Below you can see the illustration that we are going to create in this tutorial.
Step 1: Setting up the document
Create a new document (Ctrl/Cmd + N) in Adobe Illustrator using the settings from the following image.
Step 2: Adding an inner glow
Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle from the upper left corner of the document to the lower right corner. Use the color #457C0B. With the rectangle selected, go to Filter - Stylize - Inner Glow and use the settings from the following image.
Step 3: Adding a gradient overlay to the rectangle
Use the Selection Tool (V) to select the green rectangle. Then go to the Appearance panel (Window - Appearance) and click on the Add New Fill button from the bottom of this panel. Then select a white-to-black gradient and set the Type to Radial from the Gradient panel (Window - Gradient). Set the blending mode of this new fill to Soft Light 70%.
Step 4: Creating a star for the background
Select the Star Tool, click on the image and create a star, but don't release the mouse button yet.
With the mouse button still pressed, hold down the Up arrow key on your keyboard. You'll see that the number of rays increases. Release the Up arrow key when you have a reasonable number of rays on your star.
Don't release the mouse button yet. Now hold down the Ctrl/Cmd key and move the cursor. This will increase or decrease the distance between the rays and the center of the star.
Now that I explained to you how to use the Star Tool, create a star like the one below using the color #E7EDCA and put it in the center of the artboard.
Step 5
Use the Selection Tool (V) to select your star. Then go to the Appearance panel, click on Opacity and set the blend mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 20%.
Go to the Layers panel and change the name of this shape to "star". Also, change the name of the green rectangle shape into "bg" and the name of "Layer 1" into "background".
To make sure that we don't accidentally move these layers, we can lock them. Click on the little empty square next to the eye icons in the Layers panel to lock these shapes. A black lock icon will appear next to each of the locked shapes.
Step 6: Creating the bells
Click on the "Create new layer" button from the bottom of the Layers panel. Name this layer "bells".
Hit Ctrl/Cmd + R to activate the rulers. Then drag a vertical guide from the ruler towards the center of the document. You can lock this guide from the Layers panel.
Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a half-bell shape like you see in the image below. Use the color #F9B223.
Step 7
Using the Selection Tool (V) click on the half-bell shape to select it. Then right-click on it and go to Transform - Reflect. Tick the Vertical Axis option and then click on the Copy button. This will create a reflected copy of the current shape. Select the new half-bell shape and use the Selection Tool (V) to move it next to the first shape.
Select both shapes, go to the Pathfinder panel (Window - Pathfinder) and click on the Unite button (the first one from the panel). This will combine the two half-bell shapes into one shape. Go to the Layers panel and name this shape "bell".
Step 8: Adding a shadow to the bell
With the "bell" shape selected, go to Effect - Stylize - Drop Shadow and use the settings from the image below.
Step 9: Adding shadows to the bell
Select the "bell" shape. Go to Edit - Copy (Ctrl/Cmd + C). Then go to Edit - Paste in Front (Ctrl/Cmd + F). This will create another "bell" shape and put it over the first one.
Use the Mesh Tool (U) to add some anchor points on the bell, as you see in the image below. Then using the Direct Selection Tool (U) select the anchor points that are on the edge of the bell. Set the color of these points to a dark gray (#111111).
As you move towards the center of the bell, change the color of the anchor points to a brighter gray. Take a look at the following image to see the colors that I used.
Step 10
Using the Selection Tool (V) click on the mesh. Then go to the Appearance panel, click on Opacity and set the blend mode to Overlay.
Step 11
Select the Ellipse Tool (L) and create an ellipse at the bottom of the bell using the color #D3942F. Add a stroke to this ellipse using the color #BC8522. Go to the Layers panel and name this shape "ellipse".
Step 12
Select the "ellipse" shape, go to the Appearance panel and click on the Create New Fill button from the bottom area of this panel. Use a black-to-white gradient with the settings from the following image.
Use the Gradient Tool (G) to change the gradient directly from the image (you need to have Adobe Illustrator CS4 or CS5 for this feature). If you have an older version of Illustrator, you can use the Gradient panel. Set the blend mode of this gradient to Overlay 35%.
Step 13
Select the Ellipse Tool (U), hold down the Shift key and create a small circle like you see in the following image using the color #F9B223.
From the Appearance panel add a new fill. Select a white-to-black radial gradient. Set the blend mode of this gradient to Overlay 75%. Go to the Layers panel and name this shape "circle".
Step 14
Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle like the one from the image below. Use the color #F9B223.
With this shape selected go to the Appearance panel and add a new fill. Create a linear gradient that goes from black to white and then to black again. Set the blend mode of this gradient to Overlay 40%. Go to the Layers panel and name this layer "rectangle".
Step 15
Now we will create a shape that goes around the bell. First, select the Ellipse Tool (L) and create an ellipse like the one from the following image (1). Use the color #D1BF1C. I created the shape outside the artboard. After we finish this shape, we will move it onto the bell.
Select the ellipse shape that you created. Go to Edit - Copy and then go to Edit - Paste in Front. Change the color of the new shape to #AA991A and move it up, as you see in the image below (2).
Now there is a white space between the two ellipses. We'll fill that space using another shape. Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle that fills the space between the ellipses (3). Then go to the Layers panel and move this shape underneath the first ellipse shape (4).
From the Layers panel select the bottom ellipse shape and the rectangle shape. Go to the Pathfinder panel and click on the Unite button to merge these two shapes together (5, 6).
Select the two shapes that are left, go to the Pathfinder panel and click on the Minus Front button. This will delete the top ellipse from the shape underneath it (7).
Now your shape should look like the one from the image below (8).
Step 16
Change the color of the shape that you created at the previous step to #CE8B20. Then right-click on the shape and go to Transform - Reflect. Tick the Horizontal Axis option and click OK.
Using the Selection Tool (V) move this shape onto the bell, as you see in the image below.
Step 17
Select the shape from the previous step, go to the Appearance panel and create a new fill. Add a linear black-to-white gradient and set the blend mode of this gradient to Hard Light 30%.
Step 18
Duplicate the shape from the previous step (select it, go to Edit - Copy and then go to Edit - Paste in Front).
Use the Selection Tool (V) to move the new shape underneath the first one and increase its size to fit the width of the bell.
Step 19
Select all the shapes that are part of the bell and go to Object - Group (Ctrl/Cmd + G). Go to the Layers panel and name this group "bells1".
Step 20: Creating the second bell
Select the "bell1" group, go to Edit - Copy (Ctrl/Cmd + C) and then go to Edit - Paste (Ctrl/Cmd + V).
Name this new group "bell2" and put it underneath the "bell1" group. Then use the Selection Tool (V) to make this bell smaller, rotate it and put it behind the first bell. Take a look at the following image for reference.
Step 21: Creating a ribbon
Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape like you see in the image below using the color #EA1515. Then go to Effect - Stylize - Drop Shadow and use the settings from the image below.
Step 22
Now we are going to use the Mesh Tool (U) to add some shadows to the ribbon. Select the shape that you created at the previous step and duplicate it (hit Ctrl/Cmd + C to copy it and then hit Ctrl/Cmd + F to paste it in front).
Select the Mesh Tool (U) and create some anchor points like you see in the following image. Then, using the Direct Selection Tool (A) select some points from the mesh and set their color to a dark gray (#111111). Select the other anchor points and set their color to a light gray (#EEEEEE).
Using the Selection Tool (V) click on the mesh to select it. Then go to the Appearance panel and set the blend mode of the mesh to Multiply 40%.
Step 23
Select the Pen Tool (P) and create two shapes like the ones from the following image. Use the color #870808.
Add a new fill to each of these two shapes from the Appearance panel. Create a linear white-to-black gradient. Set the blend mode of these gradients to Overlay 80%.
Step 24
Create two more ribbon shapes like you created the first one. Use the Pen Tool (P) to create the red shapes. Then add a shadow (Effect - Stylize - Drop Shadow) to these shapes just like you did for the first one at step 21.
Duplicate these shapes and use the Mesh Tool (U) to add some shadows. Take a look at the following image for reference. Set the blend mode of the meshes to Multiply 37%.
Step 25
Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape in the middle of the ribbon like you see in the following image. Use the color #A00D0D. Then go to Effect - Stylize - Drop Shadow and use the settings from the following image.
From the Appearance panel add a new fill and create a radial black-to-white gradient. Set the blend mode of this gradient to Overlay 50%.
Step 26
Select all the shapes that form the ribbon and hit Ctrl/Cmd + G to group them. Name the group "ribbon".
Step 27: Creating a radial blur effect
Go to the Layers panel and create a new layer. Name it "radial blur". Select the Brush Tool (B), open the Brushes panel (Window - Brushes) and select a brush that you like. Then create a line around your bells like you see in the following image.
With your path selected, go to Effect - Blur - Radial Blur and use the settings from the following image. Then set the blend mode of this path to Overlay 60%.
Step 28
Go to the Layers panel and put the "radial blur" layer underneath the "bells" layer.
Step 29: Adding the text
Create a new layer and name it "text". Select the Type Tool (T) and write your text using a bold font and the color #C3DDA2. Then go to Effect - Stylize - Outer Glow and use the settings from the image below.
Step 30
With your text selected, add a new fill from the Appearance panel and create a radial black-to-white gradient. Set the blend mode of this gradient to Overlay 30%.
Final Result
Below you can see the final result of this tutorial. I hope you enjoyed it and learned some new things in Illustrator. Please share your opinions in the comments section below. Also, if you get stuck while following the tutorial, leave a comment and I'll try to help you.
Stay tuned for the next tutorial. If you want to see a specific type of tutorial in the future, here on Grafpedia, leave a comment and maybe your idea will turn into a tutorial.
