today we're going to use illustrator brushes masks and other techniques to
make this neat icon design so let's jump right into it
so make sure that you've got the stroke selected only in the color palette
located in the bottom left of your screen and then press P for the pen tool
hold down shift and then click to make a perfectly straight line like so increase
the stroke weight and then apply the same stroke style that I'm going to use
on my line here outline the stroke to turn it into a vector shape and ensure
that you're using a deep black for your design now by holding down the option
key and then clicking and dragging create a duplication below rotate this
by 180 degrees and place it exactly below the first one for the second shape
we need to apply a dark grey color and not a white this is going to benefit us
later when we apply a mask to our design bring down a guide and if you don't have
the rulers open press command or control R and then we need to make this
selection of the two shapes as a level as possible with the guide
so once ready duplicate the selection below perfectly and then press command
or control D to repeat the process a few more times over so we're nearly ready to
make the illustrator brush for the icon design but first press M for the
rectangle tool and then create a shape over the selection like so select
everything and then right or ctrl click the selection to generate a clipping
mask now we do this just because it tidies up the edges so the selection
isn't jagged to actually revert the selection back into individual vector
shapes we can use a trim function in the Pathfinder window the clipping mask that
we just used basically compiled the shapes together and this reverts them
back we're now ready to make the brush for our design so head into the brushes
window and then click the top right fly down menu to create a new brush you need
to do this while Hsu shapes are selected we're going to use a pattern brush today
and the default settings should be just fine for your design
now the brush is ready to make the actual icon design so go ahead and press
L to the ellipse tool and then create a stroke circle by holding down shift with
the circle selected click the brush that we've just made in the brushes window
illustrator is going to apply the brush stroke to the shape and then scale down
the circle until the middle either has no hole or a very small one the next
step is essential to follow along with so do follow along carefully press C for
the scissors tool and then click the write Anchor Point and also the top one
this is going to cut a 90-degree section from our circle now reflect this section
on a horizontal plane in the reflect menu and then rotate it by 90 degrees
select every part of the icon design and rotate it by 90 degrees so now the
cutouts action should be in the top left using the alt/option key and duplicate
the design and then nudge it over so it's exactly in the same position that
you can see on the screen now
okay now rotate the original section by 180 degrees and then bring this part
right here to the very front of all layers we now have the icon design and
you can adjust the placement perfectly by nudging it to the right
but finally we need to add some color which does require that we perform some
specific moves but firstly if you try to resize your design it's gonna do some
funky things and that's because it's did a stroke so go ahead and expand your
design like so now move the icon off to the side somewhere and copy with command
or ctrl C now create a gradient rectangle with the rectangle tool and
head into the transparency window with a rectangle selected make a mask in the
transparency window and then click the right-hand box and press command or
control V to paste the icon design in position it properly and then Evert the
mask to actually move the entire design around click the left screen in
transparency window which will allow you to do that
so there is today's tutorial on how to make an icon design using illustrator
brushes as well as other techniques if you want to continue learning skills and
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