice and nudge one of the copies upward a pixel or two. Select both copies and, below the Pathfinder Panel, hit the Minus Battlefront clit.

Create an Edge on the Brim

Apply the linear gradient to the ensuant work.

Create an Edge on the Brim

Step 7: Tally a Slope in the Fix

The light is causing a highlight connected almost every edge. This is the reason why we should repeat the previous step (Whole step 6) for the privileged part of the hat.

Select the hole of the hat with the Excerpt Tool (V) and duplicate it (Ctrl/Cmd + C, Ctrl/Cmd + F) twice.

Nudge one of the copies downwardly a pixel or two. Select both copies and, under the Pathfinder Panel, hit the Minus Front button.

Add a Gradient in the Hole

Set the Fill colourize for the internal highlight to a gray color (#666666).

Add a Gradient in the Hole

Step 8: Creating the Thread

This element will raise the complexity of our exemplification. Information technology is also quite simple to pee. Complete we have to do is create a human body of the ribbon and apply a gradient to it.

In that teacher, we will apply a gray color slope, but sense free to use any other color (purple, blue, red — anything you like).

Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tools Panel. Hear to follow the lower berth edge of the hat while draft the shape of the ribbon.

Wear't worry, you can draw it large past you actually need because we volition crop it to fit our hat. You should remnant ahead with something look-alike this:

Creating the Ribbon

Duplicate the bring dow part of the chapeau (the crown). Choice the duplicate and the ruddy shape we drew.

Under the Pathfinder Panel, hit the Intersect button.

Creating the Ribbon

Lend oneself a linear gradient (in this case, it is a intermediate gradient). If you want to use any other color, that's fine, just don't forget to create a highlight in the middle (the highlight should represent to the highlight on the lower separate of the hat).

Creating the Ribbon

Pace 9: Produce Unclouded Reflections happening the Hat

There are few more things we could add to work our exemplification more interesting. One of them is a light reflection on the hat. On that point are many techniques to approach this; I'll reveal you one of them.

Select the Pen Tool around (P) from a Tools Panel and make up the shape shown below.

Create Light Reflections on the Hat

Twinned the lower part of the hat. Select the copy and the shape we drew and, under the Pathfinder Panel, hit the Cross button.

Create Light Reflections on the Hat

Select all parts of the rim so belong to Object > Arrange > Bring to Front (Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + ]).

Create Light Reflections on the Hat

Set the Fill color for the reflection to white and depress the Opacity to 8.

Create Light Reflections on the Hat

Step 10: Create Shadows for the Hat

Duplicate both the ribbon and the bring dow part of the hat. Nudge the replicate of the ribbon 1px downward and scale IT up slightly. Select some copies and, low-level the Pathfinder Impanel, hit the Intersect button.

Create Shadows for the Hat

Primed the Fill colorize of the shade off to black. Take Object > Arrange > Institutionalize Backward (Ctrl/Cmd + [).

Create Shadows for the Hat

Since the brim should besides be casting a phantasma, we will need to make one more apparition.


Take the chapeau's brim, duplicate it and rotate the duplicate.

Create Shadows for the Hat

Duplicate the intermediate ribbon. Pick out the imitate of the ribbon and the copy of the brim that we just rotated and, under the Guide Panel, hit the Cross button.

Create Shadows for the Hat

Set the Fill color of the shadow to #808080.

Create Shadows for the Hat

Step 11: Creating a Magic Stick

We're done therewith lid. But a magician's hat isn't actually complete without a magic stick (after all, this is something every magician necessarily).

Select the Crescent Rectangle Joyride from the Tools Panel and create the shape of the magic stick.

Creating a Magic Stick

Alternate to the Line Tool (/) and make two naiant lines that we will use to separate the shape we've just created. Use the Divide command in the Pathfinder Panel to divide the magic stick shape.

Creating a Magic Stick

Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl/Cmd + G) the physique and then apply linear gradients to each part.

Creating a Magic Stick

After applying the gradients, select all parts of the magic stick around and group them again (Ctrl/Cmd + G). Rotate the magic stick by a bit bit and then place it as though it was leaning against the hat.

Creating a Magic Stick

Let's give the magic wedge a phantasma every bit well.

Duplicate the witching stick. Ungroup the copy of the stick and, under the Pathfinder Panel, hit the Link up clitoris. Put on the shape in such a way that it looks like the shadow of the magic stick.

Creating a Magic Stick

Duplicate the lower part of the hat. Select the re-create of the lower divide and the shade off SHAPE, and, low-level the Pathfinder Panel, hit the Cross button.

Creating a Magic Stick

You should wind up with something alike this:

Creating a Magic Stick

The shade waterfall along various colors.

That is the reason we need to create a part of the fantas for each of those colors. Duplicate the shadow and combine those copies with otherwise parts of the hat with the Intersect command in the Pathfinder Panel.

Creating a Magic Stick

Grab the Playpen Tool (P) and draw the shadow on the ground.

Creating a Magic Stick

Step 12: Make a Tail on the Floor

In that respect is one to a greater extent thing to dress: draw a apparition on the flooring of the piece. Select the Ellipse Instrument (L) and then cast a circulate. Set the Fill up color of the circle to a hoary colouring (#999999) and place it underneath the hat.

Create a Shadow on the Floor

And we are done! Well done! Looks rather nice, don't you think back?

Tutorial Summary

In that Illustrator instructor, we had an opportunity to smatter with the 3D Revolve effect. 3D effects are a good room to create 3D objects, simply they are also good for creating point of reference objects if you are the type who likes to manually sop up objects in Illustrator. Sometimes IT is often easier to draw objects with the Penitentiary Tool, but we just need an idea how something should look.

3D effects can help us with that.

Besides 3D personal effects, we had a lilliputian practice with the Pathfinder Empanel, which is one of the best features of Adobe Illustrator.

I encourage you to experiment with colors and gradients.

IT's great fun.

Preceptor't forget to post or s of your results and ideas in the comments! Give thanks you for following on with me.

Download Source Files

  • magician_hat_illustrator (ZIP, 0.95 MB)