We need to make him a little bit more real, so let's draw a couple of eyebrows. Simply use the pen tool to create it and the gradient will come automatically because it was the last fill that we used.
Copy paste this eyebrow (Ctrl + C, Ctrl + F) and go to Object>Transform>Reflect, then verify that vertical is checked and hit OK, place it over the left eye.
He can see but not speak, some girls will love that, but we don't, so let's give him a mouth. Create it using your pen tool and adjust the gradient colors to white to the left and gray to the right, also leave the type linear and the angle -90.
For the next step, use the pen tool once again and draw it in top of the last shape we did, leave the gradient values the same but change the colors to red and dark red.
We have completed the head, but we know that there is no oxygen in space and for that reason our astronaut needs a helmet. The process is very simple, use the ellipse tool to draw it and change the gradient colors to blue and light orange (right to left), leave unchanged the other values.
Once you've done it, go to Transparency and change the blending mode to Overlay and reduce the opacity to 40 %.
Without lighting effects our helmet will look like a simple gradient shape. Use the pen tool to create two shapes similar to an exclamation sign, then select and join the two pieces using the pathfinder tool.
Don't touch the gradient values, just the colors. Change both to white but reduce to 0 % the opacity of the left one.
The glass alone will probably break, so it probably needs some protection. Grab the pen tool and draw a shape on the upper side, then use the eyedropper tool to copy the fill properties but switch the angle to -78.
Proceed by making a copy of this shape so we can use the knife tool one more time. Once you have placed the copy, make a first incision over the upper side, then adjust the properties as the ones we show you at next. (type>radial, angle>-78, screen and 50 % opacity).
OK, more highlights. Use the knife tool again to generate a shape over the right side of the helmet, then check that both the gradient and transparency properties remain the same than the last one.
We are missing the shadows, lets make a large shape by cutting with the knife tool the lower side of the helmet. As you have seen, the difference between shadows and highlights relies on the transparency window, in this case, you must switch those properties to screen and 50 % opacity.
After completing the space helmet, lets draw a tiny line across the body to give our character some extra detail. Make sure that the stroke is set in 1 px and the opacity 50 %, also make sure that you're drawing a stroke and not a fill.
Did you realize that our guy was missing his hands?, he needs them to grab some space rocks and place the flag over the moon. Pick up your pen tool and draw the left hand, regarding the fill, use the eyedropper tool to copy the properties of the body, also make sure that the angle is set in 90 degrees.
Now the highlights of the hand. Generate a copy of the hand and place it over the original (Ctrl + C, Ctrl + F), then use the knife tool to slice a piece of the shape.
Leave all the gradient properties untouched and change the transparency to screen and 50 % opacity.
Proceed by tracing a line with the knife tool at the lower side of the hand's copy and clear all the rest. Adjust this shape properties to multiply and 100 % opacity.
The same process must be completed to create the right hand. So first, draw the basic shape with the pen tool.
Then use the eyedropper to copy the properties of the left hand's mid tone.
Be patient my friend, we are almost done. As we did with the left one, copy the hand and paste the duplicate exactly over the original. Then use the knife tool to trace where the shadow is supposed to be.
Finally, copy the properties of the left hand's shadow using the eyedropper tool.
Same way for the highlights, slice the hand's copy at the upper side.
Now copy the fill properties of the left hand's highlight with the eyedropper tool.
I think we are almost done. The only thing left to do is the left food, so hurry up and lets finish our astronaut. Pick the pen tool and draw the main shape for the foot.
Copy paste the foot so we can start working on the highlights and shadows. Then use the knife tool to divide the shape and generate the shadow.
This shadow is darker than the rest, so copy the fill properties directly from the darkest gradient at the back using the eyedropper. Make sure that the transparency is set on Multiply, 0 angle and 100 % opacity.
The highlight is less visible than the shadow, due to the volume reference. Cut it with the knife tool and clear all the spare parts.
Now copy the fill properties from the right foot's highlight with the eyedropper.
The next step is going to be made with no slices or copies. With the pen tool, lets draw a shape at the upper right side of the foot.
After that, copy the fill properties of the foot's mid tone, make sure to leave in Normal the blending mode.
Finally, the last thing before our astronaut is complete. Lets draw a volume shape over the left foot's shadow.
Now use the eyedropper tool to copy the right foot's shadow properties.
Houston, we have no problems. Our astronaut character has been completed. We have learned to take advantage of tools such as the knife and eyedropper tool to generate some pretty cool drawings. Feel free to check the complete background within our Twitter. See you around guys.
