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Illustrator tutorial: Floral Wreath

In today’s tutorial you will learn how to create a flowers wreath in Adobe Illustrator. We’ll be using simple shapes and applying basic techniques to create each of the elements that are on the wreath. I hope you enjoy the process and learn something new. Let’s get start!

Create a New document

  1. Launch Illustrator and then press (Ctrl + N) to create a New document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 750 in the width box and 730 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 Grayish Violet Flower

2. First of all, we’ll create a central element of the flower. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create a black object like you see in the first image. Reselect the newly created object, remove it stroke and then fill this object with the radial gradient. Next come the petals. With the help of the Pen Tool (P), create five objects as shown in the images below.

3. Once your objects are drawn, reselect the blue petal created in the step 2 and fill it with the radial gradient like you see in the first image. Likewise, repeat the same process for the four remaining petals to apply radial gradient as shown in the images below. Now reselect all five petals, replace the existing stroke color of them with dark violet (# 5a2c8b) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Keep the resulting petals selected, apply the Width Profile 2 for them. Finally select the central element created in the step 2 and bring it to front (Ctrl +Shift +Right Square Bracket)

4. Pick the Selection Tool (V) and double click on the lower-left petal. Next draw a red curved path with the Pen Tool (P) like in the first image. Reselect the newly created path, replace the existing stroke color with dark violet (# 5a2c8b), then apply the Width Profile 1 for the resulting path. Make sure that the Selection Tool (V) is still active, double click on the anywhere outside of the lower-left petal. Now, follow the sequence of images and repeat the same process as the previous steps to add details for the four remaining petals. In the end your flower should look roughly like the last image.

5. With the Selection Tool (V), double click on the lower-left petal. Next pick the Pen Tool (P) and create four curved paths like you see in the first image. Once your paths are drawn, reselect them, replace the existing stroke color of these paths with dark violet (# 5a2c8b) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Then apply the Width Profile 5 for the resulting paths. Make sure that the Selection Tool (V) is still active, double-click on the anywhere outside of the lower-left petal. Before you continue, select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects of the lower-left petal. Now, follow the sequence of images and repeat the same process as the previous steps to add details for the four remaining petals. In the end your flower should look roughly like the last image.

6. We will continue with the other petals. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create five objects like you see in the images below.

7. Once your objects are drawn, reselect the red petal created in the step 6 and fill it with the radial gradient like you see in the first image. Likewise, repeat the same process for the four remaining petals to apply radial gradient as shown in the images below. Now reselect all five petals created in this step, replace the existing stroke color of them with dark violet (# 5a2c8b) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Keep the resulting petals selected, apply the Width Profile 2 for them. Finally send these petals to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket).

8. Next come the flower stamens. Draw some slightly curved paths with the Pencil Tool (N) as shown in the first image. Reselect the newly created paths, replace the existing stroke color with pale magenta (# ffb2ff) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Then apply the Width Profile 5 for the resulting paths. Focus on the third image, pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and create some white ellipses (# ffffff). Now select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created from beginning step 2 to this time. The grayish violet flower is ready and looks like in the last image.

Create a Second Flower

9. We will continue with another grayish violet flower. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create a very dark violet shape (# 3b1b5f) like you see in the first image. Next come with the petals. With the help of the Pen Tool (P), create five objects as shown in the images below.

10. Once your objects are drawn, reselect the black petal created in the step 9 and fill it with the radial gradient like you see in the first image. Likewise, repeat the same process for the four remaining petals to apply radial gradient as shown in the images below. Now reselect all five petals created in this step, replace the existing stroke color of them with dark violet (# 5a2c8b) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Keep the resulting petals selected, apply the Width Profile 2 for them. Finally select the central element created in the step 9 and bring it to front (Ctrl +Shift +Right Square Bracket).

11. Pick the Selection Tool (V) and double click on the lower petal. Next draw a red curved path with the Pen Tool (P) like in the first image. Reselect the newly created path, replace the existing stroke color with dark violet (# 5a2c8b), then apply the Width Profile 1 for the resulting path. Make sure that the Selection Tool (V) is still active, double click on the anywhere outside of the lower petal. Now, follow the sequence of images and repeat the same process as the previous steps to add details for the four remaining petals.

12. With the Selection Tool (V), double click on the lower-left petal. Next pick the Pen Tool (P) and create four curved paths like you see in the first image. Once your paths are drawn, reselect them, replace the existing stroke color of these paths with dark violet (# 5a2c8b) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Then apply the Width Profile 5 for the resulting paths. Make sure that the Selection Tool (V) is still active, double click on the anywhere outside of the lower-left petal. Before you continue, select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects of the lower-left petal. Now, follow the sequence of images and repeat the same process as the previous steps to add details for the four remaining petals. In the end your flower should look roughly like the last image.

13. We will continue with the other petals. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create five objects like you see in the images below. Once your objects are drawn, reselect them and fill these objects with light grayish blue (# d9e8f9). Keep the resulting shapes selected, replace the existing stroke colors of them with dark violet (# 5a2c8b) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Still having the resulting petals selected, apply the Width Profile 2 for them. Finally send these petals to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket).

14. It’s time to draw the flower stamens. Draw some slightly curved paths with the Pencil Tool (N) as shown in the first image. Reselect the newly created paths, replace the existing stroke color with pale magenta (# ffb2ff) and change the stroke weight to 2px. Focus on the second image, pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and create some white ellipses (# ffffff). Now select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created from beginning step 9 to this time. The second flower is ready and looks like in the last image.

Create the Grayish Blue Flower

15. Select the flower created in the step 14 and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it, then place the copy to another position. Still having the newly created flower selected, press (Ctrl +Shift +G) to ungroup it. Next select five petals as shown in the first image and remove them. Now reselect all remaining objects of the flower and go to the Object > Transform > Transform Each… Follow the data like you see in the third image and click OK.

16. Now we’ll recolor the newly created flower. Pick the Direct Selection Tool (A) and click on the main shape of the right petal to select it. Open the Gradient palette (Window > Gradient) and change the colors of the gradient stops as shown in the first image. Likewise, repeat the same process for the four remaining petals like you see in the second image. Now reselect five petal groups and replace the existing stroke color with very dark blue (# 3e5867). Continue recolor the central element and the stamens of this flower as shown in the two next-to-last images. The grayish blue flower is ready and looks like in the last image.

Create another Grayish Blue Flower

17. Now select the flower created in the step 16 and go to the Object > Transform > Transform Each… Follow the data like you see in the first image and click Copy, then move the copy to new position. Now follow the sequence of images and repeat the same process as the step 16 to recolor elements of the newly created flower. In the end your flower should look roughly like the last image.

18. The flowers are ready and look like this:

Create the Stems

19. Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a 510 by 510px ellipse. Next pick the Pen Tool (P) and create some objects with shapes of the stems.

20. Before you continue, select and remove the black ellipse created in the step 19. Now select the left blue object created in the step 19, remove its stroke and fill this object with the linear gradient as shown in the first image. Next select all remaining objects created in the step 19, pick the Eyedropper Tool (I) and click on the first shape created in this step. Now reselect all shapes created in this step and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of them. Then replace the existing fill color of the copies with very soft orange (# edc483). Keep the resulting shapes selected and go to the Effect > Stylize > Feather… Enter a 5px Radius and click OK. We are done with the stems for the moment.

21. Place the flowers on the stems like you see in the image below.

Create the Leaves

22. It’s time to draw the leaves. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create an object with the shape of a leaf. Once your object is drawn, reselect it and fill this object with the linear gradient like you see in the second image. Keep the resulting shape selected, replace the existing stroke color of it with dark green (# 748261) and change the stroke weight to 2px. Then apply the Width Profile 2 for the resulting shape. Let’s work on creation of veins on our leaf. With the help of the Pen Tool (P) and the Pencil Tool (N), create some slightly curved paths as shown in the third and the fourth images. Reselect all newly created paths, replace the existing stroke color with dark green (# 5c7d4c) and change the stroke weight to 2px, then apply the Width Profile 5 for the resulting paths. Next reselect the longest vein and change the stroke weight to 3px. Now select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created in this step. The leaf is done! Finally hide the newly created leaf behind the flower.

23. Likewise, repeat the same process as the previous steps to draw more leaves.

24. We will continue with the leaves of the lower flowers. Now, follow the sequence of images and draw two leaves similar to the ones from below. Finally hide these two leaves behind the lower flowers.

25. Continue draw more leaves as shown in the images below. In the end your wreath should look roughly like the last image.

26. At this point your illustration should look like in the next image:

27. Let’s make other leaves. With the Pen Tool (P), create a black object like you see in the first image. Reselect the newly created object and make a copy (Ctrl +C, Ctrl +F) of it, then replace the existing stroke color of the copy with red. Focus on the second image, pick the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and click on the point highlighted with blue of the red object. This will add a new anchor point for the red object. With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select and remove the anchor point highlighted with black. Keep working with the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the anchor point highlighted with magenta and move it 4px to the left. Now reselect the two newly created objects, remove their strokes and then fill these objects with the linear gradients as shown in the last two images. Finally select and group (Ctrl +G) two shapes created in this step.  Here we have the leaf ready.

28. Now, follow the sequence of images and repeat the same process as the step 27 to draw more leaves.

29. The leaves are ready and look like this:

30. Select three newly created leaves and go to the Object > Transform > Rotate… Enter a -90 degrees Angle and click OK. Then place the resulting leaves to the positions like you see in the first image. Reselect the remaining three leaves and rotate them an angle of about 40 degrees. Next place these leaves to the positions as shown in the second image. Finally send these six leaves to back (Ctrl +Shift +Left Square Bracket).

Create the Small Stems

31. We will continue with some small stems. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create two objects with shapes of the stems. Once your objects are drawn, reselect the black object, remove its stroke and then fill this object with the linear gradient as shown in the second image. Now select the red object, then pick the Eyedropper Tool (I) and click on the shape you just filled with linear gradient. Let’s work on creation of leaves on our stem. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and create objects like you see in the fourth and the fifth images. Next remove the strokes of the newly created objects and fill them as shown in the last image. Finally select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created in this step. We are done with the small stem for the moment.

32. Likewise, repeat the same process as the previous steps to draw more stems. Next place these stems to the positions like you see in the last image.

Create the Tendrils

33. We are going to create the tendrils. First, double click on the Spiral Tool from the Tool bar. In the Spiral dialog box, enter the data like you see in the first image and click OK. Now with the help of the Direct Selection Tool (A), click on the anchor point highlighted with blue of the newly created object and move it further to the right. Keep working with the Direct Selection Tool (A) and adjust the handles of the top and the right anchor points as shown in the third image. Reselect the spiral and rotate it an angle of about 85 degrees, then place this object to the position like you see in the fifth image. Likewise, repeat the same process to draw more spirals as shown in the sixth image. Now reselect the first spiral created in this step, replace the existing stroke color with (# 253b1e) and change the stroke weight to 3px. Then apply the Width Profile 2 for the resulting object. Likewise, repeat the same process for the remaining spirals. Finally hide the tendrils created in this step behind the flowers and the leaves.

Create the Small Berries

34. It’s time to draw the berries. Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a 12 by 12px ellipse. Reselect the newly created ellipse, remove its stroke and fill this object with the radial gradient as shown in the second image. Next draw a curved path with the Pen Tool (P) and give it a 2px dark grayish red stroke (# 584542) for the moment. Next come two small leaves. Keep working with the Pen Tool (P) and create two dark grayish orange shapes (# 615b4c) as shown in the two next-to-last images. Then hide the left leaf behind the berry fruit. Finally select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created in this step. The berry is ready and looks like in the last image.

35. Next come the dark magenta berry. With the help of the Ellipse Tool (L) and the Pen Tool (P), create two objects like you see in the first and the second images. Reselect the ellipse, remove its stroke and fill this object with the radial gradient as shown in the third image. Next select the remaining object, remove its stroke and fill this object with very dark grayish pink (# 664f59). Continue draw a curved path with the Pen Tool (P) and give it a 2px dark green stroke (# 3d6432) for the moment. Finally select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created in this step. The dark magenta berry is ready and looks like in the last image.

36. Select the dark magenta berry created in the step 35 and go to the Object > Transform > Scale… Enter a 80% in the Scale box and click on the Copy button, then place the copy to new position. Pick the Direct Selection Tool (A) and click on the ellipse of the newly created berry to select it. Then replace the existing fill color of this ellipse with new radial gradient as shown in the third image. Likewise, repeat the same process to recolor the lower part of the berry. Here we have the dark blue berry ready.

37. At this point your berries should look like in the first image below. Make some copies of these berries, then scale and rotate them as needed. Finally place these berries to the positions as shown in the last image.

Add the Text

38. Now pick the Type Tool (T), open the Character palette (Window > Type > Character) and set the data as shown below. Next simply click on your artboard and add the text “HELLO”. Reselect this text and go to the Object > Expand… Click OK when the Expand dialog box appear, then press (Ctrl +Shift +G) to ungroup the newly created group. Now reselect the letter “H” and replace the existing fill color with the linear gradient as shown in the second image. Next select all remaining letters, pick the Eyedropper Tool (I) and click on the letter “H”. The resulting letters should look like the third image below. Finally reselect and group (Ctrl +G) all letters created in this step, then place this group to the position as shown in the last image.

Create the Background

39. Before you continue, select and group (Ctrl +G) all objects created from beginning step 2 to this time. The flower wreath is done! It’s time for the background now. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a 750 by 730px very light gray rectangle (# f6f6f6). Still having the newly created rectangle selected and go to the Effect > Artistic > Film Grain… Follow the data like you see in the second image and click OK. The last thing to do is place the flower wreath into the newly created background.

Here is what the completed design looks like.