Koala Character in Adobe Illustrator

Let’s create this cute koala character climbing on a tree. It’s an easy, fun tutorial for those who’ve just started to learn Adobe Illustrator. Follow the steps below.

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Create a Koala Character in Adobe Illustrator

1. Creating the Head and Face

Step 1

First, let’s open your Adobe Illustrator and create a new document. For this, go to File > New. Let’s create a New document with 600 x 600 px Width and Height. Then click OK.

Now we are going to create the koala’s head. Look at the left panel on your workspace—the Tools panel (to open it go to Window > Tools). There, you can find the Ellipse Tool (L), which you will use to create the head.

So, let’s take the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw an ellipse. Set the color to R=171 G=175 B=166. Take the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tools panel and select the left and right anchor points. Move them down using the arrows on your keyboard.

Step 2

Now we want to give the koala’s head a slightly fluffy effect. Take a look at the top panel of your workspace and find Effect on the tool bar. Go to Effect > Distort and Transform > Roughen. In the new dialogue window, enter the following options:

Step 3

Let’s create the ear. Keep the fill color, and use the Ellipse Tool (L) to create a circle. To create a nice, even circle, hold the Shift key while drawing. You can see that your circle is already becoming rougher.

Then add a smaller circle with the fill color R=221 G=223 B=218. This smaller circle is already roughened, but we don’t need the roughening effect. To delete the rough effect, on the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance), grab the word “Roughen” and move to the trash icon. In the second image you can see how to remove this effect. Look at the circle now!

Here is how to move the word “Roughen” to the trash.

Step 4

Keep the whole ear selected and right-click your mouse. In the pop-up window, select Transform > Reflect. Select Vertical axis of reflection and press Copy.

Move the second ear and place it on the upper right side of the head. To make the ears align correctly, you can select both ears, right-click the mouse and select Group. While holding down the Shift key, select the head and the ears together. Go to the Align panel (Window > Align) and press Horizontal Align Center.

 

Step 5

Now on to the eyes. Choose a dark gray fill color, which you can see in the image below, and draw an oval using the Ellipse Tool (L). Draw a small white circle to give a sparkle to the eye. Then create another eye—keep the existing eye selected and while holding the Alt key, move it to the right. You can see that you just created a copy of the eye by holding the Alt key.

 

Step 6

Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create an ellipse. Move down the left and right anchor points, just as you did for the koala’s head. You will get an egg shape. Then create a copy of it (Control-C, Control-V) and make it smaller. Change the fill color to R=75 G=76 B=72. Place it as shown in the image below:

Step 7

Place the whole nose on the koala’s face. Try to put the nose right between the eyes. Look how cute it is!

2. Creating the Trunk of the Tree

Step 1

Now, we need create the tree trunk. Take the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle. You can see the fill color on the image below, or feel free to choose any color of your choice.

Look closely at the Tools panel and try to find the Warp Tool (Shift-R). Do you see a hand with a finger holding some strange thread? That’s it. But before using it, let’s adjust the options on this tool. Double-click on it and in the new dialogue window, enter:

Step 2

Once you have created the tree trunk and adjusted the options on the Warp Tool (Shift-R), draw the branch using this tool. In the image below, you can see the directions of the movement.

 

Step 3

Make the fill color darker (R=86 G=52 B=29) and draw a few long rectangles around the trunk. Use the Warp Tool (Shift-R) over them again.

 

Step 4

Place the koala’s head behind the trunk. To place it behind, select the whole head, group it together (right-click > Group) and press Control-X, Control-B. Rotate the head a little bit to the right.

3. Creating the Paws

Step 1

To draw the paws, start with an oval. Set the fill color to R=189 G=191 B=183. Add a rough effect for the paw as you did for the head and ears (go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen). Enter the options you see below.

Step 2

Copy-paste the paw to have four of them, and place them as shown:

4. Creating the Leaves

Step 1

We’re almost there! Once you have an ellipse, with fill color R=163 G=165 B=16, pick the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), and make sharp anchor points by clicking on the top and bottom anchor points. You’ll get a simple leaf shape.

 

Step 2

Copy-paste to create as many leaves as you want, and put them on the tree.

 

Step 3

Let’s create a background for this illustration. Set the fill color to  R=237 G=234 B=239 and click on your art board. In the new dialogue window, enter Width 600 px, Height 600 px and click OK. Place the square behind everything (keep it selected and press Control-X, Control-B). And… we are done!

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Raccoon Character in Adobe Illustrator

Let‘s create an adorable raccoon. We’ll use basic shapes and warp effects. You will learn how to create part of the raccoon’s body by moving the handles of the anchor points and then combining them into a final creation. Follow the steps below.

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Create a Raccoon Character in Adobe Illustrator

1. Create the shape of the raccoon

Step 1

I hope you’ve already opened Adobe Illustrator and created a New document. Let’s start by creating the head of our raccoon. Hit the Ellipse Tool (L) and make an ellipse. Using the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), make sharp corners on the ellipse; while keeping the ellipse selected, click on the left and right anchor points—these two points should be sharp now. Keep the sharp anchor points selected and press the down arrow button on your keyboard a few times.

Step 2

We’re not quite done yet. Select this shape and go to Effect > Warp > Bulge. Enter the following settings in the new dialogue window. Then expand the shape (Object > Expand Appearance).

Step 3

Let’s add some depth to the head. Create a copy of this shape, in front of the original one (Control-C, Control-F), shift it down a little bit, and then make this copy slightly bigger. Select the original shape again and make another copy in the front (Control-C, Control-F). Keeping these two upper copies selected, go to the Pathfinder panel and press the Minus Front button. You will get a moon-like shape. Change the fill color as you see in the image below.

2. Create the eyes

Step 1

For the eyes, create an ellipse and slightly tilt it to the left. Add a dark circle, followed by a small white circle as a highlight. Keep the whole eye selected and take the Reflect Tool (O). Holding down the Alt key, click on the right side of the eye. In the new dialogue window, enter Vertical and press Copy. You should have two eyes now.

Step 2

Position them as you wish, on the previous head shape. The lower you position the eyes, the more the raccoon will have a baby-animal look.

3. Create the nose and mouth

Step 1

Now that you know how to create a sharp anchor point (remember how you created the head?), let’s create a dark ellipse and make the bottom point sharp. Add a tiny white ellipse as a highlight.

Step 2

Now for the mouth. Draw two ellipses using the Ellipse Tool (L) with no fill and with the stroke color noted below. On the Stroke panel, check Round Cap. After that, grab the Scissors Tool (C) and click on the left and right anchor points of the first and then the second ellipse. Delete the upper parts of the two ellipses. Take the Line Segment Tool (\) and add a tiny line in the middle—we just created a cute mouth for our raccoon!

Step 3

Combine the nose and mouth together. Add a small ellipse behind them (Control-X, Control-B).

Step 4

Place everything from the previous steps on the head of our raccoon.

 

4. Add more details to the face

Step 1

Let’s add some details which are usual for raccoons. Draw an ellipse on the left side of the head, behind the left eye. Take the Direct Selection Tool (A) and move the handles of the anchor points to achieve the result which you see in the second image.

Step 2

Make a new copy of the head in front (Control-C, Control-F), and select the dark shape from the previous step together. Press the Intersect button in Pathfinder.

Keep the resulting shape selected. Take the Reflect Tool (O) and press the Enter button. Check Vertical in the new dialogue window and press Copy. You’ve just made the reflection of this dark shape. Keep this shape still selected, and now select the head too. Go to the Align panel and press the Horizontal Align Right button. Be careful—it’s very important that you have checked Align To: Align to Selection (see image below).

Step 3

Let’s add some details. Select the two dark shapes behind the eyes and make a copy in the front. The copies are marked with yellow strokes in the image below, but you don’t need to change the fill color. Move them down a little bit.

Create two copies again in front of the dark shapes. In total, you should have six dark shapes: two under the left eye, two under the right eye, one under the left eye, marked with a yellow stroke, and one under the right eye, also marked in the image with a yellow stroke.

Let’s first concentrate on the left eye. Select the two upper dark gray shapes and press Minus Front in Pathfinder. Change the fill color of the resulting shape (as noted below). Now concentrate on the right eye. Select the two upper shapes and press Minus Front in Pathfinder. Again, change the fill color of the resulting shape.

 

5. Create the ears

 

Step 1

Using the Eye Dropper Tool (I), take the fill color from the head of the raccoon. We will create an ear from an ellipse—using warp will help us get what we need. Go to Effect > Warp > Arc. In the new window, adjust the options as shown in the image below; expand the resulting shape (Object > Expand Appearance). Create another copy in the front, making it darker and smaller.

Step 2

Let’s add some depth to the ear. Create two copies of the ear in the front. Shift down the upper copy diagonally. Select the two upper copies and press Minus Front in Pathfinder. Change the fill color.

Step 3

Using the Reflect Tool (O), create another ear.

Step 4

Place them on the top of the head, but behind it.

 

6. Create the body

 

Step 1

For the body, create an ellipse (the same fill color as the head) and place it behind the whole head. Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the left and right anchor points and then move them down. Create a new copy in front of the body, and make it lighter and smaller.

Step 2

Lets create the hands. Shift down the left and right anchor points of a newly created ellipse.

Step 3

Create a copy in the front, and make it darker and narrower. Shift the new copy down, just slightly. Create a copy of this darker shape in the front and using the Eye Dropper Tool (I), take the color from the first shape you created at the beginning of this step. Make this smallest shape narrower and shift it up a little.

Step 4

Place the hand on the left side of the body. Slightly tilt the hand to the left. Using the Reflect Tool (O) make a reflection of the hand, so you will get the right hand. Create another ellipse behind the whole body—this will finish off the arms. Don’t forget to shift down the left and right anchor points of this ellipse.

Step 5

Now on to the legs. We won’t create the whole leg, just the visible parts, the feet. Create an ellipse and move the left and right anchor points upwards.

Step 6

As you did for the head and the ear, use the same method to add some depth to the foot. One smaller and lighter copy of the foot along with the three tiny copies will finish the foot.

Step 7

Put the foot under the left hand. Slightly tilt the foot to the left. Then make a reflection of this, which creates the right foot. Don’t forget to put the right foot under the right hand.

7. Create the tail

 

Step 1

We’re almost there! Let’s move along to the tail. Draw an ellipse and make its left and right anchor points sharp.

Step 2

During this step, we will add stripes to the tail. Draw a rectangle using the Rectangle Tool (M). While keeping it selected, hold down the Alt key and move the rectangle to the right. You will see that you just created a copy of the rectangle. Then press Control-D a few times to repeat your last action.

Step 3

Group all the stripes together (right-click > Group) and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. Enter the options you see in the image below.

Step 4

Expand the stripes (Object > Expand Appearance). Create a copy of the tail in the front (the light gray ellipse with sharp edges) and select the stripes together with it. Press Crop in Pathfinder.

Step 5

Warp it.

Step 6

Expand the tail (Object > Expand Appearance) and place it behind the whole body.

Step 7

Let’s wrap up our illustration. Create a light pink (R 249, G 221, B 210) square behind the raccoon, 600 px width and height, by using the Rectangle Tool (M). And there you go! You have created a cute raccoon!

 

Little Red Riding Hood in Adobe Illustrator

Let’s create this cute character in vector.  You will use the Pen Tool (P) and basic shapes such as the Rectangle Tool (M), the Ellipse Tool (L) and the Polygon Tool. This is a great tutorial for those who are getting the hang of Adobe Illustrator’s basic tools. Follow the steps below.

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Create a Little Red Riding Hood Character in Adobe Illustrator

1. Create the face

Step 1

Let’s start by creating a New document. Then we will draw a circle (color R=223, G=178, B=139), using the Ellipse Tool (L). You want nice even circle, so you need to press and hold the Shift key for this. This will be the face of a little girl.

2. Create the eyes

Step 1

Next – the eyes. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) (color R=242, G=242, B=242) and draw another circle for an eye. If you put an eye in the lower part of the face, the Little Red Riding Hood will look more child like.

Step 2

Create another two circles as shown on the image below. Those are pupil of the eye (color R=84, G=49, B=36,) and a highlight (color R=255, G=255, B=255).

Step 3

Now we draw the eyelashes, using the Pen Tool (P). Use the same brown color as a pupil of the eye. Change the direction of the Pen Tool to finish the first eyelash.

Step 4

Continue to draw second eyelash, than the third. Also don’t forget to close the path.

Step 5

Now you have the eyelashes, however they are above the eye. Just drag them closer to eye and then drag it below the eye circles in the Layers panel.

Step 6

Now we will simply create another eye. Select whole eye with eyelashes (but not a face) and right-click on the mouse. Select Transform > Reflect. A dialogue window will appear, asking you to enter the axis of your reflection. You need to check Vertical and press Copy. Keep the selection of the second eye and drag it on the right side of the face.

Step 7

Align eyes. Select two eyes, right-click on your mouse and select Group (Ctrl + G). Keep those selecting and holding Shift key select also a face. Go to Align panel (Window > Align) and press Horizontal Align Center.

3. Create the mouth

Step 1

Draw a pink circle (color R=235, G=122, B=121).

Step 2

Holding together Shift + Alt, move this circle a little up. The button Shift is for moving straight, and the button Alt – for duplicating the object. In Pathfinder panel, select Minus Front. Now you have a mouth.

 

 

Step 3

Place her mouth on her face.

4. Create the cheeks

 

Step 1

Let’s add some rosy cheeks, they are a great characteristic of youth and being in the fresh air. So, let’s draw the pink cheeks! Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to create an ellipse (color R=223, G=160, B=133).

Step 2

Rotate the ellipse to the left.

Step 3

Create the second cheek by selecting the first one and right-click your mouse and select Transform > Reflect. Select Vertical and click the Copy button in the Reflect Panel. Now you have two cheeks. Put them on the face.

5. Create the hair

 

Step 1

You will need the Pen Tool (P) and the fill color R=135, G=83, B=65. Try to draw as shown on image below.

Step 2

Continue drawing. Of course, you can draw another haircut, if you would like.

Step 3

Lets add some highlights to the hair. Again use the Pen Tool (P) and the fill color R=144, G=96, B=77.

Step 4

Make a few more. For more convenience you should draw the highlights directly over the hair.

6. Create the hood and cape

 

Step 1

The hood. Select the face and press Ctrl + C and after that Ctrl + B to duplicate the face behind. Keep the new circle selected, choose the fill color R=204, G=72, B=69 for it and make a little bit bigger than the face.

Step 2

Take the Direct Selection Tool (A) and select the highest anchor on the hood. Then press few times the key up on your keyboard.

Step 3

For the cape, choose red color as a hood (you can use for it the Eyedropper Tool (I). Then select the Pen Tool (P) and draw a shape as shown on the image below.

Step 4

Select this shape by the Selection Tool (V) and right-click your mouse. Select Transform > Reflect. On dialogue window what will appear select Vertical reflection and press Copy. You will have the same picture.

Step 5

Place the cape. under the head of Little Red Riding Hood.

Step 6

Choose the fill color R=242, G=118, B=140 and using the Pen Tool (P) draw the same shape as on the image below. Also you could create this shape from the Ellipse Tool (L) by adding or removing anchors. It’s a dress. Put a dress on its place and put it under the cape, using Ctrl + X and Ctrl + B.

Et voilà! If you want you can create a light pink square and place it behind your character to create a nice background. I hope you liked it!

Cactus Character in Adobe Illustrator

Let’s create this little character in vector. We will use basic shapes, the Line Segment Tool and a Warp Effect to create this cute cartoon character. Follow the steps below.

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Create a Cactus Character in Adobe Illustrator

1. Create the Flower Pot

Step 1

To create a New Document in your Adobe Illustrator, go to File > New and enter the following options:

Step 2

On the Tools panel, you can find the Rectangle Tool (M), which you will use to create the flower pot.

Step 3

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), and on the middle of your art board, draw a rectangle. Then delete the stroke color and set the fill color to the one you see in the image below:

Step 4

While keeping it selected, go to Effect > Warp > Arc. In the new dialogue window, adjust the options as you see in the image below:

Step 5

Draw one more rectangle pretty close to this one:

Step 6

While keeping it selected, go to Effect > Warp > Arc. In the new dialogue window, adjust the options:

Step 7

Combine the two warped rectangles together. Just grab one rectangle and move to another while holding the left mouse button.

2. Create the Cactus Shape

Step 1

Using the Ellipse Tool (L), draw an ellipse.

Step 2

Now, go to Effect > Warp > Arc and in the new window, adjust the options as you see in the image below:

Step 3

Take your cactus shape & place it in the flower pot. For this press Control-X, Control-B.

3. Create the Eyes

Step 1

We’re going to use the Ellipse Tool (L) again to draw an ellipse.

Step 2

Add a small white circle. That’s the eye.

Step 3

Create another copy of the eye by copying and pasting (Control-C, Control-V).

Step 4

Now, let’s position the eyes where they belong.

4. Create the Mouth

Step 1

Create a black ellipse. Then go to Effect > Warp > Arc and adjust the options:

Step 2

Place the mouth between the eyes.

5. Draw the Prickles

Step 1

Delete the fill color and set the stroke color.

Step 2

On the Stroke panel, adjust the settings:

Step 3

Using the Line Segment Tool (/), draw in the prickles.

6. Create the Flowers

Step 1

Take the Polygon Tool and click on your workspace. A new dialogue window will ask you how many sides and what radius you want. Make 6 Sides, and for the Radius, it doesn’t really matter—just not too big. Once you’re done, press OK.

Step 2

Delete the stroke color and set the fill color, which you see in the image below:

Step 3

To make the flower from it, go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Pucker & Bloat.

Step 4

Using the Ellipse Tool (L) add a yellow circle in the middle of the flower.

Step 5

Make another copy of this flower (Control-C, Control-V) and place it on the cactus.

7. Create the Background

Step 1

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a square that is 600 px in width and height.

Step 2

Place this square behind everything (Control-X, Control-B). Voila! That’s it!

Adobe Photoshop

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Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator might seem really difficult to use at first sight, but I can guarantee you it’s not! You can follow this step-by-step guide I prepared for you and create a cool cactus character.

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Step-by-Step Guides to Create Characters: