I will give you a detailed analysis of the Illustrator software and share with you the tutorial on using the gradient mesh to create the effects of old leather boots.
Tutorial sharing:
First, let's look at the effect chart.
1. I would like to thank Itai Lustgarten for compiling this tutorial with me. Itai is a senior CG, designer and lecturer. We joined the training school in 1990 and taught Illustrator, Photoshop, and pre-press technology in several Israeli colleges.
2. Create a basic grid
After selecting a shape (non-composite shape), select create gradient mesh from the Object menu. Then, in the create gradient mesh window, you can define the composition of the grid-number of rows and number of columns. Note: Gridlines are generated based on the shape's original appearance contour.
3. Another way to add a grid point is to use the grid tool and click any position in the shape.
4. Color the grid
After the shape is converted to a grid object, you can use three tools to select the grid points: Grid tool, direct selection tool, and cable plug-in tool. After selecting a grid point, select a color from the color palette. Alternatively, use a straw tool to absorb the color of the image.
5. Move the mesh point
If you want to move a grid point, select the grid tool or select a tool directly, click the grid point in the point, and drag it (hold down the Shift key to make the drag-and-drop grid point horizontal or vertical translation ).
6. Shape grid
To get the best mesh effect, a symmetric shape is used because the number of mesh points on each side of the shape is equal. But when we want to draw a complex shape, it will produce problems. The following figure shows the effects of non-symmetric and symmetric shapes.
There are two solutions. The first is to draw a rectangle or an elliptic, convert them into grid objects, and then twist them into the desired shape. The 2nd solution is to draw another symmetric shape with an asymmetric shape on top of another symmetric shape.
Note: The procedure of the 2nd solutions is described below:
1. Convert symmetric shapes into grid objects;
2. Asymmetrical shapes are placed on the top of symmetric shapes (layer stack order );
3. Select the two shapes and run the cut mask command.
This scheme uses the features generated by gridlines to make a disguised adjustment.
7. Place images
Download the military boots image here. When you want to place an image into the system, it is best to place it in the form of a template. The template layer does not use a dimmed image.
Note: Choose "file menu"> "placement", and select "template ". Double-click the template layer and remove the check box before "darken Image.
8. Preview and outline
When creating a chart, you must switch back and forth between preview and outline view. When you want to create a grid, 80% must be switched to the outline view. The following figure shows the finished boots in the outline view.
9. Creation process
It is important to divide an image into several layers. You can put your shoelaces, soles, and others on a single layer. We first create the sole, double-click "Layer 1", and rename it "sole ".
1. Draw a rectangle on the left of the sole (change the view mode to the outline ).
Note: To see the boots on the template layer, we only need to change the view mode of the sole layer to the outline. Press Ctrl + click the eye in front of the sole layer. If you want to switch back to the preview mode, the operation is the same.
2. Use the grid tool (U) to point any of the four anchor points in the original rectangle. This will convert the rectangle into a grid object without adding any useless gridlines.
3. Use the grid tool to move the two anchor points on the right of the rectangle to the right of the sole. Then, use the control handle on the anchor to adjust the shape to match the shape of the sole.
4. Pay attention to the color transition. The color of any horizontal/vertical line you add to the grid is transitioned between the two mesh points. Using the grid tool (U), click the grid line at the bottom, and a vertical grid line is added. Drag the new mesh point down to fit the shape of the sole. The mesh points added above are also the same operation.
5. Continue to adjust to the desired shape. Add a grid point on the horizontal grid line at the bottom of the grid to make the grid completely match the sole shape.
6. After adding the mesh points, use the straw tool to draw the color of the original image and color the grid. Select each grid point, and then use the straw tool (I) to draw the color of the original image to color the grid point (when using the straw tool, switch the mode to the contour view ).
7. Take a closer look at the conversion between colors. First look at the difference between the color and the color, and then color the grid points.
8. Check the horizontal gridlines and move the grid points along the color-converted shape.
9. In this step, we pause and see the color transition first. No matter what color transition you use, you need to add more mesh points here-so we recommend that you switch back and forth between the contour mode and the preview mode during color transition.
All we did just now is to color the mesh points. After completing the preceding steps, create a new layer and create another grid shape. The figure below shows the close-up of the shoes and soles.
10. Conclusion
When creating a grid, patience is very important. With patience, you can draw perfect works. Remember that it is best to create a symmetric shape when creating a grid. If you are interested, do more technical exercises on your own.
All right, the above information is the detailed tutorial on creating the old leather boots using the gradient mesh for all the users of Illustrator's software, you can see that the user here, Xiaobian believes that you are very clear about the drawing method, then everyone will go to follow the small series of tutorials to try to build the effect of old leather boots.
