Adobe Illustrator can be a little tricky to get your hands around, particularly after getting used to the workflow of applications like Photoshop. The differences between layer use and the creation of objects and shapes can be really strange at first hand.

In this tutorial I will show you how to create a Cool Beard Trimmer in Adobe Illustrator using some basic vector shape building techniques. I would also show you how to add depth and shading for shapes using complex gradients, Mesh tool, the Pathfinder options and some basic blending techniques.

Final Result

Let’s see what you will be creating in this tutorial.

Create a Cool Beard Trimmer in Illustrator

Step 1

Let’s start by creating a New document (Control + N). Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 800 in the width and height boxes then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box is unchecked. Click OK

Step 2

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 160 x 545px rectangle shape. Fill it with a light blue.

Step 3

Take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image) and drag them inward 20px respectivly.

Step 4

The Live Corners feature is only available for CC users. The best solution to replace this effect would be the Round Any Corner script that can found in this article: Scripts for Adobe Illustrator (JavaScript) that you can also download directly here. Grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) and select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image), go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 50px.

Step 5

Now take the Ellipse tool (L), create a 85 x 45px shape and place it as shown in the following image. Send this shape to the back by choosing Object > Arrange > Send to Back. Select our blue shape and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Then select the shape made in this step and our blue copy and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel.

Step 6

Grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) and select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image), go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 20px.

Step 7

Make sure that your blue shape is selected. Take the Pen Tool (P) and add four anchor points as shown in the following image. Now with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image) and drag them outward 10px respectivly. Then select the two anchor points highlighted by the blue circles and drag them inward 3px respectivly.

Step 8

Take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image) and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 15px. Select the two anchor points highlighted by the blue circles and click the Convert selected anchor points to smooth button in the top panel.

Step 9

Make sure that our blue shape is selected and go to Effect > Warp > Arc Upper. Enter the settings shown below. Then go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 10

Select our blue shape and make two copies in front (Control-C > Control-F> Control-F). Select the top copy and move it 40px to the top. Then select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 240 x 530px rectangle shape.

Step 11

Now select the rectangle shape made in the previous step and the top copy of our blue shape and click the Unite button from the pathfinder panel. Select the resulting shape and the other copy of our blue shape and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. You should have a resulting shape as shown in the last image.

Step 12

We’ll give a little color to it all. Select the bottom shape and fill it with gradient as shown. Then select the second shape and fill it with gradient as shown below.

Step 13

In this step we are going to add a gradient mesh. Take the Mesh Tool (U) and just click on top of our blue shape as shown in the following image to create the mesh. Then with the Direct Selection Tool (A), click in the middle area and fill it with #504c4b color. Now fill the other areas as shown in the image.

Step 14

Make sure that our second shape in the bottom is selected and make two copies in front (Control-C > Control-F> Control-F). Select the bottom copy and move it 8px to the top. Now select both copies made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with gradient as shown below.

Step 15

Make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F) of the shape made in the previous step and drag 8px to the top. Fill this shape with gradient as shown below.

Step 16

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 6 x 40px rectangle shape. Fill it with a light blue. Then with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the anchor point highlighted by the red circle and drag it inward 4px. Now select this shape and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 3px Radius, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 17

Select the shape made in the previous step and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Scale this shape and place it as shown in the following image. Select the two blue shapes and click the Divide button from the pathfinder panel. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the indesirable shape and delete it.

Step 18

Fill the first shape with black color and the second shape with gradient as shown below.

Step 19

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 9 x 22px shape with any color and place it as shown in the first image. Select this shape and fill it with gradient as shown below. Reselect our shape, make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F) and scale the height of our copy to 18px.

Step 20

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 9 x 36px shape with any color and place it as shown in the following image. Make sure that this new rectangle stays selected and go to Object > Transform > Rotate. Enter a -2px degrees angle and click OK. Now with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image) and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 65px. Select our shape and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 3px Radius, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 21

Select the shape made in the previous step and make two copies in front (Control-C > Control-F> Control-F). Select the top copy, scale it with the Selection Tool (V) and place it as shown. Then select both copies made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel.

Step 22

Select the resulting shape of the previous step and set his color at #514d4c. Go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and enter the settings as shown below. Then set our first blue shape color at #211d1e.

Step 23

Select all shapes we have made since step 16 and group them (Ctrl + G). Make sure that this group stays selected and go to Object > Transform > Reflect. Enter the settings shown below and click Copy. Drag this copy and place it as shown. Now with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the shape which is selected in the image, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and enter the settings as shown below.

Step 24

Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 80 x 348px rectangle shape. Fill it with a light blue. Take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image) and drag them inward 10px respectivly. Then with these two points anchors still selected, go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 28px.

Step 25

Select our main shape and with the Mesh Tool (U) click where are the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles (in the following image). Take the Pen Tool (P) and drag the anchors points as shown. Then back to our shape made in the previous step and with the Pen Tool (P) still selected add the four anchors points as shown. With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and drag them outward 2px respectivly. Then select the two anchor points highlighted by the blue circles and drag them inward 2px respectivly. Now select the four anchors points and click the Convert selected anchor points to smooth button in the top panel.

Step 26

Select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 10px.

Step 27

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 80 x 19px shape , set any color and place it as shown in the following image. With our new shape still selected go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 10px Radius, click OK and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Now go to Effect > Warp > Arc Lower. Enter the settings shown below, click Ok and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Then go to Object > Path > Offset Path, enter the settings shown below and click Ok.

Step 28

Select the two shapes of previous step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. You should have the following result.

Step 29

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 75 x 30px shape and place it as shown in the following image. Select the shape made in the previous step and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Select our copy and the shape made in this step and click the Divide button from the pathfinder panel. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the indesirables shapes and delete them as shown. Select the oranges shapes and click the Unite button from the pathfinder panel.

Step 30

Take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles, drag them to the bottom as shown and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 18px. Then with our shape still selected make two copies in front (Control-C > Control-F> Control-F). Select the top copy, scale it with the Selection Tool (V) and place it as shown. Now select both copies made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel.

Step 31

We are going to add another gradient mesh. Take the Mesh Tool (U) and just click on top of our blue shape as shown in the following image to create the mesh. Then with the Direct Selection Tool (A), click in the middle area and fill it with #87898d color. Now fill the other areas as shown in the image.

Step 32

Select the shape made in the step 28 and fill it with gradient as shown in the following image. Then select the shape made in the step 29 and fill it with gradient as shown in the following image. At end, select the shape made in the step 30 and fill it with gradient as shown in the following image.

Step 33

Now select our shape made in the step 26, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and enter thes settings shown below.

Step 34

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 41 x 135px shape and place it as shown in the following image. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 20px Radius.

Step 35

Fill the resulting shape of previous step with gradient as shown in the following image. To add deph on this shape click on Add New Fill button in Appearance panel and set the gradient as shown in the last gradient.

Step 36

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 10 x 24px shape and place it as shown in the following image. With our shape still selected go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 5px Radius. Then fill our shape with gradient as shown.

Step 37

Select the shape made in the previous step and make two copies in front (Control-C > Control-F> Control-F). Select the top copy and move it 8px to the bottom. Now select both copies made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with withe color and a 0.5pt Inside stroke with color st at #939598. Low the opacity of our shape to 70%. Then reselect the shape made in the previous step and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the settings as shown.

Step 38

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 10 x 22px shape and place it as shown in the following image. With our shape still selected go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 6px Radius. Then fill our shape with first radialgradient as shown. At the end click on Add New Fill button in Appearance panel and set the gradient as shown in the last gradient.

Step 39

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 140 x 115px shape and place it as shown in the following image. Take the Pen Tool (P) and add two anchors points as shown in the following image. Now with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and drag them outward 15px respectivly.

Step 40

Take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 30px. Then select the two anchor points highlighted by the blue circles and drag them 10px to bottom.

Step 41

Take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 15px.

Step 42

Select the shape made in the previous step and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Scale this copy and place it as shown in the following image. Then select the copy made in this step and the shape of previous step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. Now select the resulting shape, go to Object > Path > Offset Path and enter the settings as shown.

Step 43

Select the five anchor points highlighted by the black circles and drag them to top as shown. Make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F) of this shape and hide this copy. Make also a copy of our blue shape. Now select our shape and the copy of the blue shape and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel.

Step 44

Unhide the shape we have hide in the previous step. Make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F) of this shape. Scale it as shown in the image below. Remake two copies in front (Control-C > Control-F> Control-F). Select the top copy and move it 15px to the top. Now select both copies made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel.

Step 45

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 98 x 28px shape and place it as shown in the following image. With our shape still selected go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 15px Radius and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Then select the resulting shape, the shape we have left in the previous step (Orange shape) and click the Divide button from the pathfinder panel. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the indesirables shapes and delete them as shown. Now select the resulting shape, make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F) and scale it as shown in the image below.

Step 46

Select the two shapes we have made in the previous step and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Now with the copies selected, click the Divide button from the pathfinder panel. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the indesirables shapes and delete them to have the following thin shape as shown.

Step 47

Select the thin shape in the bottom and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Drag this copy to the bottom as shown. Then select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and ajust them correctly as shown.

Step 48

Select the shape made in the step 43 and fill it with gradient as shown in the following image. Then make sure that our shape is still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and enter the settings shown below.

Step 49

Select the thin green shape and fill it with gradient as shown. Then select the bottom yellow shape, set his color at #1c778e, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius at 1,5px.

Step 50

Here, select the pink shape, fill it with #6abbe3 color. Then click on Add New Fill button in Appearance panel and set the gradient as shown in the first gradient. Reclick on Add New Fill button in Appearance panel and set the gradient as shown in the second gradient.

Step 51

Select the thin red shape at the bottom and fill it with gradient as shown. Then select the orange shape and fill it with gradient and stroke as shown in the Appearance panel.

Step 52

Select the following shape as shown in the billow image, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and enter the following settings.

Step 53

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 65 x 22px shape and place it as shown in the following image. With the Pen Tool (P) add two anchors points to our shape as shown. Then take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the blue circles and drag them outward 20px respectivly.

Step 54

In this step, take the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and click the Convert selected anchor points to smooth button in the top panel. Make sure that our shape is still selected, fill it with gradient as shown, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius at 3px.

Step 55

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 22 x 28px shape and place it as shown in the following image. With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the anchor point highlighted by the red circle and drag it 8px to the right. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 6px Radius and go to Object > Expand Appearance.

Step 56

With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 4 x 7px shape and place it as shown in the following image. Now select the shape made in the previous step and fill it with the first gradient as shown in the following image. Then select the shape we have create in this step and fill it with second gradient as shown. Select the two shapes and go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back.

Step 57

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 5 x 9px shape and place it as shown in the following image. With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the anchor point highlighted by the red circle and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 15px. Set the color of our shape at #2e2c2f and go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back.

Step 58

Make sure that the shape we have made in the previous step is selected and make three copies in front (Control-C > Control-F > Control-F > Control-F). Select the top copy and drag it 4pxto the bottom. Select the two top copies made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. Now select the resulting shape and drag it 4px to bottom. Make sure that our resulting shape is still selected, then select the last copy made in this step and click the Intersect button from the pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with #e6e7e8 color.

Step 59

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 5 x 20px shape and place it as shown. Select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and drag them inward 2px respectivly. Set his color at #545351 and go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back.

Step 60

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 5 x 8px shape and place it as shown. Create two another rectangle shape and place them as shown. Select the three shapes made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with gradient as shown. With the Rectangle Tool (M), create a small rectangle fill it with #f1f2f2 color and place it in the bottom of our previous shape. Group the two shapes and place them as shown in the following image.

Step 61

Select the group highlighted by the red circle and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F), go to Object > Transform > Reflect click Ok and place it as shown. Select the shapes made in step 59 and 60, make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F), group them (Ctrl + G), go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform and enter the following settings. Then go to Object > Expand Appearance and delete the shapes highlighted by the red circle. At the end select all shapes made in this step and go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back.

Step 62

Take the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 5 x 52px shape and place it as shown. With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the two anchor points highlighted by the red circles and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open the Round Any Corner Script and drag the slider to 25px. Now click on Add New Fill button in Appearance panel and set the gradient as shown in the first gradient. Reclick on Add New Fill button in Appearance panel and set the gradient as shown in the second gradient.

Step 63

Select the shape we have made in the previous step and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform and enter the following settings, then go to Object > Expand Appearance. Now select the shapes one by one and with the Direct Selection Tool (A) adjust the bottom of shapes as shown. Take the Ellipse tool (L), create a 8 x 1px shape, place it as shown in the following image, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the radius at 1px. Place this shape below the others made in this step.

Final Result

I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects.

Conclusion

As difficult as it looks I’m very sure if you follow my tutorial you will find a lot of help using your skills and images to produce your own creation! Ones again Thank you for using our tutorial, we will be very happy to answer any questions that you may have, You can simply leave a feedback and or a comment below.

Download Result Source Files

• Download .ai Source File (.zip, 0.32 MB)