Creating Heraldic Symbols Leaf by Leaf (Exclusive Tutorial)

While perusing the templates library available at TemplateMonster, I noticed that Heraldic symbols are frequently used. I propose that we learn how to draw the most basic of such symbols, for example, a laurel wreath.

For starters, you should determine the shape of your future graphics object. In our case, it’s a circle – so I will draw a circle. A laurel wreath consists of two symmetrical objects, so it is sufficient to draw one branch, and then copy it. Clicking along the vertical axis, holding the left mouse button, I will guide the cursor to the center of our circle – so I have found the center of the composition (picture 1.1). Now I can get to work drawing a laurel wreath.

I will use three basic tools located in the toolbox panel: “shape tool”, “freehand tool” and “fill tool”.

Using the “freehand tool” I am drawing a figure in the shape of a laurel leaf, which can be edited using the “shape tool”. Then I call “fountain fill dialog”, holding the left mouse button on the “fill tool”, and painting the laurel leaf with gradient fill “cylinder – gold 02” from the “presets” list.

Now you ABSOLUTELY MUST DETERMINE THE THICKNESS OF EDGING so that it will harmonize with the final image – without this, separate parts of the image will be hardly visible on the background of others. This can be done by calling “outline pen”, while holding the left mouse button on the “outline tool”, which is located in the “toolbox”, or by choosing from the available ones in “property bar” (picture 1.2). Now I am simply copying and simply copying the laurel leaves that I have: 1) clicking the left mouse button on the object, drag the image to the place where it's needed and right click to duplicate it; 2) clicking along the outline of the object with the left mouse button, turning the image; 3) if necessary, it's possible to make a mirror image of the object, clicking the relevant icon in the “property bar”.

The result is shown in picture 1.3. All that remains is to arrange the objects using the keyboard combination “Ctrl+Page Up”, “Ctrl+Page Down”, and to play a bit with the size of individual elements – this will take away the monotonous quality of the composition. The frame is ready (picture 1.4).

Now, once you have a frame, for variety I will add two-three finishing touches (picture 1.5). Then selecting all leaves and choosing the option “Convert Outline to Object” in the “Arrange” menu, or using a combination of keys “Ctrl+Shift+Q” – ie converting the properties of the object's outline. Pressing “Shift” and clicking one-by-one only on the resultant objects – I select them from the whole mass and, calling “fountain fill dialog”, painting laurel leaves with gradient “cylinder – gold 01” from the “presets” list (picture 1.6).

Highlighting all elements, I copy them and make a mirror image along the horizontal axis – the laurel wreath is ready (picture 1.7). An example of a finished wreath is shown in picture 1.8.

See additional examples on the practical use of such elements.

Parchment examples