In the following tutorial you will learn, how to create a traffic cone, using Adobe Illustrator’s 3d effects, gradients and blending modes. Yes, maybe there is a simple way to create a traffic cone, but this tutorial is meant to show you some of the great features Illustrator has (3d effects, gradients and blending modes).
You can use this icon for webdesign, mobile applications or presentations. So let’s start!
This is what you’ll be creating.
1. Open a new document, then select a 800x600px workspace. If you like to use an another size, no problem, i’m using these sizes almost always. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool, and create a rectangle with this size: 300x300px. You can modify the angle with the Up and Down arrow keys, while drawing the rounded rectangle. Remove the border ans fill it with a color, you like.
2. Go to Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel… and use the settings below.
3. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool, and create another rounded rectangle, but this time increase the angle, with the Up Arrow, while drawing. Use these sizes: width = 220px, height = 220px.
4. Go to Object > Transform > Rotate. Set the angle to 45, and press OK.
5. On the Window > Transform panel modify the objects size: width = 215px, height = 610px.
6. Create an ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (E), and intersect with the second object. To do this, place the ellipse over the other object, and select Intersect from the Window > Pathfinder panel.
7. Got to Effect > 3D > Revolve, and set these values:
8. Now you have the cone, in a realistic perspective. Place it over the first object. Create three rectangles, one bigger than the other and align them vertically. Fill them with white.
9. With the rectangles still selected, open up the Symbols Palette and drag the cross into it. Give a name to the symbol, set the type to Graphic and press OK.
10. While the cone selected, go to Appearance panel, and click on the 3D Revolve layer to edit the effect. In the pop-up window, click on Map Art, choose the Surface 3 and select the three rectangles, you just added into the Symbols panel. Click on the Scale to Fit button, modify the height and place it to the center.
11. Select the bottom object and press Expand Appearance. You can leave it so, you use it later.
Select the cone and go to Object > Expand Appearance. Ungroup the result. Click on a line, go to Object > Clipping Mask > Release.
12. Now you can select the three white lines. Select and Cut (Ctrl + X) them. Select the remaining objects, and Unite them on the Pathfinder panel.
13. Place the three lines back to their place (Ctrl + F).
14. Select the cone, and fill it with a gradient color from top to bottom.
15. Duplicate the cone (Copy – Ctrl + C, Paste in front – Ctrl + F). Fill the second cone with a gradient from white to black, …
… and set the blending mode to Multiply on the Transparency panel.
