How To Create A Flat Design Wall Shelves Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
How To Create A Flat Design Wall Shelves Illustration in Adobe Illustrator
In this tutorial you will learn how to create these shelves using simple shapes and
applying basic techniques to create each of the elements that are on them. I hope you
enjoy the process and learn something new.
If you're looking for inspiration, GraphicRiver has plenty of flat design vectors for you
to browse.
For the shelf, create a 280 x 16 px rectangle with the Rectangle Tool (M) and
select #8199A3 as the fill color. For the shelf’s support, create a bolt using a 14 x 30
px rectangle and then a 4 x 4 px ellipse ( #8FAAB5 ) with the Ellipse Tool (L).
Step 2
Add shadows to the shelf’s support using a 14 x 8 px rectangle ( #6B7F87 ), duplicate
the bolt (Control-C > Control-F), and change its fill color to #6B7F87 . After that, send
it backwards (Right click > Arrange > Send Backward) and move the ellipse down
twice using the arrow keys on your keyboard.
Group all the elements making up the support (Control-G) and duplicate it (Control-
C > Control-F). Secure it to the other side of the shelf as shown in the image below.
Step 3
Group all of the shelf together (Control-G) and duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F).
Place the second shelf by double-clicking the Selection Tool (V) and setting a
distance of 140 px above the other shelf in the dialog window.
2. How to Create the Books
Now that we have created the shelves, we will draw each of the elements that will be
on them. Let's begin by drawing the first set of books.
Step 1
For the first book, create a 15 x 62 px rectangle ( #A094D9 ). Then add two 15 x 4
px rectangles ( #897FBA ) and a 7 x 7 px ellipse ( #897FBA ).
Step 2
For the second book, create one 12 x 55 px rectangle ( #3498DB ) and three 12 x 3
px rectangles ( #EDEEF0 ), and then separate them vertically every 3 px.
Afterwards, add a 6 x 55 px rectangle ( #3498DB ) and set the Blending
Mode to Multiply with a 20% Opacity using the Appearance panel. Group the entire
book together (Control-G) and place it next to the other book.
Step 3
For the third book, create a 6 x 50 px rectangle ( #F6CD61 ) and add a 3 x 30
px rectangle ( #EDEEF0 ) in its center. Afterwards, create a 3 x 50 px rectangle
( #F6CD61 ) and set the Blending Mode to Multiply with a 20% Opacity. Group the
book together (Control-G).
Double-click the Rotation Tool (R) and enter an angle of 350 degrees in the dialog
window. With the help of the guide lines, place the book next to the others.
Step 4
Now let's create the second set of books.
First, create a 58 x 15 px rectangle ( #67537A ) and then select the right-side nodes
and round the corners with Live Corners using the Direct Selection Tool (A).
Duplicate the rectangle (Control-C > Control-F) and change its fill color to #EDEEF0 .
Go to Effect > Path > Offset Path and set an offset of -3 px. Then, expand its
appearance (Object > Expand Appearance).
Now select the left-side nodes and align them next to another rectangle.
Step 5
Copy the last rectangle (Control-C) for a moment. Then select both rectangles and
apply Minus Frontlocated in the Pathfinder panel.
Paste again the rectangle (Control-F), select the left-side nodes and move them 2
px to the right. Now create a 60 x 2 px rectangle ( #C2C3C9 ) to add a shadow on the
book’s spine, removing the rest using theShape Builder Tool (Shift-M).
Step 6
Add a bookmark by creating a 6 x 8 px rectangle ( #39B4FF ). Take the Pen Tool
(P) and add a node in the middle of the bottom, and then move it upwards slightly.
Step 7
For the second book, we’ll be using the same procedure from steps 4–6, so use a 49
x 12 px rectangle ( #1DABB8 ) and round its left-side corners.
Duplicate the rectangle ( #EDEEF0 ) (Control-C > Control-F) and apply an offset of -3
px. Continue with steps 5-6 explained above.
Step 8
It’s time to create the third set of books. Begin by creating a 70 x 23 px rectangle
( #39B4FF ) and then add two 4 x 23 px rectangles ( #EDEEF0 ) and one 8 x 12
px rectangle ( #EDEEF0 ).
For the first book, start with a 70 x 10 px rectangle ( #67537A ). Then add two 2 x 10
px rectangles ( #EDEEF0 ) and one 30 x 2 px rectangle ( #EDEEF0 ).
Finish the set by creating a 70 x 5 px rectangle ( #67537A ) and set the Blending
Mode to Multiply with a 20% Opacity. Group the book (Control-G).
Step 11
For the second and third books in this set, use a 70 x 10 px rectangle ( #4CD4B0 ) and
add four 3 x 10 px rectangles ( #EDEEF0 ). Afterwards, create a 70 x 5 px rectangle
( #4CD4B0 ) and set the Blending Mode to Multiply with a 20% Opacity. Group the
book (Control-G).
Duplicate the last book (Control-C > Control-F) and double-click it to enter Isolate
Mode. Change the fill color #F6CD61 and the shadow’s fill color by using
the Eyedropper Tool (I) and pressing Shift on the color of the other rectangle.
Press Escape to exit Isolate Mode.
3. How to Create the Portraits
Step 1
In this step we are going to create portraits for our shelves. Start by creating one 51 x
72 px rectangle ( #6F5E87 ) and one 40 x 60 px rectangle ( #F7F7F8 ).
Then duplicate the last rectangle ( #D8D9DD ) twice (Control-C > Control-F), and move
the last copy down twice and once to the right using your keyboard’s arrows. Select it
along with the last copy and apply Minus Front from the Pathfinder panel.
Step 2
Create a new 30 x 48 px rectangle ( #6F5E87 ), and then add two 40 x 40
px rectangles ( #BADEB2 ) and rotate them 45 degrees using the Rotate Tool (R). Use
the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M) to remove the remaining part.
Add a sun by creating a 14 x 14 px ellipse ( #F7E999 ). Group all the elements of the
portrait (Control-G).
Step 3
For the second portrait, use a 45 x 63 px rectangle ( #299EBF ), and add an inner
frame using a 33 x 50 px rectangle ( #8BCBDE ). Then duplicate the inner frame
( #7FBACB ) twice (Control-C > Control-F), move the last copy twice down and once to
the right, and apply Minus Front on the Pathfinder panel—make sure both copies
are selected when applying Minus Front.
Duplicate the pot (Control-C > Control-F) twice and move the last copy to the left.
Apply Minus Front using the Pathfinder panel and change the fill color to #A4BEE7 .
Step 2
Add a new 34 x 3 px rectangle ( #6B7EB9 ). Duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F) and
change its width to 13 px using the Transform panel, and then change its fill color
to #556AA3 .
Step 3
Let’s draw the plant's leaves. Use a 15 x 24 px rectangle ( #BADEB2 ) and set the
radius of all corners to 15 pxusing the Transform panel. Duplicate this first leaf
(Control-C > Control-F) ( #ACD4A3 ) and flip it vertically (right click > Transform >
Reflect).
Add two 30 x 30 px ellipses ( #A2CC99 ) and cross them at the center,
applying Intersect from the Pathfinderpanel. Place this last petal behind the rest
(click right > Arrange > Send Backward). Group the plant together (Control-G).
Step 4
For our second plant, let’s begin by using the same procedure from steps 1-2. Use
a 32 x 43 px rectangle for the pot ( #BCCBFA ) and 36 x 2 px ( #6B7EB9 ) and 18 x 2
px rectangles ( #556AA3 ) for the top.
Step 5
Now we’re going to draw the leaves of the next plant. Select the Pen Tool (P) and
draw a petal as shown in the image below. Rotate the petals using the Rotate Tool
(R) and alternate the following fill colors between them:
#BADEB2
#ACD4A3
#A2CC99
Duplicate (Control-C > Control-F) the last rectangle ( #A3D1D9 ) twice and move the
last copy twice downwards and once to the right. Then apply Minus Front on
the Pathfinder panel, making sure to select the last copies.
Step 2
Now draw the glass by creating a 22 x 30 px rectangle ( #897FBA ), and add a 22 x 3
px rectangle ( #7D73B0 ). Create another 25 x 3 px rectangle ( #A094D9 ) for the top of
the glass. Group the glass (Control-G) and position the pencils under the glass as
shown in the image below.
Finally, create the box lid using a 69 x 13 px rectangle ( #6F5E87 ). Group everything
together (Control-G).
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Step 2
Finish the design by adding an 800 x 600 px rectangle ( #EFF7E0 ) to the back of the
canvas. And with that, we have finished this illustration.
Congratulations! You're Finished!
Done! We finished this amazing illustration, and it turned out great. We have created
a bit of everything, which is a good thing because surely you have learned many new
things that can help you open up your imagination.
I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and that every step has been a learning
experience for you. I’ll be awaiting your results!