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  • Writer's pictureReilly Moss

How to draw a sunflower in Adobe Illustrator

Are you looking to start learning Adobe Illustrator? If so, you are in luck!


Below is an easy-to-follow tutorial showing you how to create a simple and stunning sunflower illustration using Adobe Illustrator. So grab your stylus or mouse, open up Illustrator, and let's dive right in!

Alright, so the first thing we're going to do is create a new document. Go to "File" and select "New." Choose your desired artboard size and click "Create."


To begin, select the Ellipse Tool from the toolbar on the left-hand side, or press the "L" key as a shortcut. Click and drag on the artboard to draw a perfect circle for the sunflower's center. Hold down the Shift key while dragging to maintain its proportions.


Now, let's give our sunflower some vibrant petals. Select the Line Segment Tool from the toolbar. Draw a straight line through the center of the circle. Hold down the Shift key to keep the line perfectly vertical or horizontal.


To create more petals, go to the "Object" menu, choose "Transform," and then "Rotate." Enter the desired angle for your petals. For example, let's start with 30 degrees. Make sure the "Preview" box is checked, so you can see the changes in real time. Click "Copy" to duplicate the line, and Illustrator will automatically rotate it for you.


To repeat this rotation and create additional petals, press "Ctrl+D" or "Cmd+D" on a Mac to repeat the last action. Keep pressing the shortcut until you have a complete circle of petals around the sunflower's center.


Now, let's add some depth and dimension to our sunflower. Select all the petal lines by clicking and dragging a selection around them. Go to the "Object" menu, choose "Path," and then "Offset Path." Enter a value to increase the size of the petals, creating an outer edge. Make sure to check the "Preview" box, so you can see the changes before applying them.


Next, let's add some color! Click on the "Fill" color swatch. Choose a warm shade of golden yellow for a natural sunflower look and color those pedals.


Next, in the layers tab, you will want to move the center circle of the sunflower to the top layer. Now to color the center, choose a brown hue from the color picker or enter the color code if you have a specific shade in mind. Apply the brown fill to the sunflower's center.


Click on the "Stroke Weight" option in the toolbar to adjust the thickness of the petal lines and center circle. Experiment with different stroke weights until you find the desired look.


To add some more dimension, add a smaller, dark brown circle at the center of your flower. Additionally, if you want to add some texture or shading, you can explore different brushes or apply gradients to the petals. Be creative and play around with the various options Illustrator offers!


Lastly, don't forget to save your masterpiece! Go to "File" and select "Save" or "Save As" to save your artwork in your preferred location. That way, you can always come back to it and make further adjustments or share it with the world.


And there you have it! You've just created a beautiful sunflower illustration using Adobe Illustrator.


Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments.


Thank you so much for checking out this tutorial!


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© 2023 by Reilly Moss. Proudly created with Wix.com

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Hello! I'm Reilly. This is my space to learn and explore storytelling through design. 
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