3D Pencil Tutorial

This is my first tutorial in Illustrator 3D Effects. Use this tool to create an impression of solid objects with the ease of Adobe Illustrator.

Draw the component shapes : the Cone (half) , the lead( half ) and the hexagon as shown using the pen tool and the polygon tool and fill each shape with appropriate colors. Take note that if you use outline in a shape, the color of the chosen outline/stroke will be the color of the revolved object later.

Revolve the cone and the lead separately using the following command: Effects – 3D – Revolve –, click on the “More Options” follow the settings I have in the dialogue box. Click ok.

The resulting drawing will be like this

Select  the Pencil Lead and apply the same 3D effect using similar settings as before. The result will be as below.

Select again the lead and use your mouse or use the arrow keys to align the first two 3d objects.

We will mask the lead so that it will appear as if it was exposed out from the wooden body using a Knife. To do this, First create a layer to hold the lead separately. Select the lead – cut it – and paste it on the new layer ( use ctrl + f   instead  of ctrl +v) .

Draw a shape above the lead that will enclose the portion of the lead that we intend to just show.

Select the layer containing the two objects- the mask shape and the lead. On the layer tab pull down, select “Make clipping Mask.”

You can edit the mask then by typing “A” ( direct selection tool) but the result of the previous step is below.

Now collapse and lock the layer for the lead and we’ll do the same trick to the wooded and conical tip of the pencil.

While in the Layer, where the wooden tip is located, draw a shape that will enclose portion of the wood which we intend to expose later (which will separate the hexagonal stick from it, see the resulting figure).

Select the layer and select “Make Clipping Mask”. Be sure you have drawn that shape above other objects in that layer.

Create a new Layer and transfer the hexagon object to the new Layer or you can draw a new one. Remember also that You can edit the shape’s original attributes even if the 3D effects were applied. Just click the 3D object and when the “ghost” path appears edit it. It is helpful to name the layers also.

Select the hexagon shape. Select Effects – 3D – Extrude & Bevel. Follow the setting in the illustration.

Once “ok”, drag the object to align with the first objects.

Draw a new layer for the shadow. Lock the rest of the layers and trace the pencil.

Drag the shadow layer to the bottom and apply drop shadow to the shape- Effects – Stylize – drop shadow. Experiment with the settings but by default this is what will happen.

I want to add Text. Type the text – rotate to align with the original shapes of the  lead and wooden tip then apply the 3D effect with the same settings as the lead , Extrude depth = zero and drag it to position with the drawing.

Lock the Layers and create a new Layer for the back ground . Drag it at the bottom of the layers. Draw basic shapes using shape tools , and swatches.

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