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Design a flower in 5 easy steps

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Illustrator

Illustrator

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  1. Illustrator User Guide
  2. Get to know Illustrator
    1. Introduction to Illustrator
      1. What's new in Illustrator
      2. Common questions
      3. Illustrator system requirements
      4. Illustrator for Apple silicon
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Learn faster with the Illustrator Discover panel
      3. Create documents
      4. Toolbar
      5. Default keyboard shortcuts
      6. Customize keyboard shortcuts
      7. Introduction to artboards
      8. Manage artboards
      9. Customize the workspace
      10. Properties panel
      11. Set preferences
      12. Touch Workspace
      13. Microsoft Surface Dial support in Illustrator
      14. Undo edits and manage design history
      15. Rotate view
      16. Rulers, grids, and guides
      17. Accessibility in Illustrator
      18. Safe Mode
      19. View artwork
      20. Use the Touch Bar with Illustrator
      21. Files and templates
    3. Tools in Illustrator
      1. Tools at a glance
      2. Select tools
        1. Selection
        2. Direct Selection
        3. Group Selection
        4. Magic Wand
        5. Lasso
        6. Artboard
      3. Navigate tools
        1. Hand
        2. Rotate View
        3. Zoom
      4. Paint tools
        1. Gradient
        2. Mesh
        3. Shape Builder
      5. Text tools
        1. Type
        2. Type on a Path
        3. Vertical Type
      6. Draw tools
        1. Pen
        2. Add Anchor Point
        3. Delete Anchor Point
        4. Anchor Point
        5. Curvature
        6. Line Segment
        7. Rectangle
        8. Rounded Rectangle
        9. Ellipse
        10. Polygon
        11. Star
        12. Paintbrush
        13. Blob Brush
        14. Pencil
        15. Shaper
        16. Slice
      7. Modify tools
        1. Rotate
        2. Reflect
        3. Scale
        4. Shear
        5. Width
        6. Free Transform
        7. Eyedropper
        8. Blend
        9. Eraser
        10. Scissors
        11. Dimension
    4. Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
      1. Generate scenes, subjects, and icons using text prompts
      2. Generate vector patterns using text prompts
      3. Generate vector shape fills using text prompts
      4. Recolor your artwork using text prompts
    5. Quick actions
      1. Retro text
      2. Neon glow text
      3. Old school text
      4. Recolor
      5. Convert sketch to vector
  3. Illustrator on the web (beta)
    1. Illustrator on the web (beta) overview
    2. Illustrator on the web (beta) FAQ
    3. Troubleshooting issues FAQ
    4. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the web (beta)
    5. Create and combine shapes on the web
    6. Add and edit text on the web
    7. Apply colors and gradients on the web
    8. Draw and edit paths on the web
    9. Work with cloud documents on the web
    10. Invite collaborators to edit on the web
  4. Illustrator on the iPad
    1. Introduction to Illustrator on the iPad
      1. Illustrator on the iPad overview
      2. Illustrator on the iPad FAQs
      3. System requirements | Illustrator on the iPad
      4. What you can or cannot do on Illustrator on the iPad
    2. Workspace
      1. Illustrator on the iPad workspace
      2. Touch shortcuts and gestures
      3. Keyboard shortcuts for Illustrator on the iPad
      4. Manage your app settings
    3. Documents
      1. Work with documents in Illustrator on the iPad
      2. Import Photoshop and Fresco documents
    4. Select and arrange objects
      1. Create repeat objects
      2. Blend objects
    5. Drawing
      1. Draw and edit paths
      2. Draw and edit shapes
    6. Type
      1. Work with type and fonts
      2. Create text designs along a path
      3. Add your own fonts
    7. Work with images
      1. Vectorize raster images
    8. Color
      1. Apply colors and gradients
  5. Cloud documents
    1. Basics
      1. Work with Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Share and collaborate on Illustrator cloud documents
      3. Share documents for review
      4. Upgrade cloud storage for Adobe Illustrator
      5. Illustrator cloud documents | Common questions
    2. Troubleshooting
      1. Troubleshoot create or save issues for Illustrator cloud documents
      2. Troubleshoot Illustrator cloud documents issues
  6. Add and edit content
    1. Drawing and dimensioning
      1. Drawing basics
      2. Edit paths
      3. Draw pixel-perfect art
      4. Draw with the Pen, Curvature, or Pencil tool
      5. Draw simple lines and shapes
      6. Draw rectangular and polar grids
      7. Draw and edit flares
      8. Image Trace
      9. Simplify a path
      10. Symbolism tools and symbol sets
      11. Adjust path segments
      12. Design a flower in 5 easy steps
      13. Create and edit a perspective grid
      14. Draw and modify objects on a perspective grid
      15. Use objects as symbols for repeat use
      16. Draw pixel-aligned paths for web workflows
      17. Measure and plot dimensions
    2. 3D objects and materials
      1. About 3D effects in Illustrator
      2. Create 3D graphics
      3. Map artwork over 3D objects
      4. Create 3D Text
      5. Create 3D objects
    3. Color
      1. About color
      2. Select colors
      3. Use and create swatches
      4. Adjust colors
      5. Use the Adobe Color Themes panel
      6. Color groups (harmonies)
      7. Color Themes panel
      8. Recolor your artwork
    4. Painting
      1. About painting
      2. Paint with fills and strokes
      3. Live Paint groups
      4. Gradients
      5. Brushes
      6. Transparency and blending modes
      7. Apply stroke on an object
      8. Create and edit patterns
      9. Meshes
      10. Patterns
    5. Select and arrange objects
      1. Select objects
      2. Layers
      3. Group and expand objects
      4. Move, align, and distribute objects
      5. Snap objects to glyph
      6. Snap objects to Japanese glyph
      7. Stack objects    
      8. Lock, hide, and delete objects
      9. Copy and duplicate objects
      10. Rotate and reflect objects
      11. Intertwine objects
      12. Create realistic art mockups
    6. Reshape objects
      1. Crop images
      2. Transform objects
      3. Combine objects
      4. Cut, divide, and trim objects
      5. Puppet Warp
      6. Scale, shear, and distort objects
      7. Blend objects
      8. Reshape using envelopes
      9. Reshape objects with effects
      10. Build new shapes with Shaper and Shape Builder tools
      11. Work with Live Corners
      12. Enhanced reshape workflows with touch support
      13. Edit clipping masks
      14. Live shapes
      15. Create shapes using the Shape Builder tool
      16. Global editing
    7. Type
      1. Add text and work with type objects
      2. Create bulleted and numbered lists
      3. Manage text area
      4. Fonts and typography
      5. Convert text within images into editable text
      6. Add basic formatting to text
      7. Add advanced formatting to text
      8. Import and export text
      9. Format paragraphs
      10. Special characters
      11. Create type on a path
      12. Character and paragraph styles
      13. Tabs
      14. Find missing fonts (Typekit workflow)
      15. Arabic and Hebrew type
      16. Fonts | FAQ and troubleshooting tips
      17. Create 3D text effect
      18. Creative typography designs
      19. Scale and rotate type
      20. Line and character spacing
      21. Hyphenation and line breaks
      22. Spelling and language dictionaries
      23. Format Asian characters
      24. Composers for Asian scripts
      25. Create text designs with blend objects
      26. Create a text poster using Image Trace
    8. Create special effects
      1. Work with effects
      2. Graphic styles
      3. Appearance attributes
      4. Create sketches and mosaics
      5. Drop shadows, glows, and feathering
      6. Summary of effects
    9. Web graphics
      1. Best practices for creating web graphics
      2. Graphs
      3. SVG
      4. Slices and image maps
  7. Import, export, and save
    1. Import
      1. Place multiple files
      2. Manage linked and embedded files
      3. Links information
      4. Unembed images
      5. Import artwork from Photoshop
      6. Import bitmap images
      7. Import Adobe PDF files
      8. Import EPS, DCS, and AutoCAD files
    2. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator 
      1. Creative Cloud Libraries in Illustrator
    3. Save and export
      1. Save artwork
      2. Export artwork
      3. Create Adobe PDF files
      4. Adobe PDF options
      5. Use Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
      6. Collect assets and export in batches
      7. Package files
      8. Extract CSS | Illustrator CC
      9. Document info panel
  8. Printing
    1. Prepare for printing
      1. Set up documents for printing
      2. Change the page size and orientation
      3. Specify crop marks for trimming or aligning
      4. Get started with large canvas
    2. Printing
      1. Overprint
      2. Print with color management
      3. PostScript printing
      4. Print presets
      5. Printer's marks and bleeds
      6. Print and save transparent artwork
      7. Trapping
      8. Print color separations
      9. Print gradients, meshes, and color blends
      10. White Overprint
  9. Automate tasks
    1. Data merge using the Variables panel
    2. Automation with scripts
    3. Automation with actions
  10. Troubleshooting 
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash issues
    4. Recover files after crash
    5. File issues
    6. Supported file formats
    7. GPU device driver issues
    8. Wacom device issues
    9. DLL file issues
    10. Memory issues
    11. Preferences file issues
    12. Font issues
    13. Printer issues
    14. Share crash report with Adobe
    15. Improve Illustrator performance

Want to give a floral theme to your posters, cards, brochures, and more? Let's learn how to create a flower with heart-shaped petals using the basic features of Illustrator.

Update Illustrator to its latest version before you proceed with designing a flower.

Adobe Illustrator deeplink

Try it yourself
You'll get a sample file to follow along with as you learn how to create a flower.

Open Illustrator

Look at the basics of Illustrator:

Set the following options:

Step 1: Create the first petal

Use the Ellipse tool

Let's create a circle with the Ellipse tool.

Press L to use the Ellipse tool, or long press the Rectangle tool () and then select the Ellipse tool () from the drop-down list.

 To create a perfect circle using the Ellipse tool, press the Shift key and then draw the circle.

Create a circle
A circle created using the Ellipse tool

Design journey of a petal

Duplicate the circle

a.

Press Alt+Shift (Windows) or Option+Shift (macOS) and drag the first circle from its center to create a duplicate.

Merge the circles

b.

Merge the two circles using the Unite shape mode in Pathfinder
(Windows > Pathfinder).

Remove extra anchor points

c.

Remove extra anchor points from the bottom of the circle using the Delete Anchor Points tool.

Create a heart-shaped petal

d.

Press the Shift key and drag the handles of the bottom-most anchor point to form the heart-shaped petal.

Watch this animated illustration to see how these steps work:

Watch the design journey of the petal in action
Creating a petal in heart shape

If you are working with Illustrator 24.1.2 version, press the Shift key when you delete anchor points, else the path shape will change.

Step 2: Create the flower structure

Use rotate and duplicate features

Rotate the petal by 90 degrees and create duplicate petals
Creating the flower structure by rotating and duplicating petals

  • Select the first petal using the Selection tool.
  • Click the Rotate tool from the toolbar.
  • Hold Alt and click right below the petal shape to open the Rotate settings dialog.
     To maintain symmetry in the petal arrangement, ensure you click vertically below the center of the shape.
  • In the Rotate dialog, specify the angle as 90 degrees and click Copy.
  • Now, press Ctrl+D or Command+D to create duplicate shapes.
Flower structure
Flower structure

Step 3: Create components of the flower

Create fold lines

Fold lines

Create pollen

A Pollen

Create a sepal

A Sepal

Create fold lines for petals using Rotate and Ellipse tools
Creating fold lines for petals using Rotate and Ellipse tools

  1. Create a straight line using the Pen tool and then select it using the Selection tool.
  2. Choose Width Profile 1 (leaf shape) and change the Stroke to 5.
  3. Click the Rotate tool. Alt+click at the bottom point on the line to open Rotate settings. Specify Angle as 12 degrees.
  4. Press Ctrl+D or Command+D to form a circular pattern.

Convert strokes to path

We have now got a collection of strokes and now will expand appearance to convert your strokes to a path. To do this, select all strokes and choose Object > Expand Appearance. 

Note: Alternatively, if you don't want to convert strokes to a path, set the General > Scale Strokes and Effects preference.

Convert strokes to path
Converting outlines to a shape

Create pollen using Rotate and Ellipse tools
Creating pollen using Rotate and Ellipse tools

Create sepal using the Star tool
Creating sepal using the Star tool

Sepal is a green leaf-like support on the base of the flower.
  • Select the Star tool from the toolbar. Press Alt and click to open the Star settings. As we have 4 petals, let's create a 4-point star with Radius1 as 25px and Radius2 as 100px. 
  • Use the Ellipse tool to create a small circle at the center of the flower shape.

Step 4: Add color to flower components

Add color to the flower and its different components using the Color panel.

Add color to petals

Add color to sepal

Add color to fold lines

Add color to pollen

See also: Paint with fill and strokes.

Step 5: Arrange the flower components

Prerequisites

Before arranging the components, do the following:
  • Create a petal group: Select the petals and then right-click and choose Group.
  • Create a compound path:
    • Select the petal group and create its copy. Keep it aside.
    • Choose Object > Compound Path > Make or press Command+8 or Ctrl+8.
      See also: Combine objects.
    • Select the fold lines and the compound path. Align them using the Align panel (Horizontal and vertical Align Center). Ensure that Align to key object option is enabled. Ensure that the petal comound path is on the top. 
Create a petal group, create a compound path, and align fold lines and the compound path
Creating a petal group and a compound path

Create the clipping mask to clip the fold lines inside petals: 

  • Select the petals and flower folds and choose Object > Clipping Mask > Make.
    See also: Edit clipping masks.

 To control the visibility of objects, right-click the objects and choose Arrange > Send to Back or Bring to Front.

Create a clipping mask to clip the fold lines
Creating clipping mask to clip the fold lines inside petals

To derive the final shape for the fold lines, trim the clipping mask using the Trim option in Pathfinder.

See also: Cut, divide, and trim objects

Trim the clipping mask using the Trim option in Pathfinder
Trim option in Pathfinder

Clipped fold lines
The trimmed art

Arrange the components to form the flower

Arrange flower components to form the flower
Order in which the components are to be placed

Select all the components and align them using the Align panel (Horizontal and Vertical Align Center). Ensure that Align to Selection option is enabled.

The final artwork. You did it!

The completed flower design

Recap of tools and features used

Tools:

Features:

Have a question or an idea?

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If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in Adobe Illustrator Community. We would love to hear from you and see your creations.

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