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This illustrator tutorial will touch on how to create 4 different stylish web 2.0 badges. We will start by learning how to create the basic sawtooth badge. From there, we will move on to produce other styles using some other filters.
So what is a Web 2.0 badge? It is a bubble used in modern websites that call for the attention about a service or message. Some common traits of Web 2.0 badges are bright colors, glossy effects, gradient fades, rounded corners and star shapes etc. Used correctly, it can help you market your website successfully.
Mastering the Star Tool
This will cover all the shortcuts of using the Star Tool. Click on the canvas and drag to create a star shape. Without releasing your mouse, press Arrow Up/Down to increase/decrease points. Other than this, you can hold Ctrl/Command and drag to adjust the radius until you get the shape you want. With this 2 shortcuts on hand, you can create any star shape you want easily!
1. Creating the sawtooth shape
Select the Star Tool, click and drag to create a basic star. Without releasing your mouse, press Arrow Up key to increase the number of points. Hold Ctrl/Command and drag to adjust the radius until you get the shape below.
3. Dividing the shape
Create a duplicate of the shape by pressing Ctrl/Command+C then press Ctrl/Command+F to paste it on top. With the Pencil or Pen Tool, draw a quick wave cutting across the shape. Select your top shape and your wave and open up your Pathfinder tool (Window>Pathfinder), click Divide to divide it into 2 pieces. By default, it will be grouped after dividing. Press Ctl+Shift+G/Command+Shift+G to ungroup it. Select the unwanted bottom half shape and delete it.
3. Applying the gloss look
Now select the top half shape. Go Object>Path>Offset Path and select a value of -2mm. Apply a linear gradient from black to white and select Screen under the Transparency palette.
4. Final web 2.0 badge
Select the bottom sawtooth shape and apply a gradient from light green to dark green and you are done.
3 Other Styles of Web 2.0 badges
Here is quick guide of using Round Corners and Pucker & Bloat effect to create more styles. Experiment with different settings and have fun with it!
Download source file (EPS 10.0)
Bonus: Web 2.0 Gradient Swatches
The guys at Dezinerfolio has created a collection 130 Web 2.0 Gradient Swatches for Illustrator. With the wide range of gradients, you can instantly try out different colors for your badges. But the sad news is that you need Illustrator CS3 to import it.
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February 5th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
[...] you like to learn how to make your own badge, check out my tutorial! + Add To Social [...]
February 14th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I am using Verion 10, and i, um I kinda cannot find the star tool
sorry i’m silly, but where is the star tool please?
February 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Ooh wait I found it, I found it! i’m following the tutorial now, thanks by the way
February 14th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
When i press devide, illustrator CS3 tells me I cant divide it because I have two shapes selected. What am i doing wrong here?
February 15th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Hi Marten, try selecting the top shape and the wave only. With these 2 shapes selected, divide it using pathfinder.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I’m not able to make this work either…with CS3 the divide thing will not allow it to split up where I can select the bottom, it either selects it all or nothing…
February 26th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Hi,
I tried to make this effect but it didn’t work, as I wanted to but after a few attempts I discovered that it only works in RGB color. Is there another way so that I can use it for CMYK color?
Thanks
February 27th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I’ve been fighting with this for 2 days now, are there different steps for the CS3 version of this because it’s SO much easier to manipulate in Photoshop than it is in Illustrator, I can’t delete anything, do I have to group the objects together or what? It’s really frustrating, everything I’ve tried, even after ungrouping them after attempting the pathfinder effect it selects the entire thing and I can’t delete or move anything without moving everything. I’m really new to this I didn’t figure it’d be THIS much harder than photoshop
February 29th, 2008 at 8:32 am
How do you use the screen tool? When i apply it the gradient disappears and it just becomes white. (CS3)
February 29th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Gabriel,
You need to apply a linear gradient from black to white to the shape. Then set it to screen. Black areas will go transparent when set to screen. While white ares will turn white. This is the reason while it appears white if you didn’t apply a proper gradient.
March 1st, 2008 at 4:46 am
look first of all i cant make the “glassy look” on this tutorial it just cant be done in the way it is explained
March 1st, 2008 at 9:36 am
Download my source file and see how the gloss is achieve by setting the gradient to screen.
March 29th, 2008 at 3:13 am
Worst tutorial ever! no beginner know where you can find the star-tool ofPathfinder-tool!
March 29th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Thanks. I have fixed it by adding in the star tool for beginners.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:22 am
not a good tutorial. step 3 seems incorrect. when i add the linear gradient and set transparent to screen i do not get a shiny look.
April 30th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Nice tutorial. Maybe instead of using transparency, gradient would be better. At least it can be accepted on istock.
May 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I don’t have the star tool though on PS. Where can I get it?
May 19th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I’m afraid this trick doesn’t work in PS. Although you can find a star shape in custom shape tool. But you can’t do much with that.
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:08 am
For everyone having trouble with STEP 3, changing the transparency type to SCREEN, the object turns solid white if your document colour type is set to CYMK.
You can get it to work by going to File > Document Colour Mode > RGB Colour.
June 24th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Good tutorial! I learn it.
Thanks
September 11th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
step 3 (transparency) dont work (maybe its de Ai version, i have CS3). Though i manage to resolve the problem. Just duplicate the cuted star and duplicate (same step as tutorial above, with big star). Give the 1 behind a solid color (white) and in the transparency change normal to screen. Then select the 2 objs (the 1 with the gradient must be in front), again in the transp box click on the upper right corner (options) and select Make Opacity Mask. Thats it. You can have some other cool effects with that, ex: instead of white choose other color like red and instead of change to screen, put multiply. note: you can do that after Making Opacity Mask. Hope that helped
September 11th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Oh! Forgot… that way you can still work in CMYK
September 26th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hi Great tute, i just did it and it looks great. I’m posting links back to these great articles from my web design blog http://www.scottydonald.com
October 14th, 2008 at 9:21 am
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October 24th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
thank you so much!
its a very usefull article
October 27th, 2008 at 10:12 am
[...] Illustrator Tutorial: 4 Stylish Web 2.0 Badges [...]
November 7th, 2008 at 4:37 am
What’s the deal with it only working in RGB? Took me forever to figure that out…. guess I should have read the comments more thoroughly
November 12th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I guess CMYK doesn’t support Transparency that’s why setting it to screen doesn’t work.