In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator to create a retro winter holiday vector background!
If you want to skip the tutorial and just use this design in Illustrator, purchase the Holiday Retro Background with Champagne Glasses from GraphicRiver!
1. How to Draw the Champagne Glasses
Step 1
Begin using the Mesh Tool (U) by creating a Mesh Grid just like the one below, in the shape of a champagne glass.
Keep the glass white, and add a #454B3B outline by coloring the edge nodes.
Color some more nodes on the sides of the glass with #A5B29F.
Step 2
Continue coloring the selected nodes. Use these colors:
#E1D9C5#ABA28A-
#D7B594
Step 3
Continue coloring the champagne glass with Mesh. You'll need these colors:
#96BA77#160901-
#CB9011
Step 4
Finish the glass.
#431C02#EACE7A-
#F8EBA6
Step 5
Draw an ellipse, filled with #F7F7F7. Add a #454B3B outline.
Step 6
Draw the leg of the glass with Mesh.
#EAEBEA#211B14-
#7C8281
Step 7
Finish the leg.
#B5D3CC#E89C99-
#F5F2E5
Step 8
Draw the glass base.
#DBECEB#789B96#41514C#FFFFFF#87998F-
#B7C7BF
Step 9
Finish the Mesh.
#A1C6BD#C7BC7E-
#000000
Step 10
Assemble the Mesh elements to create the glass.
Step 11
Begin drawing bubbles for the champagne.
Use a Radial Gradient from #F7C263 to #3D170D.
Step 12
Draw another bubble using the same Gradient.
Step 13
Draw one last type of bubble.
Step 14
Place the bubbles on top of the glass.
Step 15
Change the glass's Transparency mode to Multiply.
2. How to Draw the Pine Branch
Step 1
Begin drawing the pine needles.
#9CA1AD#3D485A-
#CDCDD0
-
#EEEDEC
Step 2
Draw another needle.
#434E5F#1E2230#D6D6D9
Step 3
Continue coloring the needle.
#8A939E-
#7D838F
Step 4
Add one more needle.
#434E5F#1E2230#7E8896-
#767F8E
Step 5
Add a black base using a specific Stroke profile.
Step 6
Assemble a branch out of the needles we've made so far.
Step 7
Take a copy of the completed branch, and proceed to Effect > Warp > Arc.
Use a -21% Bend, and Expand Appearance of the pine branch.
Step 8
Arrange the branches for our retro background.
3. How to Draw a Clock
Step 1
The clock is another one of the elements needed to complete our design in Illustrator.
Begin by drawing a circle and filling it with a Radial Gradient from #FDF8F2 to #F5E8DD to #B4967F.
Step 2
Draw one more circle, this time using a Linear Gradient.
Colors from left to right:
#FFFFFF#CEA66E#FFFFFF#6D5125#7F5E2C-
#4A3919
Step 3
Add one more Linear Gradient circle.
#DFC5A1-
#20190E
Step 4
Draw the pedestal with Mesh.
#7E4F2B#362E25-
#FFFFFF
Step 5
Add a bigger copy.
Step 6
Create the base.
Step 7
Assemble the empty clock.
Step 8
Begin drawing the face of the clock with two black circles.
Add a line between them, and then select the Rotate Tool (R). Hold down Alt, and click in the center of the circles. Input a -10º Angle and Copy.
Continue until the circle is full.
Step 9
Draw a smaller circle, and then select the Type on a Path Tool (find it under the Type Tool).
Click on the circle and begin writing Roman numerals in your preferred font—I have used Birch Std.
Step 10
Draw hands for the clock. Use a thicker Stroke, and then Expand it.
Step 11
Add the details.
4. How to Draw the Ribbon
Step 1
One more separate element we will be adding to complete this retro background is a serpentine ribbon.
Draw a part of the ribbon, filling it with a Linear Gradient.
#69471B#BC994F#FFFFF0#FFE295-
#69471B
Step 2
Use the same Gradient for the next item.
Step 3
Use a new Gradient for this part.
#593919#FFE295#FFFFF0#BC994F-
#593919
Step 4
Draw another part of the ribbon.
#69471B#FFEBB2#FFFCE5#FFEBB2-
#6F4120
Step 5
Use the same Gradient as for the last item.
Step 6
Continue using the same Gradient.
Step 7
Draw one more part.
#593919#FFE295#FFFFF0#BC994F-
#593919
Step 8
Create one last Gradient.
#593919#BC994F#FFFFF0#FFE295-
#593919
Step 9
Use the same Gradient for the last part of the ribbon!
Step 10
Assemble the serpentine ribbon out of the parts we made.
5. How to Complete the Retro Background
Step 1
Draw the backdrop for the design in Illustrator.
#D1D7E6#A7B5C1#D1D7E6#BDB9C2#E0DCEA-
#CBD8F0
Step 2
Draw a highlight using an ellipse with a white to black Radial Gradient.
Make sure to change its Blending Mode to Screen.
Step 3
Learn how to create this type of snow in this tutorial:
Next, add the highlights and contain the snow into a rectangular Clipping Mask.
Step 4
Place the clock on the snowy background.
Step 5
Add the pine branches, the champagne, and the ribbon.
Step 6
Begin drawing some bokeh elements.
Use a #223AFF base with a Gradient Transparency Mask.
Set the result to Screen with 60% Opacity.
Step 7
Add one more element with a #4CA2D5 base.
Step 8
Use #B1C3FF for one more highlight.
Step 9
Create an arrangement of bokeh lights.
Step 10
Add more highlights with a #342A1C to black Radial Gradient, using Color Dodge and 30% Opacity.
Step 11
Add some white snow.
Step 12
Add all the elements to our retro background!
Awesome Work, You're Now Done!
Thank you for following along, and please
feel welcome to post your result in the comments. I'll be looking
forward to seeing it!
In this tutorial, you learned how to
create a retro New Year's background design in Illustrator using Gradient Mesh!
I
hope you've enjoyed this tutorial and learned how to use some useful
tools for the future! Check out some of my other vector tutorials on my instructor profile.
You can purchase this retro background as well as other similar designs in my portfolio on GraphicRiver.
Check out more of my winter background tutorials!
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