For starters you will learn how to set up a grid and how to create the shape that will make up the screen frame. We'll continue with the screen and you'll learn how to easily add an image inside your iDraw document.
Moving on, you will learn how to create the metallic side of your MacBook using basic blending and vector shape building techniques, several gradients, and a bunch of effects. Finally, you will learn how to add a subtle highlight for the screen.
1. Create a New Document and Set Up a Grid
For this tutorial we'll create a new 600 x 600 pixel document. Choose File > New (Command-N) to bring up the New Document pane. Select the Grid document style, set the document units to pixels, and set the document dimensions to 600 pixels wide by 600 pixels high.Next, we'll set up the document grid. Switch to the Grid pane in the Properties pane. If the Properties pane is not currently visible, you can click on the orange ruler icon above the Layers pane to show and hide the pane. Change the grid X Spacing and Y Spacing to 5 px, set the Subdivisions to 0 px, and enable Snap to Grid (Command-Shift-').
2. Create the Screen and the Frame
Step 1
Focus on the Toolbar and you will notice that by default the fill color is set to white, while the stroke color is set to black. Click on the fill color well and replace the existing color with R=10 G=10 B=10. Next, click on the stroke color well and drag the Alpha slider to 0%, which will simply make the stroke invisible. Grab the Rounded Rectangle Tool (Shift-M), focus on your Titlebar and drag the Corner Radius slider to 10 pt. Move to your canvas and create a 370 x 255 px shape.
Step 2
Make sure that your rounded rectangle stays selected and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane. If the Appearance pane is not currently visible, you can click on the blue icon above the Layers pane to show and hide the pane. Simply check the little box that stands for the existing Stroke to activate it. Drag the Width slider to 2 pt, select Outside from the Position drop-down menu, and click the color box that stands for your Stroke. Set the color code to R=130 G=132 B=134 and make sure that the Alpha slider is set to 100%.
Step 3
Make sure that your rounded rectangle stays selected, keep focusing on the Effects section from the Appearance pane, and add a second Stroke using the plus button located in the bottom left corner of your pane. Focus on this new Stroke, drag the Width slider to 1 pt, and select Outside from the Position drop-down menu. Then click on its color box and set the color code to R=40 G=40 B=40. Make sure that your rounded rectangle is still selected and make a copy in front (Command-C > Shift-Command-V). You'll need it in the final step.
Step 4
Return to your Toolbar, make sure that the Stroke is invisible, and set the Fill color to R=0 G=152 B=245. Grab the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 340 x 215 px shape and place it exactly as shown in the following image.
Step 5
For this step you will have to download the Yosemite sunset image. Make sure that your blue rectangle is still selected and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane. Keep your eyes on the existing Fill, select Image from the Type drop-down menu, and add the Yosemite image.
Step 6
Now, it's pretty clear that your image doesn't cover the entire rectangle where it lies. This little issue can be solved pretty quickly. Make sure that your rectangle is selected and return to the Effects section from the Appearance pane. Focus on the existing Fill, drag the Scale slider to 113%, and things should look like in the second image.
Step 7
Make sure that your image is still selected, focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane, and activate the existing Stroke. Set the Width to 1 pt, select Inside from the Position drop-down menu, and then click the color box that stands for your Stroke. Drag the Alpha slider to 15% and set the color to black (R=0 G=0 B=0).
3. Create the First Metallic Side
Step 1
Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 480 x 10 px shape and place it as shown in the following image. Select this new rectangle and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane.First, make sure that the existing Stroke is invisible, and then focus on the Fill. Select Linear Gradient from the Type drop-down menu, set the Angle to 0 degrees, and then move to the gradient sliders. Select the left one and set its color to R=170 G=171 B=172, and then select the right one and set its color to R=184 G=185 B=186.
Now click on the gradient bar and you will get a new gradient slider. Select it, set the color to R=240 G=241 B=242, and drag it to the left until the Location tooltip shows 1%. Add another three sliders for this gradient, using the color and location attributes shown in the following image.
Step 2
Make sure that your newest rectangle is still selected, focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane, and add a second Fill using that same plus button located in the bottom left corner of your pane. Focus on this new Fill, and select Soft Light from the Blend drop-down menu. Then click the color box that stands for your new Fill and make it black.
Step 3
Make sure that your newest rectangle is still selected, focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane, and activate the existing Inner Shadow effect. Enter 1 in the Y box and 0 in the other two boxes, select Soft Light from the Blend Mode drop-down menu, and then click the color box that stands for this effect. Set the color to white (R=255 G=255 B=255) and drag the Alpha slider to 60%.
Step 4
Grab the Rounded Rectangle Tool (Shift-M), focus on your Toolbar, and make sure that the Corner Radius is still set to 10 pt. Move to your canvas, create a 70 x 10 px shape, and place it exactly as shown in the following image.Select this new shape and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane. First, make sure that the existing Stroke is not visible, and then focus on the Fill. Select Linear Gradient from the Type drop-down menu, set the Angle to 0 degrees, and then move to the gradient sliders.
Select the left one and set its color to R=240 G=241 B=242. Then select the right one and se its color to R=130 G=131 B=132. Keep focusing on the gradient bar, add another two sliders for this gradient, and then use the color and location attributes shown in the following image.
Step 5
Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 90 x 15 px shape and place it as shown in the first image (do not bother to change its color attributes). Select this new rectangle, along with the rounded rectangle made in the previous step. Focus on the Path Tools section from the Properties pane and click the Subtract button. In the end things should look like in the third image.
4. Create the Second Metallic Side and Add Subtle Shading
Step 1
Focus on your Toolbar, make sure that the Stroke is invisible, and add a random blue for the Fill. Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 40 x 10 px shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.Get back to your Toolbar and replace the existing Fill color with a simple black. Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 20 x 5 px shape and place it as shown in the second image.
Reselect both shapes made in this step, focus on the Path Tools section from the Properties pane, and click the Intersect button. In the end your blue shape should look like in the third image.
Step 2
Make sure that your blue shape is still selected and duplicate it (Command-C > Command-V). Select this copy, drag it to the right, and place it exactly as shown in the first image. Then go to Modify > Rotate and Transform > Flip Horizontal.
Step 3
Return to your Toolbar, make sure that the Stroke is still invisible, and then add a simple yellow for the Fill. Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 440 x 5 px shape and place it as shown in the first image. Select this new rectangle along with both blue shapes, focus on the Path Tools section from the Properties pane, and click the Union button. In the end your blue shape should look like in the third image.
Step 4
Make sure that your blue shape is selected and make a copy in front (Command-C > Shift-Command-V). Select this copy, drag it 5px down, and then flip it vertically using Modify > Rotate and Transform > Flip Vertical.
Step 5
Make sure that your flipped, blue shape stays selected, and move to the Effects section from the Appearance pane. First, drag the Opacity slider to 25%. Move to the existing Fill, select Linear Gradient from the Type drop-down menu, and set the Angle to 90 degrees. Then move to the gradient sliders. Select the left one and set its color to black, and then select the right one and add the same color, but drag the Alpha slider to 0%.
Step 6
Focus on your Toolbar, make sure that the Stroke is invisible, and then set the Fill color to black. Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool (Shift-M), create a 450 x 5 px shape and place it as shown in the first image.Make sure that this new rounded rectangle stays selected, and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane. Simply disable the Fill and activate the existing Drop Shadow effect, entering the attributes shown in the following image. Finally, make sure that this shape is still selected and hit Shift-Command-[ to send it to the back.
Step 7
Reselect your blue shape and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane. Select the existing Fill and simply replace the existing color with the linear gradient shown in the following image.
Step 8
Make sure that the shape edited in the previous step is still selected, and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane. Activate the existing Inner Shadow effect and enter the attributes shown in the following image.
5. Add a Subtle Highlight
Step 1
Return to your Toolbar, make sure that the Stroke is invisible, and then add a simple blue for the Fill. Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 250 x 255px shape and place it as shown in the first image. Switch to the Path Selection Tool (A) and focus on the top side of this new rectangle. Select the left anchor point and simply drag it 150 px to the right. In the end your blue shape should look like in the second image.
Step 2
Reselect your blue shape along with the copy of that dark, rounded rectangle, focus on the Path Tools section from the Properties pane, and click the Intersect button. Make sure that the resulting shape stays selected and focus on the Effects section from the Appearance pane.First, drag the Opacity slider to 20% and disable the existing Strokes. Next, select the Fill and replace the existing color with the linear gradient shown in the following image. Finally, go to the Layers pane, make sure that the shape made in this step is still selected, and drag it below the shapes that make up the metallic side of your Macbook.
Congratulations! You're Done!
Here is how it should look. I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects.
