Tutorial - How to create an "ET" and his car in Illustrator

Hello everyone, welcome to my first AI tutorial. As I promised a few weeks ago, here is the tutorial in English, I know it is a little late but better late than never right? So here I go and I hope you enjoy!

Sketching

Before start working on the computer I like to sketch first, so here is the sketch of our little "ET":

After sketching, let's go to Illustrator!

1

First, open the Illustrator and create a Basic RGB document, A4 paper size.

2

Draw with the Elipse Tool two circles according to the image bellow.

3

Select the two circles, go to Pathfinder (Windows>Pathfinder) and click in the Unite button.

4

With the Pen Tool (P) make two new dots at the bottom, as shown in the image. Still with the Pen Tool, hold CTRL, and drag the dots to make the circle a little bit more smooth, looking just like a face. Adjust the other dots to get the same smooth.

5

Now, let's put some color in our artwork. First, take off the stroke, now make Radial Gradient (Windows>Gradient) that goes #99cc33 to #396e00, dragging the Gradient as shown in the image bellow and put the Aspect Ratio in 140% as well.

6

We are going to create the eye now. Draw a three circles with the Elipse Tool (L), just like the image bellow. In the biggest circle, we will apply a Radial Gradient that goes #ffffff to #cccccc, adjusting the color transition like the image. In the medium circle, we will apply a Radial Gradient that goes #d600d1 to #9e005d, adjusting the color transition like the image. In the smallest circle put a Radial Gradient that goes #4d4d4d to #333333, adjusting the color transition like the image as well.

7

Draw to circles again, the biggest with #ffffff color inside the smallest circle in the eye, to give a reflex impression. Draw with the Pen Tool (P) a comma form, in the corner above the medium circle, also in color #ffffff.

8

With the Pen Tool (P) draw a comma form above the eye, that will be our eyebrow. Apply in it a Radial Gradient that goes #4d4d4d to #333333 with150% of Aspect Ratio.

9

Let's put a shadow behind, duplicate the eyebrow and put it in black (#000000). Apply a Gaussian Blur, vá em Effect>Blur>Gaussian Blur with 3px of Radius, then click OK. We don't want our shadow so dark, so apply a Transparency (Windows>Transparency) with 30% of Opacity. Now put the eyebrow shadow behind the eyebrow, just like the image bellow.

10

To create the mouth use the Pen Tool (P). Make a half circle as shown bellow.

11

Take of the mouth stroke and apply the #99CC33 color. To give the image a real mouth aspect, apply Gradients with the Mesh Tool in the color #6C9B23, just like the image bellow.
After that, let's put a shadow behind the mouth, for that do the same steps in the step 9 and your image might look like the image bellow.

12

Now we are going to create the teeth. With the Pen Tool (P) draw something like the image bellow, with a Linear Gradient with 90° of Angle°, that goes #ffffff to #cccccc. Now double the tooth, click with the right button an go to Transform>Reflect applying the Vertical Reflect with 90° of Angle adjusting it according to the second image bellow. Group the teeth and put it behind the mouth, before the shadow, like the third image bellow. Now apply two shadows, one above and one behind the teeth using the same form of the teeth and following the step 9 again. After that your image might look like the fourth image bellow.

13

Let's draw a few strands of hair, for that take the Brush Tool (B) and make three strands of hair according to the image. The color used in the hair was #666666. Now let's do the curve of the chin, using the Brush (B) or the Pen Tool (P) as well and make a little curve in the chin in the #78AF22 color. Apply a Gaussian Blur with 5px of Radius, after that your image might like the one above. Congratulations, we finished the head.

14

We are going to draw the arms now. With the Pen Tool (P) make an arm form like the image bellow, after that apply a Linear Gradient with 90° of Angle that goes #99cc33 to #396e00, according to the second image bellow. Double the arm an put then behind the head like the third image bellow.

15

Creating the body is really simple.Make a form with the Pen Tool (P) like the image bellow, take the stroke off, apply a Radial Gradient that goes #99cc33 to #396e00 with 150% of Aspect Ratio, like the second image bellow. Put it behind all the artwork. If you want to apply a shadow, do the step 9 again.

16

Let's draw the car now, starting with the steering wheel. That is really simple, draw two circles, one bigger and one smaller inside the bigger. goes to Pathfinder (Windows>PathFinder)and click in Minus Front. Make a "Y" with the Pen Tool (P) inside the steering wheel, and your artwork might like as the first image bellow. Put it between the arms and the body, like the second image bellow.

17

Make a form like the first image bellow with the Pen Tool (P) to create the windshield, apply a Radial Gradient that goes #ffffff with 50% of Opacity to #baffe8 also with 50% of Opacity, just like the second image bellow. After that, align it with the arms and the steering wheel, like the third image bellow.

18

Let's create the hood of the car, to make it use the Pen Tool (P) to create a form like the first image bellow, then make a Radial Gradient that goes #db0000 to #b80000 with 180° of Angle and 200% of Aspect Ratio. Make a shadow behind the hood of the car as well, following the step 9. After that align it with the rest of the artwork.

19

Let's create the headlights now. Draw a circle with a Radial Gradient that goes #ffffff to #baffe8, but now take the Gradient Tool (G) and put the Gradient at the botton of the circle, dragging it down, like the first image bellow. Double the circle, apply a shadow behind them and align to the artwork like the second image bellow.

20

Take the Pen Tool (P) and draw a form like the first image bellow to create the bumper, with the Gradient Tool (G) make a Radial Gradient at the end of the bumper, like the first image bellow, with colors that goes #db0000 to #850000 and -90° of Angle. Put it behind all the artwork and align it like the second image bellow.

21

Now, take the Pen Tool (P) and draw a form like the first image bellow to create te tire. Double it and put them behind all the artwork like the image bellow.

22

To get this done, let's do the mirrors. Draw a form with the Pen Tool (P) like the first image bellow, and apply a Radial Gradient that goes #db0000 to #b80000 with -180° of Angle. Double it and put them behind all the artwork, and after all this steps, your final result might look like the second image bellow.