In this tutorial we will learn how to make a realistic looking illustration of an Apple iPad using the Rounded Corner Rectangle, Gradient Mesh and Gradient Tool. Don't let the professional finish fool you; this tutorial is perfect for beginners and experts alike.
Step 1
First Create a new A4 portrait document. (Command + N)
Step 2
Select the rounded rectangle tool and make a square 360 pt x 450 pt, by clicking once and entering the measurements.
Step 3
Select the rounded rectangle tool and go to Effects > Stylize > Inner Glow. Then Select normal and the color black or #000000 and opacity 65. The blur is 3.
Step 4
Make a rounded corner rectangle but place it at the bottom and select with the direction tool or hit 'A' on the keyboard and making sure it's the white mouse icon, then cut off the top by hitting the delete key. Color it black(#000000). Join together, should look like this.
Step 5
Select the black highlight and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian blur. Set Blur to 1.5 pixels.
Step 6
Then go to the top right hand corner of our rounded rectangle tool and make a blackhigh light repeating the same process as before.
Step 7
Duplicate the highlight and position it in the left-hand corner. Select the left-hand highlight and reflect it. Select the both and add the same blur as before.
Step 8
Create a rounded rectangle with these dimensions - w 355 pt and 445 pt - then make another square with these dimensions - w 350 pt and h 440. Add a black to white gradient, keep it linear and make the white only show at the top edge.
Step 9
Scroll down to the bottom of your iPad and make a circle in the middle with the size of 21x21.. Change the stroke size to 0.25 and add a Gradient of #58595C to #000000. Keep it linear.
Step 10
Select the rounded corners tool and click on the top left side of the circle and change the height and width to 6 and the corner radius to 1. Opacity is set at 44.
Step 11
To make the screen. Select the square tool and click, make the height 360 and in the width 270. Make it plain black and add a stroke of 0.5 with the color of this #3F3F3F.
Step 12
To make the buttons. Get the rounded corner tool and make a small rectangle at the top with the width of 20 pt and the height of 1.5 pt and the corners set to 1. Add no stroke but add the same fill.
Step 13
To make the volume buttons. Make a small button on the side of the iPad by selecting the rounded rectangle tool with the width of 1.5 pt and the height of 5 pt. The add a black to white gradient and keep it linear but make the white only show at the top edge, and no stroke.
Step 14
Finally select the rounded corner tool and click below the button and change the height to 37 pt and the width to 1 pt, click and make an anchor point in the middle of the right hand side. Press the left key. the style for this is the same as the style for the other buttons. No stroke but add a black to white gradient and keep it linear, make the white only show at the top edge.
Step 15
The following steps will create the back of the iPad. Select the rounded corners by holding down on the square icon. and click. The type this in : W - 360pt H - 450pt Corner - 24pt.
Step 16
To insert a mesh select the rounded rectangle and the go to Object > Create Gradient Mesh. 4 column by 4 rows. Adjust the mesh to match the example below.
Step 17
Add color to all sides except the top. Select the left,right and bottom sides and set the color.
Step 18
Set the 9 middle points to #E1E1E1.
Step 19
To make the logo. Get the text tool and set the size to 84 pt, hold Alt + Shift K with the font Helvetica. The select the text and go to Object > Expand. The stoke is 0.25 pt and the color is #3F3F3F. Apply a soft off white to black gradient to the logo.
Step 20
To make the buttons. The on/off button is the same gradient as the logo. Its a Rounded Cornered Square with no stroke.
Step 21
To make the volume button. Make a Rounded Cornered Square the same width as the button above, then add an anchor point in the middle of the Rounded Cornered Square and drag it inwards. Finally add the same style gradient as the logo and the buttons.
Step 22
To make the small text. The iPad text is black 15 pt Myriad Pro. Position it below the logo.
Step 23
To make the box with text. Make a box with rounded corners, 1 pt round and 12pt wide with a hight of 7 pt. The color for the stroke is #515151.
Step 24
To make the text. The text inside the rounded square is Verdana and the size 3.7 pt, the color is #515151.
Conclusion
For an extra professional finish you can add drop reflections in either Illustrator or Photoshop. I hope you enjoyed this tut.
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