How to make a CD icon using Illustrator in 5 minutes
Category: Resources, Tutorials Tags: Illustrator, Resources, Tutorials
In this tutorial, we will create a vector icon of CD using Adobe Illustrator CS3. This can be done in only 5 minutes. Here we use Illustrator rather than Photoshop as we want to make a vector icon.
In Photoshop there is a function called Angle Gradient which is able to give an easy way to draw a nice stripe of colour spectrum on the CD surface. However, there is no Angle Gradient function in Illustrator which makes drawing a little bit difficult.
I did read some article or tutorial related to how to draw a CD icon using illustrator. But I think they are not simple enough and not good enough. Here we will see some simple steps of drawing an icon of CD.
Step 1
Draw 6 circles from outside to inside. make 2 copies of the 5th circle and use the Pathfinder>>Subtract to create 3 thick rings. Make sure they are in the right order. Then we can now fill these rings.
Step 2
Fill the 3 rings from back to front. The bottom one is filled using grayscale (K=5) and the stroke is 1pt weight and grayscale (K=40). The second one should be filled using the following gradient (grayscale K=25 at both ends and white in the center), the stroke should be the same as the previous ring. The third smaller one in the center has to be filled in grayscale (K=10) and stroke is 1pt, grayscale (K=50). Also for this one, we have to set the opacity into around 50% to obtain a transparent effect.
Step 3
Draw a simple shape like the left one in the following (the angle in the middle is around 15 degree), then copy the second ring in the previous step and set to no fill. Put the ring in the back of the shape we drew just now. Then use Pathfinder>>Intersect shape to get two sectors.
Then make 4 copies of the sectors and fill them with different colours. and rotate them to have the following layout.
Step 4
Select the 5 sector we just made and make them into a group. Use the Radial Blur (Amount:18, Method: Spin, Quality: Good) in the menu (Effect>>Blur>>Radial Blur…) and set the blending option into Overlay.
Step 5
Now the CD is almost ready and the last step we can add some effects to the CD. For 2D style, we can add some simple drop shadow (Effects>>Stylize>>Drop Shadow) or cast shadow (Draw a very thin circle in black and set the opacity to around 30%, then use Effect>>Blur>>Gaussian Blur and set radius to 4.0). Also we can use Effects>>3D>>rotate function in Illustrator to produce a unique vision. The shadow can be drawn in the same way we discussed just now.
Furthermore, you can draw another ring in the same shape of second one in Step 1, fill it in Golden. Blend it on the CD using Multiply method and set opacity to 75%. Put a DVD logo on it. Your DVD icon will be ready.
Download the .AI source file (for Adobe Illustrator CS3)
Have you tried the tutorial? Feel free to leave links to examples created using this as well as any feedback that you may have. Thanks…
February 10th, 2009 at 11:16
Thanks a lot. This is useful, I do like thess stuff, please provide more tips for Illustrator.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:02
Wow, this was wonderfully simple and very easy to learn from. I just stumbled upon your blog and enjoyed what I saw. Thanks!
February 13th, 2009 at 16:59
Cool stuff, looking forward to seeing more. Thanks!
February 24th, 2009 at 17:28
Very good indeed, I made my blue ray by following this.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:56
[...] How to make a CD icon using Illustrator in 5 minutes [...]
October 6th, 2009 at 13:20
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutesIn this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 6th, 2009 at 16:40
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutes In this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 6th, 2009 at 16:41
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutes In this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 7th, 2009 at 06:32
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutes In this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 7th, 2009 at 08:08
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutes In this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 7th, 2009 at 11:15
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutes In this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 11th, 2009 at 19:53
[...] CD Icon Using Illustrator in 5 minutes In this basic Illustrator CS3 tutorial, you will create a CD icon, in only 5 minutes! [...]
October 15th, 2009 at 19:40
easy Tut. Thanks
November 18th, 2009 at 07:13
[...] How to make a CD icon using Illustrator in 5 minutes [...]
December 10th, 2009 at 23:17
I have to agree with this post.
January 8th, 2010 at 01:12
This is a nice tutorial you have here! I like the website too!
January 29th, 2010 at 16:29
Very nice and useful tutorial thanks a lot
March 8th, 2010 at 03:30
Hey, I’m trying to make this, but, whenever I do the 3d rotate, the gradient and radial blur goes out of the lines?
March 8th, 2010 at 23:22
Hi You can try to use a solid color and then expand the shape after 3D rotation, then you can fill the surface with whatever gradient you want without any pixelised edge