3D Bowl

This tutorial shows you how to create realistic 3D fruit bowl illustration with one of the Adobe Illustrator CS2 new features: 3D Revolve Effect.

Version: Illustrator CS2

Download Source File

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1. Create the bowl

Create a path and fill it with yellow color like the image below. Then, select Effect > 3D > Revolve from the menu.

2. Apply 3D Revolve Setting

When the 3D Revolve Options window popups, apply the following setting:

• Click on the More Options if the lower portion window is not showing
• Create a new light by clicking on the New Light icon and drag those two lights as shown
• Change Shading Color to orange by: select Custom from the drop drop, click on the sample color box, Color Picker window will pop, then enter this color value (R=255 B=50 G=0)
• If you want a smooth blending, increse the Blend Steps (default is 25, max is 256). Note: increase Blend Steps will also increase file size and memory usage.

3. Create the apple

Create an oval path with the Ellipse Tool and fill it with green color. Then select that green path and apply Effect > 3D > Revolve, leave all options in the 3D Revolve Options window as default and click OK. Now, you should get something like the image shown below:

4. Add Drop Shadow

Keep the apple path selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and apply the setting as shown below.

5. Create New Art Brush

First create a path similar to the image as shown below, fill it with black (k=100), and then create the highlight path fill it with 80% black (k=80). Drag it to the Brushes library window to create a New Art Brush. If your Brushes library is not on the screen, go to Window > Brushes or press F5.

New Art Brush Options

The Art Brush Option window should pop out, select Tints from the Colorization Method drop down menu, leave everything as default, and click OK.

6. Draw the apple’s basin

Create a stroke path with the Pen Tool and select the Art Brush that you’ve created in the previous step. Now place it on top of the apple like the image shown below.

7. Duplicate the apple

Select the apple (with basin), hold down the ‘Alt‘ (or ‘Option‘ key for Mac), drag it to make a copy of it. You may also use Copy & Paste to duplicate the apple. Then, change it to red color.

8. Adjust 3D Revolve setting

Select the red apple (oval path only), in your Appearance pallate, double click the 3D Revolve effect icon to adjust the options/setting. If your Appearance is not showing, select menu Window > Appearance or press Shift+F6.

3D Revolve Options

Now, your 3D Revolve Options window should pop out. Enter the following value(X=57 Y=63 Z=-159). You can change the rotation values manually by entering the numbers or by dragging the cube on the left.

9. Fix the apple’s basin

Notice the basin is slightly off from the apple after you changed the rotation values from previous step. Move the basin stroke to center of the apple by using the Selection Tool or Direct Selection Tool.

10. Add one more apple

Make one more apple by repeating Step 7 to 9.

11. Put them together

Put the apples and the bowl together as shown. Draw a oval shape path, base on the shape of the bowl.

12. Mask the apples

Select the the apples and oval path only, go to menu Clipping Mask > Make or press Ctrl+7

13. Final

That’s it! Your illustration should look like the image below: