This is a massive tutorial that documents the creation of a realistic vector, building illustration, which is based on a photo reference. There are numerous techniques covered, each section is very well detailed with documentation on each step and process used to create this artwork. Doing a large project like this will build your vector skills immensely.
PART I: Building
Step 1
Create a 1024 px by 1280 px document and open this photo. Select the image, click on the Transform button from the Top Dock and enter the numbers from the picture below. Create a new layer and name it “PHOTO.” Move the image inside and then lock this layer.
Step 2
Create a new layer and name it “BUILDING.” Select the Pen Tool (P), create the shape of the entire building as shown in the picture below (exclude the balconies and the roof). Name this new shape “Bulding.Shape.1″ and fill it with the color: R=255, G=103, and B=10. Duplicate the shape, rename this duplication “Bulding.Shape.1b,” fill it with R=255, G=152, and B=82, then lower the Opacity to 50%.
Step 3
Duplicate the same shape eight times and apply the gradients shown in the pictures below (following the order). Each new duplication must be placed above the previous duplication in the Layers pallet.
Step 4
Duplicate the “Building.Shape.1″ once again and fill it with None. Create a shape that intersects with the top of the “Bulding.Shape.1″ (as in image 2). Select those shapes and click Intersect from the Pathfinder pallet. Name the newly created shape “Biulding.Top.Shadow.” Fill it with R=35, G=31, and B=32. Then lower the Opacity to 20%.
Step 5
Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape like the one in image 1. Duplicate this shape, grab the Selection Tool (V), hold Alt + Shift and make the shape bigger. Move the bigger shape to the bottom of the building (like in image 2). Name them “Dirt.1″ and “Dirt.2.” Apply the colors and the effects written in images 1 and 2.
Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool. Click-drag to create a new shape and press the up/down key to increase/decrease the roundness of the shape. The exact size of the shape is Width 68,329 px and Height 529,872 px. After applying the color and the Gaussian Blur, go to Effects > Distort & Transform > Tweak and use the values shown in the image below. Finally name this shape “Dirt.3.”
Step 6
Duplicate the “Building.Shape.1″ once again and fill it with None. Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a new shape like the one in image 1. Select both shapes and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder pallet. Name the newly created shape “Dirt.4,” then fill it with R=255, G=162, and B=89, then lower the Opacity to 30%.
PART II: Roof
Now we’ll add the roof, as shown below.
Step 1
Create a new layer and name it “ROOF.” Place it below the “BUILDING” layer. Open the “BUILDING” layer, duplicate the “Building.Shape.1″ and move this duplication inside the “ROOF” layer.
Grab the Pen Tool and create the shape of the entire roof. The shape of the roof can overlap the shape of the building in the area where the two have a common border (image 2). Move this new shape below the duplication of “Building.Shape.1,” then select both shapes and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallet. Name this new shape “ZZZ.” It won’t be a part of the final product, but it’ll help you create the components of the roof.
Step 2
Now, using mainly the Pathfinder Panel, we’re going to create the components of the roof. Duplicate the “ZZZ” shape four times. Turn off the visibility for these four duplications. Create a new shape like the one shown in image 1. Select this new shape and the original “ZZZ” shape, then click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder Panel.
Name this new shape “Roof.Part.1a” and fill it with R=255, G=103, and B=10. Duplicate this shape, rename the duplication “Roof.Part.1b,” and change the blending mode to Multiply. Duplicate “Roof.Part.1a” five more times and fill them with the gradients below. Follow the exact order and make sure that these five duplications are placed above “Roof.Part.1a” and “Roof.Part.1b” in the layers pallet.
Step 3
Duplicate “Roof.Part.1a” and fill it with none. Create a new shape like the one in picture 1. Make one of the “ZZZ” duplications visible. Select it and the newly created shape and click on Intersect from the Pathfinder pallet.
Place this fresh shape below the duplication of “Roof.Part.1a,” then select both shapes and click on Minus Front from the Pathfinder pallet. Name the resulting shape “Roof.Part1.Margin” and fill it with R=255, G=136, and B=59.
Step 4
Duplicate “Roof.Part.1a” and “Roof.Part1.Margin.” Fill them both with none. Create a new shape, like the one in image 1. Make one of the “ZZZ” duplications visible. Select it and the newly created shape, then click on Intersect from the Pathfinder pallet.
Place this fresh shape below the duplication of “Roof.Part.1a” and “Roof.Part1.Margin.” Now select these three shapes and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder pallet. Name the resulting shape “Roof.Part2″ and fill it with R=243, G=136, and B=54. Duplicate “Roof.Part2″ once and fill it with the gradient from image 7. Name this shape “Roof.Part2.Gradient.”
Step 5
Duplicate “Roof.Part.1a,” “Roof.Part1.Margin” and “Roof.Part2,” then fill them with none. Create a new shape like the one in image 1. Make one of the “ZZZ” duplications visible, select it and the newly created shape and click on Intersect from the Pathfinder pallet.
Place this fresh shape below the duplication of “Roof.Part.1a,” “Roof.Part1.Margin,” and “Roof.Part2.” Now select the four shapes and click on Minus Front from the Pathfinder pallet. Name the resulting shape “Roof.Part2.Margin,” and fill it with R=35, G=31, and B=32.
Step 6
Duplicate “Roof.Part.1a,” “Roof.Part1.Margin,” “Roof.Part2″ and “Roof.Part2.Margin.” Fill them all with none. Make the last “ZZZ” duplication visible, select it and place it below the fresh duplication of “Roof.Part.1a,” “Roof.Part1.Margin,” “Roof.Part2,” and “Roof.Part2.Margin.”
Select these five shapes and click on Minus Front from the Pathfinder pallet. Name the resulting shape “Roof.Part3″ and fill it with R=164, G=183, and B=190. Duplicate “Roof.Part3″ once and fill it with the gradient from image 5. Name this duplicate “Roof.Part3.Gradient.”
Step 7
Duplicate “Building.Shape.1,” fill it with R=0, G=0, and B=0, then move it into the “ROOF” layer. Create a new shape like the one in image 1. Place it below the “Building.Shape.1″ duplication and fill it with R=35, G=31, and B=32.
Lower the Opacity to 60% and apply a Gaussian Blur of 7,0px. Move this shape below the duplication of “Building.Shape.1,” then select both shapes, open the Transparency palette (Shift + Command + F10), and from the flyaway menu (top-right corner) select Make Opacity Mask. Make sure you uncheck the Clip box. Name the resulting shape “Shadow.” Move the “Shadow” layer on top of the “ROOF” layer.
PART III: Top Left Balcony
Now we’ll add the top left balcony as shown.
Step 1
Create a new layer and name it “BALCONY LEFT-TOP.” Place it above the “BUILDING” layer. Open the “BUILDING” layer and duplicate the “Building.Shape.1.” Fill this duplication with none and move it inside the “BALCONY LEFT-UP” layer.
Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape like the one shown in picture 1. This shape can overlap the shape of the building in the area where these two have a common border (image 2). Place this shape below the duplication of “Building.Shape.1″ (in the layer pallet), then select these two shapes and from the Pathfinder pallet select Minus Front. Name the resulting shape “ZZZ.”
Step 2
Select the “BALCONY LEFT-UP” layer, click on Create New Sublayer from the Layers pallet and name the newly created layer “FLOOR.” Move the “ZZZ” shape inside and make sure that the next shape you create will also get inside this layer.
Duplicate “ZZZ” four times and leave only the original shape visible. Select the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape like the one shown in image 1. Select this new shape and the visible “ZZZ” shape and click on the Intersect button from the Pathfinder palette. Fill the resulting shape with R=164, G=154, and B=108 and name it “Part.1.” Duplicate this shape four times and apply the gradients from the pictures bellow. Also name these shapes as well (“Part.1.Gradient1-4″).
