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 Technique 61

Illustrator and
Photoshop CS4
Using
blends to
create depth 01
Working with vectors Generally, before I begin my work I already have an idea of how an image is
going to look. Although experiments and accidents also play a big part, and I try to

needn’t be flat, says Sara

follow these initial ideas through in both colour and form. First, create a new
Illustrator document.

Haraigue, if you know how

to breathe life into them
through dynamic use of
Illustrator and Photoshop
It’s important to know the possibilities offered by blends,
gradients and masks for lighting your graphic compositions and
adding depth of colour to detailed shapes within them. And this
tutorial will show you just what you can do with the tools available
in Photoshop and Illustrator.
In this step-by-step we’ll use blends in Illustrator to
experiment with the fine details on a piece, adding very subtle lines,
textures and tones – something that isn’t always easy to do with
vector shapes. We’ll then import the image into Photoshop, taking
advantage of Smart Objects, before creating custom shapes,
adding layer effects and making colour adjustments.

02 Here, I’ve started to draw lines in Illustrator with the Pen tool. As I’ve
mentioned, it’s always better if you have a pre-established idea in your head in order to
create what you really want. Next we’ll use the Blend tool to connect these lines.

03 Double-click
on the Blend tool in
the main tool panel to
bring up the Blend
Sara Haraigue On the disc Time needed
Options dialog. Choose
Currently based in The graphic 2 hours Specified Steps from
Paris, Sara is a elements used at the the drop-down menu
freelance graphic beginning of this
Skills
and enter a value. I’ve
designer and tutorial can be found entered 100 to get the
Using colour
illustrator whose in DiscContents\ look I’m after – that
masks to
collaborations Resources\Haraigue
include work with
add detail of transparent fabric,
Using light or voile.
Théo Génnitsakis,
effects and blurs
Neutura, Benjamin
Adding noise
Savignac and Pierre
Adding gradients
Nguyen. Sara is
to shapes
represented by
Elegangz (www.
elegangz.com) and
Creasenso (www.
creasenso.fr) in
France. For more
check out www.
lookatmedesign.com

www.computerarts.co.uk Computer Arts May 2009

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 62
04 To apply the blend either select the Blend tool and
click on each line to join them or select both lines you want to
blend and go to Object>Blend>Make. You can still edit the path,
so push and pull the shape around as you please, adding points
if necessary.
06 The idea is to build up these elements and forms to create volume, giving a
3D effect. I’ve also created two objects, applied a Radial Gradient then blended these
objects using Specified Steps set at 200 to create a new shape.
08 You can now import your composition into Photoshop
to add more colours and effects. The easiest way to do this is to
select everything, Copy it and then Paste it into Photoshop.
Import it as a Smart Object so you can resize the objects at will
and change it back in Illustrator (by double-clicking the layer) if
needs be. Change the background layer colour to something
that complements your vector design.
Computer Arts May 2009
ART161.tut_pshop2 62
05 Next, I create a few more shapes in the same way and add them to the
composition. Change the amount of blend steps, as well as using the Warp, Pucker and
Twirl tools to create some variation in the piece.
07 To create gradients on the lines I’ve added, first you
need to expand the paths so they become editable shapes
(rather than paths), otherwise the gradient will work as a fill
rather than be applied to the line itself. Select the paths and go
to Object>Expand. Then, using the Gradient panel, create your
colour blend...
09 We want to be able to add colours to the vector shape directly in Photoshop,
so need to create a clipping mask. Create a new layer above your Smart Object layer, go
to the Layers palette and, holding down Alt/Option, click between the new layer and
the Smart Object layer. Now you’ll have a clipping mask, so you can add colours (I
recommend using a big, soft brush). You can remove the mask at any time by repeating
the Alt/Option process.
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20/3/09 12:35:26 pm
 Technique 63

VisualguCideVto
In pictures: a
rk of
the career and wo
iters
our Technique wr

Sara
Haraigue
The designer/illustrator
selects five of her
favourite past projects
Thin series – 2008
10 It’s time to add some more elements to the For this poster series
composition. Create some circles or other custom shapes 11 If you want to create a glow I worked around the
(using the Ellipse tool or Custom Shape tool). Double-click the around your composition, create a new theme of elasticity,
newly created layer in the Layers palette (not the shape or layer layer between the Smart Object layer using different
mask, the actual layer) to bring up the Layer Styles dialog box. and the background, and paint around floating forms and
I’ve used a Radial gradient to add volume, but experiment with the composition with the Brush tool, contorting the
the effects here to get the look you’re after. using a low opacity and a light colour. material to bring
Then use Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur to focus to the detail of
blend the paint into the background and the slim lines.
make it feel more like natural light.
Electro Caramel
podcast graphic – 2008
The artwork was was
commissioned by a new
radio station based in in
France, Electro Caramel.
I made a fudge-like material look
animated, the sense of movement
reflecting the radio station’s constant
exploration of all kinds of electronic music.

Scratch poster
series – 2008
The idea for this
series was to create
a crazed repetition of
lines. Each form
12 I usually add a very slight gradation to the symbolises an
bottom of the image so the image doesn’t feel too flat. To 13 Now to the finishing touches. I emotional state,
do this I use another custom shape, between the painted flatten the image, and to make it less ‘cold’ I such as patience
light and background layer, and play with the angle and use the Add Noise filter on a very low setting or obsession.
opacity of the Gradient Layer Style until I’m happy with (3%). This immediately makes the image more
the blending. interesting and ‘alive’. Decortica album
artwork – 2008
Here I collaborated
14 Finally, I with Pierre Nguyen.
decide to add some We attempted to
basic typography, convey the contrast
integrating it within between brutal and
the composition to atmospheric sounds
add that little bit extra. as we heard them on
Here the different the album.
numbers represent, in
order, the different La Surprise – 2009
skills and techniques I created a typeface
that I used when that conveys the idea
creating this image. of floating in space
to represent the
sense of freshness
and possibility of this
new Parisian
creative agency.

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