How to Use the Blend Tool for Lettering in Adobe Illustrator



Have you ever wondered what tools you can use to make lettering more attractive than it already is? The Blend Tool is easy to use, and you can quickly bring more life to script letters! In this quick tutorial, we'll learn how to use the Blend Tool in Illustrator to create an amazing design.
Looking for amazing vector graphics and Illustrator add-ons? Head on over to Envato Elements for unlimited digital asset downloads.
While some people love written tutorials, others prefer video tutorials to learn in a visual way. If you belong to the latter group, you'll love the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel. Watch our new video to easily learn how to use the Blend Tool in Illustrator:
What You'll Learn in This Blend Tool Illustrator Tutorial
- How to create the initial stroke for the lettering
- How to use the Blend Tool in Illustrator
- How to blend colors in Illustrator
- How to blend text in Illustrator
- How to use the Eraser Tool
- How to add a drop shadow
- How to save the file
What You'll Need
You'll need access to Adobe Illustrator; if you don't have the software, you can download a trial from the Adobe website. You'll also need the following for this Blend tool Illustrator tutorial:
- the attached Illustrator Lettering line file
- Playfair Display from Google fonts
1. Open the Line File Provided
Open the Adobe Illustrator line file. This file is already set up as a 1080 px x 1080 px document in RGB at 72ppi.



2. How to Create the Initial Stroke for the Lettering
Step 1
Head over to the toolbar and click on the Rectangle Tool. Click and hold to expand the options and select the Ellipse Tool (L). Hold Option-Shift to draw an even circle expanding from the centre; I am choosing a size of 64 px. This circle will dictate the size of the stroke.



Step 2
We want to add a gradient to the new shape we created. Select the shape and head over to the toolbar. Select the outline swatch and click on none. Select the Fill swatch and select Gradient.



Step 3
We want to give color to this gradient, so let’s open our Gradient panel by going to Window > Gradient. Select one side of the gradient slider and on the Color bar select the color you wish to use. Any color you would like to use is fine—just make sure one side of the slider is light and the other side is dark. This will give more dimension to the artwork. I am choosing blue, with the color code #3CD9FF
for the left slider and #0000FF
for the right slider.



Step 4
Let’s multiply the shape by pressing Option-Shift and dragging to the right. I am choosing a purple color for this other shape with the following codes: #FF9BFF
and #7900FF
. Next up, we'll see how to blend colors in Illustrator.



3. How to Use the Blend Tool in Illustrator
Step 1
Now let's start with the fun part in this blend 3D tutorial. Select both shapes and select the Blend Tool (W). Click on the left point of both circles, starting with the blue and then the purple circle.



Step 2
Everybody will get something different when learning how to blend colors in Illustrator, but we want to make a smooth transition. While selecting the shape, double click on the Blend Tool on the toolbar to open the Blend Options window. Under Spacing, select Specified Distance and check the Preview box. Change the Specified Distance to 1 px to get a smooth transition. Click OK.



Step 3
Select the shape and select the line type. Head over to Object > Blend > Replace Spine. This option will substitute the stroke for the shape we just created while maintaining the two initial shapes we used at the beginning and end of the word. On the right side is a preview (Command-Y) of the elements.



Step 4
Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), we can duplicate a dot for the "i". Select the circle on the right and press Command-C followed by Command-V and place the newly created circle over the "i". And that's how to blend text in Illustrator.



Step 5
Let’s add color to the background. Select the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a black square on the artboard. Press Shift-Command-[ to move the square to the back and dock the element by pressing Command-2.



Step 6
Now we'll see how to blend text in Illustrator in this blend 3D tutorial. Let’s add some serif text to make the artwork look intricate. Using the Text Tool (T), click on the artboard and type “BYE”. I am choosing Playfair Display at 445 pt in white.



Step 7
While selecting the text element, press Shift-Command-O to create outlines on the text, followed by Shift-Command-G to ungroup the word.



4. How to Use the Eraser Tool
We want to create the illusion of the script element intertwining with the serif font in this blend 3D tutorial. Let’s bring the B forward by selecting it and pressing Shift-Command-].
For the "Y", we can create more dimension as we have the "h" going around the letter. Select the "Y" and press Shift-Command-V to duplicate the element in the same place. This will duplicate it over the script element. On the toolbar, select the Eraser Tool (Shift-E) and start brushing over the segments of the "Y" that you want to be in front. Make sure that the "Y" element you are selecting is the one in front. Try to follow the same outline of the script face to erase the rest of the letter.
The Eraser Tool erases elements that are being selected; if we are not selecting anything, the Eraser Tool will work the same way it works in Adobe Photoshop. I did the same with the "E" letter to look like below. It's up to you to decide which parts you want to bring forward and to keep in the back!
Below you can see the left side has the letters over the script, and the shapes on the right side in yellow are the ones I used the Eraser Tool on.



5. How to Add a Drop Shadow
Let’s give this artwork more dimension. Select the script element and head over to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Check the Preview box and use the following settings:



6. How to Save the File
To save the file, head over to File > Save As … to save the file as an Adobe Illustrator file. If you wish to save as a JPEG or other image file format, head over to File > Export and choose the format. Feel free to check Use Artboards if you have placed elements outside of your artboard in the document. Click Export.



Congratulations! You've Finished This Adobe Illustrator Blend Tool Tutorial!
In this Adobe Illustrator Blend Tool tutorial, we’ve paired an easy-to-use tool with lettering to create an intertwined look. Today we’ve learned to:
- Use the Blend Tool to create a gradient-style pen stroke.
- Replace the spine of an object with a blended element.
- Add a shadow to create a sense of dimension in the artwork.



If you liked this Blend Tool Illustrator tutorial, you might like these resources:
- How to Create and Edit Gradients in Adobe IllustratorDaniel White31 Oct 2017
- Illustrator in 60 Seconds: How to Use the Blend ToolAndrei Stefan21 Apr 2016
- How to Make a Watercolor Brush in Adobe IllustratorAndrei Stefan21 Nov 2021
- How to Create a Neon Text Effect in IllustratorAndrei Marius23 Nov 2021
- How to Create a Gold Effect in IllustratorAndrei Marius11 Nov 2021
- How to Make a Heart in IllustratorAndrei Marius15 Sep 2021
- How to Embed Images in IllustratorAndrei Marius14 Oct 2021
- How to Add a Drop Shadow in IllustratorAndrei Marius20 Oct 2021
- How to Create a Stipple Brush In Illustrator (+5 Top Stippling Brushes)Andrei Stefan04 Aug 2021
- How to Create Different Vector Textures Using Adobe IllustratorAndrei Stefan07 Sep 2021
Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Maria Villanueva. Maria is the Associate Editor of the Tuts+ Design channel.
Unlimited Downloads.


