Hot Air Balloon.
Click on the picture to see the animated version.
Skill Level Beginner...Assuming knowledge of path tools.
Tools: Path and transform tools. Burn and dodge tools. Continue Draw
Animation: optional
Requirements:
Texture tile of your choice for the basket or use mine, you can download it here
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Open a new canvas 450W x 450H colour white.
We are going to make these pieces in different colours to make it easier to see each shape.
1.Select the path drawing tool, shape ellipse 2D colour purple.
2.Draw a shape 55W x 300H.
3.Go into path edit.
Using the adjustment handles make the bottom a little narrower.
Your first piece should look like this.
We are going to make these pieces in different colours to make it easier to see each shape.
1.Select the path drawing tool, shape ellipse 2D colour purple.
2.Draw a shape 55W x 300H.
3.Go into path edit.
Using the adjustment handles make the bottom a little narrower.
Your first piece should look like this.
4.Now draw a 2D rectangle shape, make sure your purple piece is not selected and make this new piece orange, 25W x 300H place on top of the purple piece so the right side line is in the centre of it .
5.Change to path edit and ignoring the long sides for now pull the bottom right node slightly to the right and then down, the bottom left node down then to the right to create this shape.
Illustration 2.
Don't worry if the long side lines don't stay completely straight as we will be curving them now.
6.Select both sides and convert to curve.
7.Use the adjustment handles on the right to form a curve to fit in against the left side of the purple part.
8.Do the same with the left line but this time use the handles to make it match the curve you just made and at the same time decrease the width so it is back to somewhere near the original width of 25px.
9.Gently pull the top nodes to get a gentle curve.
Here it is finished, it looks odd at the bottom but this is what we want.
10.Duplicate this piece and change the colour of the new piece to green.
Use the arrow keys to move the green shape to the left line it up with the orange shape at the top.
11.Change to path edit and pull both left nodes a little to the left so we can widen this piece
12.Use the adjustment handles to widen it then pull the bottom left node over to touch the right node at bottom and top as shown.
Exit path edit.
13.Duplicate this piece and change the colour of the new piece to pale blue.
14.Use the arrow keys move it to the left so the middle part just touches the green shape.
This one needs more editing so don't worry how it looks now.
15.Go into path edit and pull the bottom left node in till it touches the green.
That also improved the inner curve line.
16. Do the same thing at the top then use the adjustment handles to get the curve the shape to fit against the green curve.
17.Delete both outer nodes.
18.Duplicate this piece and change the colour of the new piece to red.
19.Pull the bottom and top nodes over to meet the blue shape as in step 15 above.
Don't delete any nodes this time.
20.Use the adjustment handles to shape the inner curve, leave the outer curve as it is.
We now have this shape and the balloon is nearly finished.
21.Select all the pieces except the purple right click duplicate, then rotate horizontally, use the arrow keys to move this over so the orange parts line up as shown.
22.If you want to change colours do it now.
23.Select the path drawing tool again and select each piece in turn and change the mode to 3D trim.
Now for the magic of 3D trim, as taught in Rosie's paths courses.
24.Do this with each piece.
Select then use the transform tools to rotate the piece 90 degrees to the left, right click and convert object type, reset text/path object. rotate the piece back 90 degrees to the right.
25.The right side needs to be a bit darker, use the burn tool, size 180 level 50 couple of smooth sweeps over that side.
A little burn on both outside edges for extra shading, reduce to size 20.
So far we have used the default setting for border and width on the 3D trim.
26.Select the red pieces and change to border 39 depth 18 and the purple piece to border 38 depth 22.
27.Draw a rectangle same colour as your outer balloon edges, 3D trim, size 160W x 60H.
28.Change to continue draw and draw a little circle then duplicate the circle 4 times.
29.Align them approximately in a row with the top line of the rectangle going through the mid point of the circles.
30.Right click distribute horizontally, right click align middle.
Return to 3D trim.
Rotate the trim as before.
31.Convert to image object and erase the tops of the circles, also erase the sharp points , we don't want to burst the balloon:-)
32.Use the transform tools to make this shape about half of it's width so it fits over the bottom of the balloon.
33.Line and arrow tool, spline outline width 1 colour 2D white, make some strings curving up form that base piece to the top of the balloon.
Select all objects and merge as single object.
Now gently run the blur tool over the top edge to soften it a bit.
Now let's finish it off with the basket.
34.Path drawing tool, custom shape, plaque 5.
Draw a shape then duplicate it, flip the duplicate vertically reduce the width of the duplicate as shown.
35.Edit fill both these pieces with a basket weave, darken the back piece using the burn tool.
36.Convert both parts to image and then erase the edges to get this shape.
37.Now use transform to make this less wide and perspective to widen the bottom.
Be careful with the perspective we don't want the passengers falling out:-)
Last part.
38.Place the basket to sit under the balloon, then using round shape 4 draw a shape, use transform to make this as narrow as possible, this is now a rope, duplicate 5 times and place the 6 ropes in position, merge all the basket and ropes as single object, right click arrange and send to back.
All finished, heat up the balloon and off you go, up and away:-)
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, my colours were just for ease of writing this, you could use fills or gradients and make some wonderfully unique balloons.
This one has some lighting applied to it.
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