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How to Color an Adorable Vector Frog in Illustrator

You’ve drawn your own Hoppy Frog. You are now choosing to continue on to the digital coloring section.  Before you continue you should download and install the Hoppy Frog Color Pallet that is also available on my resources page. Once you have the Pallet installed, let's begin.  c1- Rear Legs Step 16 Select All of the Linework ( ctrl + A ) and copy it ( ctrl + C ) Now turn off the linework layer , and make the color layer active. On the color layer , place the copied linework in the same place ( ctrl +F ) Select Rear legs and apply Frog Gradient 1 . Using the Gradient Tool ( G ), rotate the gradient and change the radial shape to an ellipse using the handle shown highlighted with a red circle in the above image. Repeat this with the other rear leg. Be sure to turn off the stroke on both legs.  c2- Body Step 17 • Select Body and apply Frog Gradient 3 . • Using the Gradient Tool ( G ) , change the radial shape to an ellipse using the handl...
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How to Draw a Perfect Heart in Illustrator in 3 Easy Steps

  Tada!!!!!   Look at the these perfect little beauties.  They were achieve without once fiddling with a bezier curve or having to futz with the reflection tool Admit it.  Everyone needs a heart at some point or other in our (ahem) creative lives, and the little buggers can be a bit of an inconvenient hassle if the goal is to achieve something remotely symmetrical. Lucky you.  I have the answer to you cardiac conundrum--well sort of.  If you ignore the whole medical aspect of it all and go totally with the digital drawing dilemma of it all.  Yes, I have the digital drawing solution you didn't know you were seeking. Would you like to know the secret to producing such pulmonary perfection?  Keep reading to find out.   1.Draw a small square. (Mine is 0.25 in by 0.25 in) Now using the direct selection arrow (A), delete one of the anchorpoints. Open the stroke pallette, and apply a round cap to the resulting str...
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How to Draw an Adorable Vector Frog in Illustrator

Hi, and welcome to NoNotopia!  I'm sooooo happy you've stopped by.  Today I'm going to show you how I drew this adorable little guy in Adobe Illustrator.  It's most comical that I'm declaring that he's adorable, because in real life I'm less than enamored of frogs to say the very least.  But.  I digress.  So, back to the point . . . . . This tutorial is for anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of AI.  It can be completed easily using only a mouse.  For those of you just starting out the perceived expense of beginning graphic work can be a bit daunting.  I suggest you do NOT let this sway you.  Please, follow along as we take it step by step (or should I say as we take tiny hops) to a completed piece. Back on topic . . .    This is Hoppy G. Frog.  He was created using very basic Illustrator tools. mostly the Ellipse tool ( L ) a bit of the Line Segment tool ( \ ) the Shape Builder tool ( Shift + M ) This is ...
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Zodiac Series-- #2 Aquarius

Yeah, it's been a little bit longer than I wanted in getting this post up.  But real life does not stick to a schedule not matter how hard I lecture it.  The Zodiac series, however, is still on schedule-sort of, kinda. Next in line is the 11th sign of the Zodiac.  Aquarius is associated with the second month of the year.  Those born between January21st and February19th are Aquarius--insert the same caveat mentioned in Capricorn's posting.  As far as I can gather, Aquarius is know as variously as the "water bearer" or the "cup bearer."  Either way, it's never made a whole lot of sense to me that Aquarius is often depicted spilling the very water she is meant to bear.  So I made sure my version of Aquarius isn't wasting any. She was created in Illustrator.  If anyone is interested in any of the details of how Aquarius was drawn  (or colored), just write a comment.  If there is enough interest, I'll write a tutorial.  Or if...
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When I'm Feeling Blue . . .

So, I'm in a blue work state of mind.  Who could blame me though?  Blue is my favorite color When I'm feeling blue, all I have to do is break open the sketch book, and then it's off to Illustrator I go.  Not really the ending you thought?  I'm sure my college professors are all falling out of their chairs as I type this, too.  It was a serious struggle to get me to sketch back then.  I think I'd break out in to hives and hyperventilate, whenever I was asked (asked = ordered) to sketch something.  I needed an hour or so to pout before I could put pencil to paper.  Oh, those were the days.  Now, back to the subject at hand . . . OK.  Enough of the cheesy song innuendos.  This little menacing creation is called "Sinister".  Although, I'm not too sure she's really all that scary.  I seem to have a real challenge when it comes to producing truly scary work.  I'm marginally curious what a shrink would make of that....
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Zodiac Series-- #1 Capricornus

So, Inspiration has struck once again.  I've decided to make an image for each month's Zodiac.  This little jewel is the first in the intended series--Capricorn.  This image was created in Illustrator. According to  Wikipedia , Capricornus is a "feint" constellation.  However, this does not seem to affect the mythologies associated with it.  Apparently, they've been floating around since about 1000 BC. Capricorn is the 10th sign of the Zodiac, but it is associated with the first month of the year.  Those born between December 21st and January 19th are Capricorns--if you ignore the whole 13th Zodiac Sign that broke the new last year. If anyone is interested in any of the details of how Capricorn was drawn  (or colored), just write a comment.  If there is enough interest, I'll write a tutorial.  (Please view my previous post for my itty-bitty disclaimer) Once again, thank you for looking at my post.  I hope to show more...
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Happy New Year

So, another year is upon us.  I pray and hope that it is better than the previous two years.  It's so hard to believe just how much more 2012 sucked than 2011.  So, it is with great trepidation that wish any and all a happy and prosperous new year. Now that the formalities are out of the way, take a gander at my image to the left.  Sadly, that is how I rang in the New Year--creating that little cutie.  I know; I know.  I'm slightly biased.  After all I did make her.  She was made in Illustrator.  If anyone is interested in any of the details of how she was drawn  (or colored), just write a comment.  If there is enough interest, I'll write a tutorial.  However, I must insert this itty-bitty disclaimer:  I am not a professional illustrator.  Yet.  I'm not even an incomparable artist.  I just make things I like whenever I feel inspired.  I figure if I like it someone else will too.  I'm still in t...
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