In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator to create a beautiful natural scene!
If you want to skip the tutorial and just use these flowers in your work, you can purchase the Nature Summer Background With Daisy Flower from GraphicRiver!
1. How to Draw the Side-View Dandelion
Step 1
Let's begin using the Mesh Tool (U) by drawing the first petal!
Grab a rectangle, filling it with #FAF128. Next, use the Mesh Tool to create a Mesh grid inside the object by clicking on the preferred spots.
After you've created six rows and four columns of Mesh, use the Mesh Tool to round the object into a petal by dragging its edges and nodes. Use the screenshot below for reference.
Once you've done that, it's time to color! Select the whole left edge of the object and color it with #B67810, and then color the second column from the left with #D7BE1B.
Step 2
Continue coloring the object as shown in the screenshot below. You will need these colors:
#FFFF2C#E2CA1F#D0B018
Step 3
You've finished the first petal! Now, create petal number 2 by simply stretching a copy of the first object.
Step 4
Create petal number 3 by stretching another copy of the first petal.
The third petal should be longer and thinner than the second one.
Step 5
For the fourth petal, make a copy that's shorter and a bit thicker.
Step 6
Grab a copy of petal number 4, stretch it a bit, and color a few nodes in its base with #B57510.
Step 7
For number 6, slightly recolor a copy of the first petal using Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Colors. Apply -5% Green.
Step 8
Assemble the flower out of the petals you made.
Step 9
Let's create more petals! Make a bigger copy of petal 4.
Step 10
Stretch number 1.
Step 11
Enlarge number 4, and then color its left edge with #B57510.
Step 12
Begin creating the 10th petal with mesh.
#EFE124#FFF92A-
#C8BE1B
Step 13
#D3B119#B57510
Finish the 10th petal.
Step 14
Create petal 11 by recoloring one node to #B57510.
Step 15
Draw the 12th petal.
#EFE124#DBBF26-
#BB8113
Step 16
#D0BD26#FFF934-
#E2CF2A
Step 17
Assemble the lower part of the flower.
Step 18
Create an object by applying a stroke to a curved line, creating a reflected copy of it, expanding both objects' appearance, and then using Pathfinder to Unite both objects.
Step 19
Color the object with Mesh.
#FFE52B#D09908
Next, turn the lowest row of mesh completely transparent.
Step 20
Finish the flower.
Step 21
Draw a leaf with Mesh.
#82924A#2B3806#6F7618#94A546-
#637323
Step 22
Add the leaves to the dandelion.
Step 23
Draw the stem out of three rows of mesh.
#597418#839334-
#FFFFFF
Step 24
Add the stem to the flower!
2. How to Draw the Front-Facing Dandelion
Step 1
Begin drawing the first petal for the second flower!
#FCDC00#DEAF00#E0C100#FCEC00#F2D700
Step 2
#FDE000#E2A600#D5A700#F6C300#F7D200-
#FFF300
Step 3
#FDE000#FBEA00#EFCF00#D3A300#FCE300
Step 4
#F1BC00#CE8F00#FFDE00#CEA000#BB8200-
#F9CD00
Step 5
Create the fifth petal out of the first one.
Step 6
Create the sixth petal.
Step 7
Assemble the outer part of the flower.
Step 8
Create a smaller copy of the flower, and then reflect it and add it inside the bigger ring.
Step 9
Add an ellipse filled with #FFB600 behind the petals.
Step 10
Open the attachment to this tutorial, dandelion.jpg.
Drag it inside your work document in Adobe Illustrator, and then open the Image Trace panel.
Set the number of Colors to 30, adjusting the other settings to match the screenshot if they are different. Press Trace, and then Object > Expand Appearance.
Step 11
Delete the outer yellow part of the traced dandelion.
Step 12
Add the remainder inside the flower.
3. How to Add the Daisies and the Grass
Step 1
To draw the daisy, consult my tutorial How to Draw Heart-Shaped Daisies in Adobe Illustrator.
This time, do not create a heart out of the middle, and go through the steps as if the middle was round.
Step 2
After you've traced and expanded the middle, flatten it a bit.
Step 3
Create a blend shadow out of #89580F and #FFFAD7, setting it to Multiply with 80% Opacity.
Step 4
Place the shadow in the middle of the petals, and then place the flower in the middle.
Step 5
To create grass, consult this tutorial of mine: How to Create a Grass Banner in Adobe Illustrator. Recolor it by going to Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Colors and adding 6% Green.
Step 6
To bend the straight blades of grass, use Effect > Warp > Arc with 50% Bend.
Expand Appearance.
Step 7
Create a scene out of the objects we've made so far.
4. How to Draw the Butterfly
Step 1
Draw an element of the butterfly's wing with mesh.
#E7A229#000000#FDF2DA-
#FACB49
Step 2
Add another part.
#E7A229#FBCB45#000000-
#7F490F
Step 3
Draw the final element.
#F7BE3D#000000#68380B#D38F24#5A2C09-
#FCCF46
Step 4
Draw an outline of a butterfly's wing, fill it with black, and then add the elements we just made.
Step 5
Draw another element for the wing.
#000000#FFFFFF#F6BCA5-
#F9EBC9
Step 6
Create different variants by bending the original shape.
Step 7
Add the objects to the butterfly's wing.
Step 8
Add a new copy of the wing.
Step 9
Begin drawing the body of the butterfly with legs and antennae.
Step 10
Draw the body.
#000000#D4C3A7#86773E-
#554322
Step 11
Assemble the body.
Step 12
Complete the butterfly.
Step 13
Create a Blend shadow out of #293F06 and #FFFFFF. Set it to Multiply.
Step 14
Add a Gradient shadow from #94A163 to #FFFFFF, and set it to Multiply.
Step 15
Add the shadows under the bush and the butterfly next to it.
Then, draw an outline, "framing" the picture. Select everything and Make Clipping Mask.
Step 16
You're finished!
Awesome Work, You're 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 beautiful photo-realistic flowers using the Mesh Tool.
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 these flowers as well as other similar designs in my portfolio on GraphicRiver.
If you're looking for more floral gradient mesh tutorials, let me recommend the following tutorials to try next:
