Create A Bald Eagle Illustration For Independence Day in Adobe Illustrator

06/03/2017 CreateaBaldEagleIllustrationforIndependenceDayinAdobeIllustrator
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DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION > ILLUSTRATION
Create a Bald Eagle Illustration for Independence Day in Adobe

Illustrator
by Monika Zagrobelna 4 Jul 2013
Difculty: Advanced Length: Long Languages: English
Illustration Vector Adobe Illustrator
Living beings are usually complicated and quite hard to draw. An eagle for example, look at all the feathers! It could take you all day!
Actually, not. Adobe Illustrator provides tools to draw repetitious things in no time. Do you want to learn how?
1. Prepare Your File

Step 1
First you need to prepare your reference. For this tutorial's purpose I used Bald Eagle Stock by Crystal McEvan. Place your reference
inside new le, then:
click the rst layer and select Duplicate "Layer 1" from the Layers menu
click the rst layer again and select Template from the Layers menu
Now you've got two templates - one for colors, and one for shapes. Lock them both to avoid mistakes.
https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/createabaldeagleillustrationforindependencedayinadobeillustratorvector11066 1/51
Step 2
Now you need to take a good look at your reference. Creating in Illustrator is like building - you need to plan all the elements rst. As
you can see, our eagle is built of seven basic parts: one eye, one beak, one head, one barrow, two claws, one tail and two wings. To
succeed, you need to build them one by one, not all at the same time.
2. Create the Eye

Step 1
The rst part we'll take care of is the eye. Create New Layer, grab the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw a black pupil. Hold Shift to create
perfect circle.
Step 2
Now draw another, bigger circle (it will simulate the blending between the pupil and the iris). Use the Eyedropper Tool (I) to pick a
color for it.
Step 3
Draw yet bigger circle to simulate the iris. Don't worry about the color, we'll take care of it in a second.
Step 4
Put a Gradient on the iris. The colors don't need to be perfectly accurate, we can make it more pronounced than in reality.
Step 5
Now we'll add some shine to the eye. Copy the iris and ll it with some random color. It should be placed above the iris layer. Move
the white copy a bit lower.
Step 6
Come back to the Gradient panel again. Your gradient should be white and... white. Change the upper part's Opacity to 40%, and the
lower one's to 0%.
Step 7
While the lower part is practically invisible now, it's a good usage to remove even invisible parts. Select both iris and it's copy, and
select Intersect from the Pathnder panel.
Step 8
Now add a big, black circle behind all the eye to fake the eyelids.
3. Draw the Eye Surroundings

Step 1
The eye is done now, but it can't just hang there. Now we'll build a little pit where the eye is placed. First, draw some kind of brow (it's
The eye is done now, but it can't just hang there. Now we'll build a little pit where the eye is placed. First, draw some kind of brow (it's
not really a brow, but it looks like this, just look at the reference).
Step 2
Copy "the brow" and put a lighter color on it, then move it a bit up and left. Now it's time for the pit itself. draw a shape according to
the dark you can see around the eye. Then use Mesh Tool (U) to convert it to mesh.
Step 3
Put some more Mesh Points around the eye. We're going to use them to blend the pit into the head.
Step 4
Select all the outer points (use Lasso Tool (Q) to select multiple points at once) and reset their Opacity to 0%.
Step 5
To make the blending smoother, select some other points too and change their Opacity to 60%.
4. Create the Beak

Step 1
Time for the beak now. Start from the nose hole, it should be quite easy. Use Ellipse Tool (L) for it.
Time for the beak now. Start from the nose hole, it should be quite easy. Use Ellipse Tool (L) for it.
Step 2
Prepare a base for a another mesh. Use Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a rectangle in general color of the beak.
Step 3
Go into Outlines Mode (Control + Y). Now you can see only outlines and the lower reference layer that you converted into Template
on the start. Use Direct Selection Tool (A) to move the points and adjust the borders to the shape of the beak.
Step 4
Use point's handles to smoothen and bend the lines without adding new points. If you want to move some point, but all the shape
breaks in result, just hold Shift while moving it.
Step 5
This is how it should look:
Step 6
We're going to use mesh points to add various colors to the same object. First we need to locate the areas of colors and put new
mesh points there using Mesh Tool (U).
Step 7
Go out of Outlines Mode (Control + Y) and move the beak a bit to see the reference. Use Eyedropper Tool (I) to add colors to the
areas. Again, you can use Lasso Tool (Q) to select multiple points at once.
Step 8
After covering all the beak with colors, move it back to its place.
Step 9
Select the edge of the beak and reset it's Opacity to 0%. This part should blend into the head.
Step 10
Now draw a pert eagle smile. You can use Paintbrush Tool (B) or anything you like.
Step 11
Draw "the lips" too (right, they're not lips... but what would you call that?).
Step 12
Time for the lower part of the beak. It's going to be a mesh to. I guess you know what to do?
Step 13
Shape and add mesh points to the shape.
Step 14
Some transparency to blend into the head...
...and it's done!
5. Create the Eagle Head

Step 1
It's time for the head. Draw a white shape within its borders, then hide the layer - we're going to use it later.
Step 2
The head is all covered with feathers, but it would take a lot of time to draw them all. That's why we're going to create a brush for it.
Draw something like three grey leaves - it will be one cluster of feathers (you can draw just one, copy it and change their colors to
save time). This cluster should be vertical!
Step 3
Select the feathers and click New Brush on Brushes panel. Select Scatter Brush and click OK.
Step 4
Change the Rotation to Rotation and make it relative to Path. You should also lower the Spacing, so that all the feathers were placed
next to each other. The exact value will depend on the size of your cluster, so try something random, click OK., draw a line and check
if it looks right. If it doesn't, just double-click the brush on the list and change the value.
if it looks right. If it doesn't, just double-click the brush on the list and change the value.
Step 5
When you're happy with your brush, use it to draw all the feathers on the head. Start from the lowest row and then cover it with
another. Change the size from time to time to make it more natural.
Step 6
The feathers are just strokes at the moment, so if you want them to be edited just like shapes, you need to go to Object > Expand
Appearance with the strokes selected.
Step 7
Use the Eraser Tool (Shift + E) to erase dispensable feathers. Also, you can make your "white head" layer visible again - it will ll
eventual gaps. You may want to change its color to grey.
Step 8
Add some more feathers, trying to keep natural direction. Now it has better "hairstyle" than on the reference!.
6. Add Shading to the Head

Step 1
The head looks a bit at at the moment. We need to add some shading and lights. First, draw something like this using random
The head looks a bit at at the moment. We need to add some shading and lights. First, draw something like this using random
color:
Step 2
Go to Gradient panel and create a gradient of three colors. Blue (90%) is a reection of the sky, brown and peach (70%, 0%) -
reection of dark feathers. White catches as many reections as possible!
Step 3
We need to blend the beak more into the head. Draw a random shape behind it and ll it with dirty orange (100%, 20%) gradient.
Step 4
To distinguish the actual head from the neck, add a bit of gradient with color of the sky and dark feathers (10%, 50%).
Step 5
Now time for some light too. Draw it as some white, ragged shapes.
Step 6
Change its Blending Mode to Soft Light. It will make it more subtle.
Step 7
That's our result so far:
7. Rendering the Eagle's Body

Step 1
Now we'll build the barrow. It's completely covered with feathers too! We need another brush. Draw some weird shapes in various
shades of brown.
Step 2
You know how to make a brush, right?
Step 3
Draw a general shape of the barrow in dark brown.
Step 4
Use your new brush to cover the barrow. Remember the hints I've given you some steps ago - rst the lowest row, one covers
another, mix the sizes and directions. Don't forget about cutting the edges with Eraser Tool (Shift + E).
8. Adding Shading to the Barrow

Step 1
Again, we need some gradients to avoid the atness. Draw a lightened part with blue and peach.
Step 2
For the shaded part draw some ragged shapes again and merge them together by selecting Unite from Pathnder panel.
Step 3
Use Eraser Tool (Shift + E) to cut any unnatural smoothness.
Step 4
Put a default black and white gradient on the shape. If every part of the shape gets its own gradient, select them all and Compound
Path (Control + 8).
Step 5
Change the Blending Mode to Multiply. Now it's blended quite nicely.
This is where we are now:
9. Vector the Claws

Step 1
Now we have came to the claws. They should be easy to built with Mesh Tool (U). Do you remember this technique? Draw a
rectangle rst, then click it with Mesh Tool (U) wherever it needs to be bent.
Step 2
Move the points to achieve a proper shape.
Step 3
And put the colors on it.
Step 4
Claws should be covered with something scale-like. We're going to create another brush to speed this process up. Draw a single
scale and convert it to a brush. The most important options here are Rotation and its relativeness to the Path. Again, you need to
experiment with the Spacing to get it right.
Step 5
Draw a line of scales on the nger.
Step 6
If it stands out too much, you can lower the Opacity.
Step 7
Now just copy the nger and its scales to get all the claw done.
Step 8
This step is optional. If you think it already looks oK., skip it, but if you want to blend the ngers together, you can use a gradient like
this:
Step 9
Build the second claw of two ngers. When it comes to their scales, use Eraser Tool (Shift + E) to remove some of their sides and x
the perspective. Then, add some brown mesh blob to create a shadow of the claws. Don't forget about changing the edges' Opacity
to 0% for better blending.
10. Render the Bird's Tail

Step 1
We could've built the tail with a brush, but I think there's no need to create one for the main feathers. There's just a few of them, and
they should be precisely placed. So, draw one feather in quite light color.
Step 2
Change its Blending Mode to Multiply and the Opacity to 60%.
Step 3
Copy and paste the feather to create a whole tail. You can turn the second template off to see it better.
Step 4
Duplicate all the feathers and Unite the copy through Pathnder panel. Fill the shape with white.
Step 5
Put the copy under originals to see the result.
Step 6
Now there is a need to create new brush. Can you see this pattern in the upper part of the tail? We're going to simulate it with little
feathers like this:
Step 7
That's how you can do it:
11. Add Shading to the Tail's Shading

Step 1
The tail is placed under the eagle's body and it denitely needs to be shaded. Draw a shape like this, then convert it to Mesh and add
some points around the edges (you probably know what we're going to do next).
Step 2
Add a gradient look to the mesh to create shading and shadow.
Step 3
Draw some lights with a tapered brush, just a little.
Step 4
There should be a shade on the opposite side. It will be a similar process to shading of the barrow. Can you remember it?
Step 5
Again, put a black and white gradient on it (Compound the Path to unite the gradient - Control + 8) and change the Blending Mode to
Multiply, Opacity to 60%.
Step 6
Draw some darker edges of feathers on this side.
Step 7
Change its Blending Mode to Soft Light and Opacity to 20%.
We're quite far now!
12. Draw the Eagle Wing

Step 1
Here comes the most interesting part. Wings have complicated structure and it needs to be understood rst. Get round to take a
good look at the scheme below. As you can see, a wing is built of layers. Each of them is made of different kind of feathers - rst
short and round, then longer and sharp. One layer covers another.
Step 2
First, let's cover this hardly visible part with some general shapes. We'll take care of it later.
Step 3
Use the brush we've created before for the barrow. Cover only the part shown below. The rest of it needs more precise treatment.
You can also use this brush to cover the general shape from the step before.
Step 4
Create new brush like this (yes, it's just part of the previous one). The direction is very important!
Step 5
Use your new brush to ll the rest of the "green layer".
Step 6
Time for another brush - it will make these tiny feathers on the top, highlighted by the sun.
Step 7
Just like this. Don't go too regular on this, these feathers should seem to blend into the others.
Step 8
To ll the areas you are most likely left with, draw a shape like this shape under the feathers. Use a dark color for it.
Step 9
As you can see, another (pink) layer is built of slightly longer feathers. Zoom your reference in and look at these feathers, then try to
draw one of them. You don't need to be perfectly accurate, just keep the colors (avoid gradients - brushes don't like them).
Step 10
Rotate your feather to vertical position and convert it to a brush.
Step 11
The situation gets complicated now. Some of the feathers should be placed in a row - you can draw them easily with your brush - but
the rest, on the left, are placed radially. We'll need another brush for it.
Step 12
Use the same base as before, just rotate it a bit. The exact angle is hard to dene, you may need to experiment with it.
Step 13
That's how it should look:
Step 14
Another layer will be quite similar to the previous. Here's the base feather for this:
Step 15
And again, it'll work well for the row, but for this "hand" structure you'll need...
Step 16
...a bit rotated version of the same brush. Just to get this result:
Step 17
Here (yellow-green) we can nd much longer and bigger feathers. You know what to do with them (as you probably noticed, it's more
like guessing than copying the feathers).
Step 18
The radial "hand" structure is less visible here, still you need to take care of it too.
Step 19
The last (red) layer contains only radial structure. It's just a few feathers, so my advice is not to create any brush for it and place
them all manually.
Step 20
You can use Eraser Tool (Shift + E) to make the feathers more realistic.
Step 21
The wing is done! But we're not nished yet.
13. Create the Other Wing

Step 1
Copy all of the wing and move it to the right. Make sure you've copied all the feathers (locked layers are not copied).
Step 2
Go to Object > Transform > Reect and choose Vertical to reect the wing. Resize it and rotate to t the reference (perspective
makes this wing look shorter).
Step 3
Some of the feathers are placed at different angle (it's perspective again). Rotate them so that they're closer to the body.
14. Create the Background

Step 1
We need some simple sky for our eagle to y. Draw a blue Rectangle (M) for it under all the layers (hide the reference layers, you
don't need them anymore).
Step 2
Use the Mesh Tool (U) to put some colors in the sky.
15. Add Highlights

Step 1
We've got a sky, and there's a lot of light in the sky, both direct and reected. I placed the light source behind the eagle, in the left
upper corner, so our bird needs to be lighted from behind. To create any light draw a shape around the place you try to lighten.
Step 2
Then put a gradient on it. Use the colors of the sky. Adjust the angle to the angle of the part you're lightening - the upper part should
be strongly visible, the lower should blend into the rest of the body (0% Opacity).
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Step 3
Locate all the lights and create them. Use all the colors you see on the sky - here the right wing should be lighted in pink, the left -
blue.
Awesome Work, You're Done!

That's all! Now you know how to create any brush you need, how to use gradients for shading and how to blend meshes into
background. Good job!
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Monika Zagrobelna
Poland
I'm a Polish artist with a long experience in doing useless, but creative things. Since I realized how bad I was after all these years, I
decided to take fate into my own hands and actually study things in order to draw them properly. My tutorials are the result of
thorough studies - I hope they help you as they helped me!
mzagrobelna
mzagrobelna
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Jointhediscussion
Elron4yearsago
INCREDIBLE.
2 Reply Share
Ivan4yearsago
Amazing.Justamazing...
1 Reply Share
kiziyepi4yearsago
AWESOME!!!!Thisisthecruxofemotionalintelligence.Thankyouforagreatpost!IwishIcandoallofthatinashortperiodoftimefollowingyourguide.
Thankssomuch!
Reply Share
MonikaZagrobelna>kiziyepi4yearsago
goodluck:)
Reply Share
Daniel4yearsago
impossible!!!
Reply Share
MonikaZagrobelna>Daniel4yearsago
justtryit)
Reply Share
MarkThomas4yearsago
That'sawonderfulpieceofillustration,welldone!
Whileit'smuchmoresophisticatedthananythingIusuallyworkon,it'snicetoseesomeoneelsewhostartstheirdrawingprocesswiththedetails.I
thoughtitwasjustme.
Reply Share
MonikaZagrobelna>MarkThomas4yearsago
IdoitonlywhenIuseareference,asalltheelementsIneedtodrawareclearlydefinedfromthestart.Inmorecreativeprocessit'susuallybetter
tostartwithgeneralshapes:)
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06/03/2017 CreateaBaldEagleIllustrationforIndependenceDayinAdobeIllustrator

DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION > ILLUSTRATION

Create a Bald Eagle Illustration for Independence Day in Adobe

Illustration Vector Adobe Illustrator

1. Prepare Your File

2. Create the Eye

3. Draw the Eye Surroundings

4. Create the Beak

...and it's done!

5. Create the Eagle Head

6. Add Shading to the Head

7. Rendering the Eagle's Body

8. Adding Shading to the Barrow

This is where we are now:

9. Vector the Claws

10. Render the Bird's Tail

Put the copy under originals to see the result.

11. Add Shading to the Tail's Shading

We're quite far now!

12. Draw the Eagle Wing

The wing is done! But we're not nished yet.

13. Create the Other Wing

14. Create the Background

15. Add Highlights

Awesome Work, You're Done!

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