Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator
In this tutorial we are going to take a look at how to create a really easy landscape scene in Adobe Illustrator. This can be used in a number of different ways, from a desktop wallpaper to a website header. The best part is that since it is in illustrator after we are done you can size is however size you would like. Lets get started.
What you are going to need:
Adobe Illustrator
Step 1
Open up a new document at 10inx10in and change the color to RGB.
Step 2
First off we are going to change our color to green (R: 51 G: 160 B: 44).
Note: If your color palette is not set to RGB, you can click on the arrow icon on the top left of that color window and select RGB.
Using the pen tool we are going to start at the bottom and put points on both the corners, then go up a little bit and put a point on the left edge. Finally we are going to put two points in the middle at the top, then one point of the right edge, and connect the box at the starting point.
With the pen tool still selected, Alt and click on the first middle point on the top line and holding down Shift, move it down two spots.
Alt and click on the second middle point and holding Shift, move it up two spots.
Step 3
Go to each of the middle two points and holding down Alt and Shift, click and drag each of the points to the right, so you get a nice smooth line, like so.
Step 4
Now we are going to add a gradient to the object. Click on the color on the right in the gradient window (F9) and change it to R: 171 G: 218 B: 77. The second color is going to be R: 51 G: 160 B: 44.
Click on the gradient tool in the toolbar and choose the gradient tool. Click and drag the gradient from the top down until you get something you like.
Step 5
Click on your Selection Tool (V), now do Control + C, Control + F. This will copy and paste in place our object.
Go to Object>Transform>Reflect and reflect vertical.
Hold down shift and move the first hill up two spaces.
Step 6
Now we are going to change the gradient to R:138 G:200 B:25 on the left, and R:51 G:160 B:44 on the right.
Click and drag the gradient so you have something like I have. We also want to adjust the back grass hill so it is something like what I have so there is some contrast in the hills.
Step 7
To create the sky we are going to make a box and fill it with a gradient of R: 139 G: 211 B: 229 on the left and R: 255 G: 255 B: 255 on the right.
Step 8
We are now going to create a sun. Click and drag a circle and move it behind the hills by clicking on Control + [ until you are behind the hills but in front of the sky. Click and drag the circle so that the middle is resting somewhere near the intersection of the two hills.
We are now going to change the color so it is a yellow gradient. Change the left color to R: 254 G: 222 B: 88 and the right one to R: 237 G: 179 B: 41. Click and drag the gradient so that the darker part is towards the bottom.
Step 9
To get the sunrays, first click on the sun and do Control + C, Control + F to copy and paste the object in the same place.
Click on the Crystallize tool. Now double click on the Crystallize tool to get it’s options, and change the setting somewhere around 2.75in. It is going to vary depending on how big you made your sun. The goal is to get the Crystallize tool’s brush to be bigger than the sun.
Click and hold the brush right in the middle of the sun. The rays will “grow” out of the circle.
Step 10
Change the color of the rays to R: 237 G: 179 B: 41 and using Control + [ move the rays behind the sun.
Make the rays bigger click on the Selection tool (V) and then holding Alt + Shift, click and drag it out.
Step 11
To make the clouds all we are going to do is us the Ellipse tool to click and drag some circles that overlap each other.
The key to making a good cloud is to start with a bigger circle and build off it with smaller ones.
Once you get a cloud you like click, hold down shift and click on each circle so they are all selected, then click “add to shape area” in the pathfinder window (Shift + F9), and then expand.
Add a cloud on the other side of the sun, and do the same thing.
Step 12
To add the road we are first going to take the pen tool and make three points like so. Change the color to R: 51 G: 51 B:51.
Step 13
To get the curve of the road, hold down Alt, then click and drag the anchor point to the left to pull out the arms. Click on the left arm and bring it down and to the left, and do the same thing with the right point so you have something like what I have. This will give you a nice smooth line.
Step 14
To get rid of the extra area we first want to click on the back hill and copy and paste it in place (Control + C, Control + F). Hold down shift and click on the road so both the hill and road are selected. In the pathfinder click on the “intercept shape area”, and expand.
Click Control + [ until the road goes behind the front hill.
Step 15
To get the road on the front hill, Control + C and Control + F, then bring our copied road to the front of all the layers with Control + Shift ].
Enlarge the road so it fits on the front hill.
Step 16
We want to repeat step 14 to get all the extra pieces of the road to go away.
Click on the Direct Selection tool (A) and click the two bottom corners of the closer road. Hold down shift and move the left one to the left a couple times, and the right one to the right. This will give the road a better perspective.
Step 17
To make some pine trees we are first going to make a box that is slightly wider than tall.
We are going to use are smart guides, you can pull them up by with Control + U.
Using the pen tool, create a point in the middle of the top of the box. Then click on the top two corner points to get rid of them, so you end up with a triangle.
Step 18
Go to Effect>Stylize>Rounded Corners. This will give us less sharp corners to add a smoother look.
Before we can resize the triangle, go to Object>Expand Appearance. This will add points to our rounded corners and they will now change size with the rest of the triangle.
Step 19
Use Control + C, Control + F to copy and past in place. Then holding down Shift + Alt shrink down the triangle and move it up. Repeat this two more times so you have four sections total.
Step 20
To give the tree a sort of shadow we are going to add a gradient. Change the left color to R: 22 G: 88 B: 41 and the right color to R: 15 G: 160 B: 44.
Click and drag from the top down for the bottom three sections and the bottom up for the last one because the light is coming from the top on that one.
Step 21
Group the tree with Control + G. Now you can place the tree around. I am going to put them behind the first hill just because they don’t really have much of a bottom.
Final
There you have it, a quick, easy way to get a nice looking landscape for any need you may want.
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nice landscape, thanks for the tut..
Very cute tut. Nice one: )
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[...] Create An Easy Landscape Scene In Illustrator [...]
practical
Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator…
In this tutorial we are going to take a look at how to create a really easy landscape scene in Adobe Illustrator. This can be used in a number of different ways, from a desktop wallpaper to a website header.
…
Nice practical step-by-step guideline.
nice practical for newbies.
Thanks for this tutorial! It was easy to do as a beginner and great practice.
Simple and beautiful!
[...] Enlace | Como crear un paisaje fácilmente en Illustrator [...]
Great work it’s a fantastic step by step tuto congratulations and go ahead! I mentioned in my blog, greetings!
I’ve always wanted to know how to use illustrator, you made it look so easy I’ll have to try it out! Thanks!
Beautiful ..
really nice and easy illustrator tutorial
Featured here: http://www.presidiacreative.com/best-of-the-web-29/
thanks, beauty landscape
Hey, ok, I get it, I guess – but does this really work?
I’m having trouble making the road look nice. I can’t get it to curve like that. The left side won’t work (can’t get it to curve). I must be doing something wrong but I don’t know what. Can anyone help?
Naomi: Make sure you click and drag the arms like I have in the image. The only ones you are going to move is the one coming from the top point.
Using Alt, click and drag the point so you get your arms to come out. Alt and drag the arms like I have and it should give you a smooth curve.
Nice and very easy to follow !
Nice and Easy. Thanks a lot.
[...] Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator | Denis Designs – [...]
Tyler, thank you for helping but somehow I still can’t get it to work. It’s the only thing that’s not going well. Somehow I don’t get my anchor points to do that. I made a screencapture to show you what my anchor points are doing.
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/1775/helpinn.jpg
I know I must be doing something wrong, but being a newbie I absolutely do not know what.
Naomi:
If you hold down Alt, you can drag each arm individually like I have in step 13. Also you only need to do this to the top point, and you should get the outcome I have.
really beautiful landscape scene and there is really informative tips and tricks in whole tutorial.
Very beautiful tutorial, thanks ;)
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This was quick & easy. Nice tutorial.
- Pixellicious Photos
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Hey thanks for this tut, I’ve learnt se great new illustrator
skills – and lovely landscape!
Thanks for ths lovely landscape tut. try drawing some for children like me so we could use it for projects .
you can use the shape tool set it to 3 sides for triangle, to do the trees. nice tut. this illustrated style is still hot right now
hahaha! cool and cut. Reminds me of happy tree friends.
[...] Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator [...]
[...] Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator [...]
Thank you for the tutorial :D
[...] Create an easy landscape scene in Illustrator [...]
surprise with in small steps
nice post. thanks.