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Illustrator Tutorial: Create a Shopping Basket

By: Bao Nguyen

In the following tutorial you will learn how to create a shopping basket in Adobe Illustrator. For starters you will learn how to create the main shapes using basic tools (Rectangle, Ellipse tools, Pen…) along with vector shape building techniques (Align, Pathfinder, Clipping Mask…). Next, you will learn how to add color, shading and highlights for your shapes using linear gradient and a bunch of effects. Finally, you will learn how to create a simple background and add a subtle shadow for your shopping basket.

Create a New document

  1. Launch Illustrator and then press (Ctrl + N) to create a New Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 1000 in the width box and 750 in the height box then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box is unchecked before you click OK.

Create the Shopping Basket

2. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 634 by 170px black rectangle. Next pick the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the top-right anchor point of the newly created rectangle and move it 60px to the left. Continue select the top-left anchor point and move it 60px to the right. Now reselect the object created in this step and go to the Effect > Stylize > Round Corners… Enter a 40px Radius and click OK. Keep the resulting object selected and go to the Object > Expand Appearance.

3. With the help of the Pen Tool (P), create a red object like you see in the first image. Now select the black object created in step 2 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it, then replace the existing stroke color of the copy with blue. Next pick the Direct Selection Tool (A), select two bottom anchor points of the blue object and move them 44px Focus on the last image, keep working with the Direct Selection Tool (A), extend the lower handles of the two anchor points highlighted with magenta.

4. Select four anchor points highlighted with red and move them 15px Now select the black object created in step 2 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Still having the copy selected, hold down Shift and click on the blue object. Then open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Minus Back button. The resulting object should look like the last image below.

5. Before you continue, select the black and the red object, then make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of them. Keep these copies selected, open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Minus Front Remove the stroke of the resulting object and then fill it with the linear gradient as shown in the second image. Next select the blue object created in step 4, remove its stroke and fill this object with the linear gradient as shown in the third image. Finally select the black and the red object again and bring them to front (Ctrl +Shift +Right Square Bracket).

6. Select the red object created in step 3 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Remove the stroke of the copy and then fill it with the linear gradient as shown in the first image. Next send the resulting shape to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket). Now select the red object created in step 3, change the stroke weight to 2px and replace the existing stroke color with the linear gradient as shown in the second image. Then apply the Width Profile 2 for the resulting object. Continue select the black object created in step 2, change the stroke weight to 3px and replace the existing stroke color with the linear gradient as shown in the last image. Finally apply the Width Profile 2 for the resulting object.

7. Select the lower shape created in step 5 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Keep this copy selected, swap the fill and stroke colors by clicking the bent double-headed arrow next to the Fill and Stroke color swatches in the Toolbox. Replace the existing stroke color of the resulting object with very soft red (#f79ea4) and then apply the Width Profile 1 for it. Focus on the second image, select two anchor points highlighted with blue and click on the “Cut path at selected anchor points” icon from the Properties This make the object becomes two paths. Select and remove the upper path.

8. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 570 by 207px blue rectangle, then place it to the position like you see in the first image. With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the bottom-left anchor point of the newly created rectangle and move it 66px to the right. Next select the bottom-right anchor point and move it 66px to the left. Reselect the blue object created in this step and go to the Effect > Stylize > Round Corners… Enter a 34px Radius and click OK. Keep the resulting object selected and go to the Object > Expand Appearance.

9. Select the blue object created in step 8, remove its stroke and fill this object with the linear gradient like you see in the second image. Then send the resulting shape to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket). Still having this shape selected and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Next replace the existing fill color of the copy with new linear gradient as shown in the last image. At this point your shopping basket should look like in the last image.

10. Select the second shape created in step 5 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Keep this copy selected and go to the Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow… Follow the data like you see in the first image and click OK. Now select the second shape created in step 9 and make a copy of it, then bring the copy to front (Ctrl +Shift +Right Square Bracket). Still having the copy selected, hold down Shift and click on the shape with shadow effect applied in this step. Right-click on the artboard and then select the Make Clipping Mask section from the drop-down menu. Finally hide the clipping set behind the second shape created in step 5.

11. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 18 by 132px yellow rectangle. With the help of the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the top-right anchor point of the newly created rectangle and move it 1px to the right. Next select the top-left anchor point and move it 1px to the left. Next place this yellow object to the position like you see in the third image. Make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of the yellow object and then place the copy to the position as shown in the fourth image. With the help of the Direct Selection Tool (A) and the Shift, select two top anchor points of the newly created object and then move them 23px to the left. Now select the two yellow objects created in this step and go to the Effect > Stylize > Round Corners… Enter a 7px Radius and click OK. Still having the resulting objects selected and go to the Object > Blend > Blend Options… Follow the data like you see in the last image and click OK. Then go to the Object > Blend > Make (Ctrl +Alt +B). Keep the blended object selected and go to the Object > Blend > Expand. Next press (Ctrl +Shift +G) to ungroup the resulting group.

12. Select five yellow objects and go to the Object > Transform > Reflect… Check the Vertical and click Copy. Keep the copies selected, replace the existing stroke color with green and then press (Ctrl +G) to group them. Still having the resulting group selected, hold down Shift and click on the right yellow object. Release the Shift and click on the right yellow object again (to fixed its position). Open the Align panel (Window > Align) and click on the Horizontal Align Left Reselect the group created in this step and press (Ctrl +Shift +G) to ungroup it. Next select the left green object and remove it. Finally select remaining four green objects and replace the existing stroke color with yellow.

13. Select all yellow objects and go to the Object > Transform > Scale… Check the Uniform, enter a 88% in the Scale box and click Copy. Replace the existing stroke color of these copies with green and then place them to the positions like you see in the second image.

14. Select all green objects created in step 13 and go to the Object > Expand Appearance. Keep these resulting objects selected, hold down Shift and click on the first shape created in step 6. Then open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Minus Front Then hide the resulting shape to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket).

15. Select the left yellow object and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Replace the existing stroke color of the copy with blue and then move it 4px to the right. Next select the yellow object as shown in the second image and make a copy of it. Replace the existing stroke color of this copy with blue and then move it 2px Now select two blue objects and go to the Object > Blend > Blend Options… Follow the data like you see in the last image and click OK. Then go to the Object > Blend > Make (Ctrl +Alt +B). Keep the blended object selected and go to the Object > Blend > Expand. Then press (Ctrl +Shift +G) to ungroup the resulting group.

16. Before you continue, select all yellow objects and go to the Object > Expand Appearance. Now select the left yellow and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Still having this copy selected, hold down Shift and click on the left blue object. Then open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Minus Front Next replace the existing stroke color of the resulting object with black. Likewise, repeat the same process as the previous steps to create more black objects. Also you can see them all in the final image.

17. Select four black objects as shown in the first image and go to the Object > Transform > Reflect… Check the Vertical and click Copy. Then press (Ctrl +G) to group the copies. Still having the newly created group selected, hold down Shift and click on the right yellow object. Release the Shift and click on the right yellow object again (to fixed its position). Then open the Align panel (Window > Align) and click on the Horizontal Align Right Finally reselect the group created in this step and press (Ctrl +Shift +G) to ungroup it.

18. Select all yellow objects and the second shape created in step 9. Then open the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click on the Minus Front Next hide the resulting shape behind the clipping set created in step 10. Now select all black objects, remove their strokes and then fill them with very soft red (#fbc1c2).

19. At this point your shopping basket should look like in the next image:

Create the Handles

20. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create two curved paths like you see in the first and the second image. Once your paths are drawn, reselect them, then right-click on the artboard and select the Join section from the drop-down menu. Do this again to connect these two paths become a closed path like you see in the last image.

21. Select the blue object created in step 20 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F), then replace the existing stroke color of the copy with yellow. Focus on the first image, select two anchor points highlighted with yellow and click on the “Cut path at selected anchor points” icon from the Properties This make the yellow object becomes two paths. Select and remove the longer path. Now pick the Pen Tool (P) and create a turquoise curved path like you see in the next last image. Once your path is drawn, reselect it and the remaining yellow path created in this step. Right click on the artboard and then select the Join section from the drop-down menu. Next right click on the artboard again, then select the Join section. The resulting object should look like the last image below.

22. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create a yellow object like you see in the first image. Remove the stroke of the newly created object and fill this object with the linear gradient as shown in the second image. Then send the resulting shape to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket). Continue select the turquoise object, remove its stroke and fill this object with the linear gradient as shown in the next to last image. Next select the blue object, remove its stroke and fill this object with the linear gradient like you see in the last image.

23. Select the second shape created in step 22 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it. Keep this copy selected, swap the Fill and Stroke colors by clicking the bent double-headed arrow next to the Fill and Stroke color swatches in the Toolbox. Change the stroke weight of the resulting object to 2px and replace the existing stroke color with the linear gradient as shown in the first image. Then apply the Width Profile 3 for the resulting object. Now focus on the first image, select two anchor points highlighted with yellow and click on the “Cut path at selected anchor points” icon from the Properties This make the object becomes two paths. Select the shorter path and replace the existing stroke color with black (#090607). Now select the first shape created in step 22 and make a copy of it, then bring the copy to front (Ctrl +Shift +Right Square Bracket). Still having this copy selected, swap the Fill and Stroke colors by clicking the bent double-headed arrow next to the Fill and Stroke color swatches in the Toolbox. Replace the existing stroke color of the resulting object with dark gray (#a0a0a0) and then apply the Width Profile 3 for the resulting object. Focus on the next to last image, select two anchor points highlighted with yellow and click on the “Cut path at selected anchor points” icon from the Properties bar. This make the object becomes two paths. Select and remove the longer path.

24. At this point your shopping basket should look like in the next image:

25. Select all objects of the handle and go to the Object > Transform > Reflect… Check the Vertical and click Copy. Then drag the copies we have just created to the left. Don’t forget to hold the Shift key on the keyboard for straight dragging. Now select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created from beginning step 2 to this time. The shopping basket is ready and looks like in the last image.

Create the Background

26. We’re done with the shopping basket. It’s time for the background now. With the help of the Rectangle Tool (M) and the Gradient Tool (G), create a 1000 by 745px rectangle as shown in the first image. Next place the shopping basket into the newly created background.

27. We are going to start making shadow for the shopping basket to give it more of a 3D look. Pick the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the Toolbox, simply click on the artboard. Enter the data like you see in the first image and click OK. Then place the newly created rectangle to the position as shown in the image below. Remove the stroke of this rectangle and fill it with black (#000000). Still having the resulting rectangle selected and go to the Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur… Enter a 6px Radius and click OK. Finally hide the resulting rectangle behind the shopping basket.

Here is what the completed design looks like: