Create a Cute Bird With

Geometric Shapes in Adobe

Illustrator
by Beto Garza7 May 2014

What You'll Be Creating

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to draw a cute geometric bird in Adobe Illustrator,
with the use of the Shape Builder tool and Outline Stroke.

The main theme in this illustration is the word “ajua”. This is an expression used
mostly in northern Mexico. When people are having a great time with friends or
family, drinking or singing they yell, “AJUA!!”

1. Create a New Document and Sketch

Step 1
Create a New Document (Command-N), 600 x 642 px in size, and add two layers:

 Illustration
 Sketch
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Step 2
Create a rough sketch of what you'd like the final result to look like, and put it in
layer called Sketch. You can either draw your picture with the Blob Brush Tool
(Shift-B) using a digital tablet or mouse, or do it the traditional way with pencil and
paper and scan or photograph it.
Step 3
Set the Opacity of the sketch to 20% and lock the Sketch layer. Now we can start our
illustration.
2. Set Up the Color Palette
Step 1
First, I chose the four colors shown below. We're going to use the Blend Tool (W) to
create additional color values to add to the finished picture. Use the Rectangle Tool
(M) to create four squares (one of each color, as pictured below) then select the Blend
Tool (W). Click on the turquoise square and then click on the purple square to create
a gradient between them. Do the same for the yellow and red squares.

Step 2
Following the instructions above, you'll have created a color blend that looks
something like the first figure below. To create more specific values of color you need
to select the blend, and with the Blend Tool selected press Enter to see the Blend
Options. In the Spacing section, check the Specified Steps option and add a value
of 5. Now you have 14 color values in total.
Step 3
Finally select both blends and go to Object > Expand and then click OK. Now you
have your color palette.
3. Draw the Bird's Face
Step 1
To draw the bird’s beak, draw a Triangle using the Polygon Tool. To do this, select
the Polygon Tool, hold-click on the canvas and use the arrow keys on your keyboard
to change the number of sides of the shape that appears. Duplicate the triangle twice
and move one of the duplicates upwards. Select both duplicates and then with
the Pathfinder panel select Minus Front. Color the shapes as shown below.

Step 2
Each cheek is made of two Ellipses (L). First, make a small red ellipse for the colored
spot on the cheek.

Then, to create the shape either side of the beak, create a larger ellipse with a 7pt
Stroke. Using the Scissors Tool (C) click on the two points of the ellipse that are
circled in the image below. This separates the section between those two points from
the rest of the ellipse. Use the Selection Tool (V) to select and delete the to delete the
other part of the ellipse, as you don't need it anymore. Then select the shape you've
created, and go to Object > Path > Outline Stroke to convert the stroke to a path.

Move the two shapes into place, and you've created one cheek. Duplicate it and apply
the Reflect Tool (O), then move the shapes into place as per the image below.
Step 3
To draw the eyes we're going to use the same technique as for the cheeks. Start by
creating a circle using the Ellipse Tool (L) with an 9pt stroke. The eyes are upturned
semi-circles, so you need to use the Scissors Tool (C) again to separate the two halves
of the circle. Delete the bottom half, then select the remaining section and
apply Object > Path > Outline Stroke. Duplicate the eye you've created, and move
both shapes into place. The bird’s face is done!
4. Drawing the Bird’s Body
Step 1
To start the bird's body, select the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw a rectangle, as
shown in the image below.

Tip: You can change the roundness of the rectangle by clicking and holding, then
using the up and down arrow keys.

To create the two geometric sections at the top of the bird's head, duplicate the base
figure by copying and pasting in front (Command-F), then use the Eraser Tool
(Shift-E) and hold the Alt key and drag to make straight shapes. Remember to
duplicate the base figure to create more details. Color your three shapes in different
shades of turquoise, referring to the image below.
Tip: If you need to do a straight shape you can achieve them using the Eraser
Tool (Alt and drag) instead of drawing rectangles and using pathfinder. It’s a faster
way to work.
Step 2
Use the Polygon Tool to draw a triangle, and then select the Shape Builder Tool
(Shift-M). The way I use this tool is by selecting the figures I want to modify, and
then clicking on them to convert them to small paths (+ Icon), but if you
press Alt you can erase unnecessary paths (- Icon). Also, you can click and drag to
unite or erase more than one shape.

Tip: When you need to make more than one shape in a base figure you can draw all of
them, then duplicate your base figure, select the paths you need and Unite or Erase as
you need with the Shape Builder tool. You’ll save some time this way, too.
Step 3
Keep duplicating the base figure and using the Eraser Tool to add more and more
details. Finally, add a little triangle to finish the body.
Step 4
Draw a Circle and, using the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), click on the
bottom of the circle and drag the anchor point down, as shown in the image
below. Duplicate your new shape twice, and Rotate (R) and Reflect (O) the
duplicate shapes, arranging them to create the feathers on the bird’s head.

You can add details like the shadow on the feathers by using the Offset Path
Tool (Object > Path > Offset Path) and set it to 13 px. Now you can duplicate the
feather figures and use the Shape Builder Tool like before.
5. Draw the Bird’s Wings and the Hamburger
Step 1
For the wings, just draw a line (as shown in the image below) then use
the Width Tool (Shift-W) to modify it. Finally convert to paths, Duplicate the shape
twice to create three parts for the wing, and create your second wing
by copying and reflecting the one you have.
Step 2
To add more detail simply draw some Rectangles (M) as shown in the reference
picture and color them accordingly. Move them into place, and now our wings are
done!
Step 3
To draw the hamburger, start by drawing three rectangles for the base of the bun, and
add a rounded rectangle for the meat. Add some detail with small circles (remember
to group objects like the circles and use the Align Window to keep everything aligned
to the center of the picture).

Step 4
Now draw a triangle and a rectangle to make the cheese. Select the rectangle and
apply the Zig Zag Effect (Effect > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag). Set
the size to 5px and the ridges per segment to 9.
Step 5
To draw the bread make a rounded rectangle and use the Eraser Tool to cut it in
half (as shown in the image below), then draw a triangle to get the base shape. Add
some triangles and rectangles, duplicate the base figure and use the Shape
Builder tool to add all the details.
6. The Bird's Tail
Step 1
The tail is pretty simple. Just draw two circles, one inside the other, and use
the Eraser Tool to remove the slightly less than half from the bottom. Then draw two
triangles with the Polygon Tool, and use the Shape Builder Tool to get the shapes
shown in the reference image below.

Step 2
Add some details to the tail by using circles and playing with the geometry you
already have. Duplicate and erase paths in a straight line until you're happy with the
configuration of the contrasting shapes and colors.
7. Drawing the Background
Step 1
Start by drawing some rectangles.

Step 2
Add some triangles and a circle.

Step 3
Now that you got all the paths you need, use the Shape Builder Tool.
Step 4
Your shapes should look like the blue ones on the reference image below. Now, paint
them with your color palette.
Step 5
The background should look something like this:
8. Adding Final Details
Step 1
To add more details we are going to draw a heart and a hat. For the heart you need to
draw two circles, then apply Unite in the Pathfinder tool, erase two anchor points
and drag the center anchor point a little lower. Then apply the Convert Anchor
Point Tool (Shift-C) to adjust the nodes, add detail and boom, you're done.

Step 2
The hat is also pretty simple. First draw a rounded rectangle and use
the Scissors tool (C) to remove what you don't need. Refer to the image below for an
example. Convert the Stroke to a Path, add more rounded rectangles and use
the Shape Builder tool to get the shape of the hat. Once you've added color and a few
little details, you're done!
Your picture should look something like this:
Step 3
Add some more details and now our illustration is finished. I've circled the finishing
touches in the image below, but you can use your imagination and add whatever you
want!
Conclusion
Congratulations! Your illustration is finished. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and
learned something new. Keep on drawing, people. Saludos!
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 Beto Garza
Hello! My name is Beto Garza also known as "Helbetico". I'm from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
,Mexico. I've always loved drawing, since I was a kid when I was always doodling with crayons
all over my house walls with my brother. Now it is my line of work professionally, but for me
drawing has been more than just a profession since I can always express myself about anything I
want and be fully satisfied. My inspiration has and will always be cartoons, comic books and
video games.