How to Create the S.H.I.E.L.D. Logo in Adobe Illustrator ~ KrobKnea

Final product image — What You'll Be Creating

In the following steps you will learn how to create the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo in Adobe Illustrator. For starters you will learn how to set up a simple grid and how to create the main shapes using basic tools and effects, mostly simple vector shape building techniques and the Live Corners feature.

Moving on, you will learn how to add shading and highlights for these shapes using basic blending techniques, the Appearance panel and some effects. Using the Type on a Path Tool you will learn how to add a simple piece of text along an existing path and how to turn it into editable vector shapes. Finally, you will learn how to add a subtle texture for the overall logo and a dark background.

1. Create a New Document and Set Up a Grid

Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, enter 600 in the width and height boxes, and then click on the Advancedbutton. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box is unchecked before you click OK.

Enable the Grid (View > Show Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid). For starters, you will need a grid every 5 px, so simply go to Edit > Preferences > Guides > Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. Try not to get discouraged by all that grid—it will make your work easier, and keep in mind that you can easily enable or disable it using the Control-' keyboard shortcut.

You should also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units > General. All these options will significantly increase your work speed.

2. Create the Eagle Shape

Step 1

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) and focus on your Toolbar. Remove the color from the stroke then select the fill and set its color at R=39 G=170 B=225. Move to your artboard and simply create a 200 px circle, the grid and the Snap to Grid feature should ease your work.

Step 2

Return to the Toolbar and replace the existing fill color with a simple yellow. Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 210 x 110 px shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.

Focus on the bottom side of this yellow rectangle and switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select both anchor points and go to Object > Path > Average or hit Alt-Control-J. Check the Both box and then click the OK button. This should turn your rectangle into a triangle as shown in the second image.

Step 3

Using that same Rectangle Tool (M), create a 180 x 110 px shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.

Focus on the top side of this new rectangle and switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select both anchor points and go again to Object > Path > Average. Check that same Both box and then click the OK button. The resulting triangle should look like in the second image.

Step 4

Reselect your bottom, yellow triangle and focus on the Appearance panel. Select the stroke, set its color to R=237 G=28 B=36 and then click that "Stroke" piece of text to open the Stroke fly-out panel. Increase the Weight to 20 px and check theAlign Stroke to Outside button.

Step 5

Reselect both your triangles and go to Object > Expand Appearance (or Object > Path > Outline Stroke). Make sure that the resulting shapes are selected, open thePathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder) and click the Unite button.

Select your blue circle and make a copy in front using the Control-C > Control-Fkeyboard shortcut. Now, select only the copy along with the other shape made in this step, return to the Pathfinder panel and this time click the Minus Front button. Focus on the resulting group of shapes and Ungroup it using the Shift-Control-Gkeyboard shortcut. Get rid of the top and right shapes and then select the remaining one. Move to the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) and simply replace the existing fill color with R=205 G=207 B=206.

Step 6

Using the Pen Tool (P), create a 50 px horizontal path and place it exactly as shown in the first image. Add a 4 px red stroke for this new path and then switch to theDirect Selection Tool (A). Select the left anchor point and drag it 50 px down as shown in the second image.

Reselect the Pen Tool (P), create a 60 px horizontal path and place it exactly as shown in the third image. Again, add a 4 px red stroke for this new path and then switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select the left anchor point and drag it45 px down as shown in the fourth image.

Step 7

Make sure that both your red shapes are selected and go to Object > Path > Outline Stroke. Select the resulting shapes along with the grey one, move to thePathfinder panel and click the Minus Front button. Turn the resulting group of shapes into a simple compound path using the Control-8 keyboard shortcut.

Step 8

Make sure that your grey compound path is still selected and go to Object > Transform > Reflect. Check the Vertical box and then click the Copy button. Select the newly made shape, drag it to the right and place it exactly as shown in the second image.

Step 9

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 220 x 115 px yellow shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.

Focus on the bottom side of this new rectangle and switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select both anchor points and go again to Object > Path > Average.Check that Both box and then click the OK button. The resulting triangle should look like in the second image.

Step 10

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 210 x 85 px red shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.

Step 11

Make sure that your blue circle is selected and make a copy in front (Control-C > Control-F). Reselect the red and yellow triangles and click the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Select the resulting shape along with the circle copy made in the beginning of this step and click the Intersect button from the Pathfinderpanel. Make sure that the resulting shape stays selected, focus on the Appearancepanel and replace the existing fill color with that same R=205 G=207 B=206.

Step 12

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 180 x 110 px yellow shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.

Focus on the top side of this new rectangle and switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select both anchor points and go to Object > Path > Average. Check that Bothbox and then click the OK button. The resulting triangle should look like in the second image.

Step 13

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 210 x 110 px red shape and place it exactly as shown in the first image.

Focus on the bottom side of this new rectangle and switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select both anchor points and go to Object > Path > Average. Check thatBoth box and then click the OK button. The resulting triangle should look like in the second image.

Step 14

Step 15

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 60 x 50 px shape, place it as shown in the first image and set the fill color to R=205 G=207 B=206. Focus on the top side of this new rectangle and switch to the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select the left anchor point and drag it 20 px to the right and then select the right anchor point and drag it20 px to the left.

Step 16

Using the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 25 x 10 px shape, place it as shown in the first image and set the fill color to R=205 G=207 B=206.

Switch to the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 20 px yellow circle and place it as shown in the second image. Return to the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 20 x 10 px shape, place it as shown in the third image and set the fill color to a random red. Now, select the red and yellow shapes made in this step and click the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. Make sure that the resulting shape stays selected, focus on the Appearance panel and replace the existing fill color with that same R=205 G=207 B=206.

Reselect the two shapes made in this step along with the one made in the previous step and click the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 17

Keep focusing on the shape made in the previous step and pick the Direct Selection Tool (A). First, select the anchor point highlighted by the black circle in the following image, move to the top bar and simply enter 10 px in that Corners box. Next, select the anchor point highlighted by the green circle in the following image, return to the top bar and this time enter 1 px in that same Corners box.

This 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: 20 Free and Useful Adobe Illustrator Scripts. Save it to your hard drive, return to Illustrator and grab the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select the anchor points highlighted in the following image one by one and go to File > Scripts > Other Script. Open theRound Any Corner Script, enter the values mentioned in those Corners boxes in the following image and then click OK. The end result might look a bit different, so feel free to increase/decrease the values mentioned in those Corners box.

Step 18

Reselect all your grey shapes and click the Unite button from the Pathfinder panel. Make sure that the resulting shapes are still selected and turn them into a simple compound path using that same Control-8 keyboard shortcut.

Move to the Layers panel, open the existing layer, double click on your compound path and simply rename it "eagle".