
Welcome to the third tutorial of the UI/Game Art for Beginners series. In this tutorial, we will be learning how to make a scroll in Adobe Illustrator.
- Create a new document that is 600 pixels wide and 600 pixels high
- Use the Rectangle Tool (M) and draw out a rectangle 600 pixels square
- Remove the border
- Fill the rectangle with a dark gray (#383838)
- Open the Layers Panel and rename Layer 1 as “background” and lock the layer
- Make a new layer above the background layer and name it “scroll”
- Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw out a rounded rectangle 50 pixels wide and 175 pixels tall
- Use the Live Corners option and round the corners to 25 pixels
- Use the Gradient Tool and fill the rounded rectangle with a Linear Gradient
- Change the Gradient Angle to -90o (so the black is on the bottom)
- Click on the white color stop and change the color to RGB 252 238 33 (third swatch from the right – top row)
- Click on the black color stop and change the color to RGB 247 147 30 (fifth swatch from the right – top row)
- Use ALT + SHIFT and make a copy of the rounded rectangle
- Move it to the left of the original rounded rectangle (make sure it is overlapping the original rounded rectangle by 50%)
- Move the copied rounded rectangle behind the original rounded rectangle (Object > Arrange > Send to Back)
- Change the height of the copied rounded rectangle to 150 pixels
- Open the Gradient Panel
- Click on the left color stop and change the color to RGB 140 98 57 (fifth swatch from the left – third row)
- Click on the right color stop and change the color to RGB 96 56 19 (seventh swatch from the left – third row)
- Select both rounded rectangles and group them (Object > Group)
- Open the Layers Panel and rename the group “handle”
- Make a copy of the handle using ALT + SHIFT and move it to the right
- Rotate the copied handle (Object > Transform > Rotate – 180o)
- Double-click the right handle (to enter Isolation Mode)
- Double-click on the top part of the handle (yellow part)
- Open the Gradient Panel and swap the color stops
- Double-click on the bottom part of the handle (brown part)
- Open the Gradient Panel and swap the color stops (double-click on the Pasteboard to get out of Isolation Mode)
- Move both handles toward the top of the background and center them horizontally
- Use the Rectangle Tool (M) and draw out a rectangle between the handles
- Open the Gradient Panel and change the angle to -90o (so the lighter color is on top)
- Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) select the bottom anchor points (use the SHIFT key)
- Use the down arrow and move the anchor points down to extend the scroll
- Make a new layer in the Layers Panel above the scroll layer and name it “cutout”
- Use the Rectangle Tool (M) and click once on the Pasteboard
- Make a square that is 50 pixels in width and height
- Rotate the square (Object > Transform > Rotate – 45o)
- Move the square over the bottom edge of the scroll
- Make multiple copies – placing them at random heights along the bottom of the scroll
- Select all the copies and group the together (Object > Group)
- Select the square group and the scroll
- Open the Pathfinder Tool and select Minus Front (second icon under Shape Modes)
- Lock the cutout layer and move it below the scroll layer
- Select the scroll layer
- Select the left handle
- Add a Drop Shadow to the handle (Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow)
- Mode: Multiply
- Opacity: 35%
- X Offset: 10px
- Y Offset: 0px
- Blur: 5px
- Color: Black
- Select the right handle
- Add a Drop Shadow to the handle (Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow)
- Mode: Multiply
- Opacity: 35%
- X Offset: -10px
- Y Offset: 0px
- Blur: 5px
- Color: Black