Buzz
In this tutorial, let's together craft a flat-style portrait, depicting individuals from various professions. These images can be used as your Facebook profile picture or for designing websites. You can even create your own portrait for business cards.
Basic shapes and tools in Adobe Illustrator are minimal requirements for drawing vector illustrations. You need to follow the previous tutorials on ThủThuậtPhầnMềm.vn to learn how to use them. During this professional avatar creation process, we will explore additional tips and tricks such as using Pathfinder, Clipping Masks, or other features. Let's get started now!
Crafting Professional Avatars with Adobe Illustrator
Step 1
Begin by creating the character's head using the Rectangle Tool to draw a rectangle measuring 65 x 80 px with a light pink Fill color.
Select the shape with the Direct Selection Tool, then go to Object >> Path >> Add Anchor Points.
You'll notice additional Anchor Points added to the shape for easier customization. Repeat this process once more to obtain the following points:
Step 2
In practice, we don't need all the Anchor Points. To remove redundant points, use the Direct Selection Tool (A), hold Shift, and select 6 points on both sides.
Select Object >> Path >> Remove Anchor Points.
Now, let's create the chin for the face. Use the Direct Selection Tool to select 2 points at the bottom corners.
Press Enter to open the custom position window (Move) >> Set Horizontal = 0 px, Vertical = -25 px >> OK.
Step 3
If you want the chin to be wider or narrower, use a similar method to move its anchor points. For example: to make the character's chin slightly smaller, select the left anchor point, press Enter, and set Horizontal = 5, Vertical = 0 >> OK; for the right point, use Horizontal = -5. Here's the result:
Make the corners more rounded by using the Direct Selection Tool >> Select a Corner point >> drag it closer to the center, the closer it is, the rounder your corner will be, choose a suitable angle.
If you're using an older version of Adobe Illustrator, you won't have the Live Corners feature, but you can still achieve a similar effect with Effect >> Stylize >> Round Corners.
Step 4
Open the Rounded Rectangle Tool by clicking the three-dot icon on the toolbar >> drag the Rounded Rectangle Tool onto the toolbar.
To draw the nose, use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to draw a pink rectangle measuring 9 x 20 px.
Hold Shift and use Selection Tool (V) to select both the nose and the face. Then hold Alt and click again on the face to make it the main object (with a thick outline), meaning all other objects will align to it.
Now open Windows >> Align >> select Horizontal Align Center. And the nose is now symmetrically aligned in the center of the face.
Step 5
Let's add a mustache to bring humor to the design! Create a brown rectangle measuring 30 x 10 px. Place it in the correct position, then right-click >> Arrange >> Send Backward and it will be placed beneath the nose.
Step 6
Select the top-left anchor point of the mustache, press Enter, and set Horizontal = 10px, Vertical = 0px to move it closer to the nose, do the opposite for the other point.
Make the lower part of the mustache more rounded with Live Corners.
Step 7
Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to create a small shape as lips, place it under the mustache with Ctrl + [ and align it with Align.
Step 8
Use Ellipse to create a white circle 8 x 8 px as the eye, place a brown circle 6 x 6 px on it.
Continue drawing a small circle to create a highlight for the eye.
Select all 3 parts of the eye with the Selection Tool, then press Ctrl + C followed by Ctrl + V to create a copy of it and place it symmetrically on the opposite side.
Step 9
Create a safety helmet for the worker as an orange rectangle 65 x 39 px on top of the head and round the top corners of the helmet.
Step 10
Now it's time to add hair, draw a long rectangle at the corner of the face, round one inner corner as follows:
Create a copy of the hair, place it on the opposite side. To flip the shape, you right-click >> Transform >> Reflect..., check the Vertical box, then OK.
Step 11
Or make a slight adjustment to the hat. Select the hat, right-click >> Arrange >> Bring To Front to bring it to the top.
Using the Scrissor Tool (C), mark a point at the intersection of the hair and the main hat, which is the point below, now your line segment has been cut at the marked point.
Select the outermost anchor point and press Enter, enter H = 0, V = 5 then OK. The anchor point will be pulled down as follows:
Do the same with the other side:
Step 12
Create the left tongue for the hat, make a longer light orange rectangle attached to the hat.
Using Direct Selection Tool, select the Anchor point and drag it inward by 10 px, creating a trapezoid shape as follows:
Round off the bottom 2 corners slightly.
Step 13
Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to create a rectangle 7 x 30 px on top of the helmet. Align it in the middle of the helmet.
Continue to create 2 shorter rectangles and place them horizontally aligned with the middle one. Use Align to precisely adjust the spacing.
Step 14
Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to draw the pair of ears. Draw a pink one sized 11 x 23 px on the left side and bring it down with Shift + Ctrl + [. Create a duplicate on the opposite side.
Step 15
Create a rectangle 35 x 40 px for the neck with a slightly darker skin tone than the face, remember to round off the bottom part.
Design the worker's shirt as a dark green rectangle sized 90 x 70 px.
Use the Scrissors Tool and cut at the 2 intersections between the neck and the shirt:
Then use the Direct Selection Tool to drag the top 2 corners down below about 17 px.
Step 16
Create the worker uniform with 2 orange stripes on the shoulders and a rectangle on the chest.
Open Windows >> Pathfinder and use the Unite feature to merge all 3 shapes into 1.
Use the Selection Tool, hold Shift and select both the uniform shirt and the worker's shirt. Switch to the Shape Builder (Shift + M) tool >> Hold Alt and click on the excess part to delete it.
Do the same for the 2 smaller stripes.
Step 18
To add an accent to the design by darkening one side of it.
- Select all the elements of the character (Control + A)
- Copy (Ctrl + C) and Paste (Ctrl + V) it in front
- Use the Unite function in Pathfinder to merge the details together.
Step 19
Use Line Segment Tool (), hold Shift and create a vertical line above the shadow, aligning it with Align to center the line.
Select the line and the shadow using Selection Tool, the shadow is the Main Object, then use the Divide feature of Pathfinder to cut the shape in half.
Step 20
Delete the left half and align the right part back to match the shape.
Select Fill with black color and adjust Opacity to create a subtle shadow effect.
Step 21
We seem to have overlooked the eyebrows. Let's create a circle around the eye and set the Stroke color to match the others. Use the Scissors Tool to cut the lower half.
Open Windows >> Stroke >> and choose a thickness of 2pt with Round Cap selected.
Step 22
Select the eyebrows with the Selection Tool, then use the Eraser Tool, hold Alt, and draw a rectangle to cut across the eyebrows. Then release the mouse, and the eyebrows are now trimmed.
Create a duplicate on the opposite side.
Step 23
Round the shoulders to give a softer look.
Step 24
The main element of the profile picture is complete. Next, let's create a background to make the subject stand out. Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw a circle 180 x 180 px. Fill it with a light blue color.
Create a duplicate and bring it forward.
Press Ctrl + A to select all objects, then right-click and choose Make Clipping Mask.
And there we have a neat circular avatar:
Step 25
For the final detail, let's create a long shadow. Select the Rectangle Tool and draw a large rectangle, then lower the Opacity to see the shapes below. Hold the Shift key and rotate the shape 45 degrees.
Use the Pen Tool to add new Anchor points and drag them to leave only the excess on the right side.
Drag the Shadow Layer into the Clip Mask and place it below the character's parts, just above the background part.
Switch the shadow to black, and you've got the result:
Thus, the process of creating a professional avatar using Adobe Illustrator is complete. With these basic templates, you can freely customize the character by changing clothes, hairstyle, skin color, etc., to make it your own.
Let's get creative and craft a distinctive avatar of your own!
