Create a student character mascot with Adobe Illustrator
This is an intermediate Illustrator tutorial level where you can learn how to create a vector student character mascot from a sketch in Adobe Illustrator. The techniques can easily be applied to other character design, illustrations or icons.
Make a sketch or use mine for following steps.

1. Make a full contour the character.

2. Duplicate it and apply an “offset path” with 3px.

3. Make the following shape for coat with “Pen Tool”. You can draw it above the sketch. Apply a blue gradient to it. To use same colors like mine, use a free and simple color picker like “pixie“. Will be more easy for you to copy the code of color instead writing it.

4. Make the pants. Use the following gradient settings.

5. Make the legs shape, using same “Pen Tool”.

6. For shoes we will use three layers (in second one we mix and the socks). First shape:

7. Second one, with socks:

8. Third one:

9. With “PenTool” and “Ellipse Tool” make the following shapes for laces.

10. Details for cloth. Same, use “PenTool” and “Ellipse Tool”.

11. For face, make a shape close to this and apply the gradient from screenshot. Same one like gradient for legs, just is “radial”.

12. The next shapes are used for face details:

13. Student hat shapes. The shadow shape is a black color shape with opacity at 40%.

Your vector character should look like this:

In case you want to add a shadow, copy the first layer created and add perspective.

Thanks for reading.
Post tags: adobe, character, gradient, graphic, hat, illustration, illustrator, mascot, paths, school, student, vector
















January 13, 2010
Really nice mascot…lovely final result!
January 14, 2010
Is wonderful, I am amazed.
January 14, 2010
it looks so easy and yet requires so much practice. thanks for sharing your technique, it’s nice to see you’re using layers/shapes for all the outlines! and nice result
January 15, 2010
thanks.
January 17, 2010
The result is not bad, but the combination of gradient with blues and gray is not really cool.
January 17, 2010
matter of taste. regards
January 17, 2010
maybe, but it looks old-fashioned for me )
January 17, 2010
and you felt is need to tell that twice, in a tutorial about anything then background.
January 25, 2010
Great resources. I will add an ref from my site to this tutorial.
Thanks
January 26, 2010
thanks