In the following quick tip you will learn how to create a simple price tag icon. It's another tutorial that focuses mainly on the Appearance panel. First, you will need some basic tools and shape building techniques to create the starting shape. Next, using the power of the Appearance panel and a nice, free font along with some basic effects and techniques you will create you own price tag icon. Let's get started.
Step 1
Hit Command + N to create a new document. Enter 600 in the with and height boxes then click on the Advanced button. Select RGB, Screen (72ppi) and make sure that the "Align New Objects to Pixel Grid" box is unchecked before your click OK. Now, turn on the Grid (View > Grid) and the Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid).
Next, you'll need a grid every 5px. Go to Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid, enter 5 in the Gridline every box and 1 in the Subdivisions box. You can also open the Info panel (Window > Info) for a live preview with the size and position of your shapes. Do not forget to set the unit of measurement to pixels from Edit > Preferences > Unit > General. Al these options will significantly increase your work speed.
Step 2
Pick the Rectangle Tool (M), create a 150 by 60px shape and fill it with R=255 G=222 B=190. Remove the colors from the stroke.
Step 3
Reselect the shape created in the previous step. Pick the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and add two new anchor points as shown in the following image. The Snap to Grid will ease your work.
Step 4
Make sure that your shape is still selected and pick the Direct Selection Tool (A). Select the top, left anchor points and move it 30px down then select the bottom, left anchor point and move it 30px up. In the end your shape should look like in the second image.
Step 5
Pick the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 10px circle and place it as shown in the first image. Select it along with the other shape and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel. The resulting shape should look like in the third image. This is the only shape that you will need to create your price tag. Move to the Layers panel (Window > Layers) double click on this shape and name it "Price Tag".
Step 6
Select "Price Tag" and go to the Appearance panel. Select the existing fill and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Enter the data shown below and click OK.
Step 7
Select "Price Tag", move to the Appearance panel and click on the Add New Fill button. Obviously, this will add a new fill for your shape. Select it from the Appearance panel, lower its opacity to 25% and fill it with the linear gradient shown below.
The yellow numbers from the gradient image stand for opacity percentage while the white numbers stand for location percentage. Make sure that this new fill is still selected and go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -3px Offset, click OK and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Again, enter the data shown below and click OK.
Step 8
Select "Price Tag" and add a stroke. Make it 1px wide, set its color at R=196 G=154 B=108 and go to the Stroke panel (Window > Stroke). First, check the Round Cap and the Round Join buttons. Next, check the Dashed Line box and enter 0.75pt in the dash box and 3pt in the gap box. Now you should have a dashed stroke.
Return in the Appearance panel, make sure that the stroke is still selected and go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a -3px Offset, click OK and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Again, enter the data shown below and click OK.
Step 9
Select "Price Tag" and go to the Appearance panel. Make sure that no fill or stroke is selected and click on the Add new Stroke button. This will add a new stroke for your shape. Make it 2pt, align it to outside and set its color at R=196 G=154 B=108.
Step 10
Select "Price Tag" and go to the Appearance panel. Select the stroke added in the previous step and click on the Duplicate Selected Item button. This will add a copy of the selected stroke. Select it, set its size at 1pt and the color at R=255 G=245 B=235.
Step 11
Reselect "Price Tag" and go to the Appearance panel. Make sure that no fill or stroke is selected and click on the Add New Fill button. Select this new fill and drag it in the bottom of the Appearance panel. Fill it with the liner gradient shown below and go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Enter a 2px Offset, click OK and go to Effect > Distort &Transform > Transform. Enter the data shown below, click OK and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Again, enter the data shown below and click OK.
Step 12
Reselect your entire path and go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners. Enter a 5px radius and click OK. Move to the Appearance panel and make sure that the Rounded Corners is in the top of the Appearance panel.
Step 13
Pick the Type Tool (T), click on your artboard and add a price. Use the Arcade font with a size of 35pt and set its color at R=169 G=124 B=80. With this text still selected go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. Enter the data shown below and click OK.
Step 15
Finally, you can use different sets of colors for your price tag or you can increase/decrease the value set for the rounded corners effects.
Conclusion
Now your work is done. Here is how it should look, I hope you've enjoyed this tut.
