Premium Tutorial: Vector Jigsaw Puzzle

By Tony Soh

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Create an Eye-Catching Vector Jigsaw Puzzle From Scratch!

Having trouble creating a jigsaw puzzle effect in Adobe Illustrator? Look no further, this tutorial will show you how you can create your own illustrator vector jigsaw pieces step by step. No expensive and fancy plugins needed! Just using some simple tools and filters in illustrator. I will also show you how you can map your vector illustration or jpeg photo onto the jigsaw puzzle. After learning this tutorial, you will be able to turn any photo/illustration into jigsaw pieces with ease.

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Difficulty: Intermediate
Requirements: Adobe Illustrator

What will you get?

• Instant download of PDF e-book (16 pages)
• Step by step tutorial to create a jigsaw puzzle from scratch
• Learn how to turn a photo/illustration into a jigsaw puzzle
• Extra quick tip on how to create a scattered jigsaw puzzle effect
• Easy to follow with screenshot for every step
• Complete the tutorial easily in 21 steps
• Comes with source file for easy reference
• 30 days money back guarantee if not satisfied

Tutorial Preview:

15. Select all the jigsaw puzzle pieces and press Ctrl/Command+C to copy it. Press Ctrl/Command+F to paste a new copy in the front. Change it to brown fill and press Ctrl/Command+{ to send it to the back. This will be the jigsaw cardboard. Offset it a bit to the right and down to create the thickness of the cardboard. Press Right Arrow Key and Down Arrow Key a few times to move it.

16. The original jigsaw puzzle with the black stroke is still on top of our picture. Now set the stroke color of the jigsaw puzzle to brown instead of the old boring black.

17. Go to your layers and find the tomato farm illustration. We will need to create a total of 15 duplicates of the illustration. After that, we will mask each individual jigsaw piece with the illustration. Select the picture layer and drag it to the new layer to create a copy. Uncheck the eye icon after that to hide it. Repeat this until you have 15 copies.

18. Unhide first layer of the picture. Select the right corner of the jigsaw piece first. Press Ctrl/Command+C to copy the puzzle piece to your clipboard. Hold Shift and select the picture. Right click and select Make clipping mask. Press Ctrl/Command+F to paste the jigsaw piece outline at the top. With the Selection Tool, drag and select the area at the first piece of jigsaw puzzle. This will select the jigsaw outline, masked picture and the cardboard. Press Ctrl/Command+2 to lock it. This will prevent moving it. Our first jigsaw piece is done. Repeat the steps above for the next piece. Continue doing this until you have masked all 15 pieces.

19. Once you're done with all the masking, go to Object/Unlock All to unlock all the pieces. Use the Selection Tool and make a selection of the piece you want to move and drag it. You might want to group it by pressing Ctrl/Command+G to make it easy for moving it.

20. You can rotate it using the Rotate Tool. Have fun with it until you have created the jigsaw effect you like.

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About The Author: Tony Soh

Hi. I'm the founder of Vector Diary. Illustrator is my passion and I have written numerous tutorials on illustrator helping people learn illustrator. My most popular tutorial on learn illustrator has been a hit. It makes learning illustrator so easy and has benefited more than 20,000 people worldwide. Also, I've revealed some of my secret techniques in the premium tutorials. So don't forget to check it out!

Read more by Tony Soh

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+Add Comment8 Comments

1. 
   jean easton June 17th

   I bought the rope brush tutorial a few months ago. I had a very hard time. I am using CS3 Illustrator. I’m a beginner and trying to figure out how to make something work in CS3 that is being taught in Illustrator 10 was a little much for me. After about 40 hrs of frustration I did get it to work somewhat, but I didn’t understand what I was doing.

   I love the puzzle pieces but want to know if this tutorial is like the rope tutorial. I like the fact I could print it out and keep it. Later on as I get more experience I’m going to try it again. thanks, Jean

2. 
   Tony Soh June 18th

   Thanks for the feedback. I admit the rope brush tutorial is quite tough and is not easy for beginners to grasp it. This tutorial would be much easier, as it is written for the beginners. You can give it a try when you are ready. Thanks.

3. 
   John Rich September 29th

   I got the Jigsaw puzzle tutorial a couple of weeks ago. I couldn’t originally figure it out, but then I’ve gotten to the pathfinder part and it doesn’t behave the way you describe.
   I was hoping you would be able to tell me what the problem is. I emailed you about a week ago, but I guess it didn’t get through, since no response.
   This has got to be some bug in CS3 or else, something is wrong with the instructions. Anyway, I need to finish this and would appreciate help.
   John Rich

4. 
   Tony Soh September 30th

   Hi John Rich, I believe you are stuck at step 13. Make sure your paths touch the edges before you hold Alt/Option and select Divide. Email me the file if you are still having problems. Thanks.

5. 
   john rich September 30th

   Tony,
   That was the problem ie the path with the curl in it didn’t quite touch the path of the rounded rectangle (under very high power zoom). I fixed it by creating a new anchor point on the rectangle and then averaging the end point of the line with the anchor point on the rectangle.
   I thought it was interesting that when I “expanded” the original line with curl shape after applying Arch that I had a group with just one path in it. In order to join the lines together, I had to ungroup each of those lines.
   Also, it seems easier for me to use the Object – rotate and reflect commands than use the individual tools.
   Just a couple of thoughts. Since I’m using these shapes for video editing ie to import into a program called Zaxwerks Invigorator, I really appreciate this tutorial.
   John Rich

6. 
   Tony Soh September 30th

   Hi John Rich, thanks for the input. I see that you have tried a lot of different techniques in this tutorial. Great to see that you have learnt a lot.

7. 
   Sally Bauer December 27th

   My question is: Do you make new layers once working on adding a picture to the frame? I hope to master this effect!

8. 
   Me December 4th

   Hi