Illustrator Tutorial: How To Make 3D Vector Vintage Stars

September 15, 2007 | Posted in Illustrator | 83 Comments »

I’m going to walk you through a technique to create vintage looking 3d stars in Illustrator. You guessed it, 100% vector. By the time we’re done, there will be 0 (zero) effects, or filters. You will have a very useful vintage star vector on your artboard, and a new skill to go with it. With vector art gaining ground every day because of its long-term value and versatility, new vector art styles are constantly emerging. I’ve seen quite a few of these 3D style shapes that seem to ‘pop’ out at you being used in many different applications. As always, it’s not quite as hard as you would think. You might just need a little shove in the right direction. Ok, lets make one ourselves!

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

1. Make your star shape

Use the Star tool and hold Shift to make a Star shape (or any shape you want, really) on the artboard. (everything you see here is exact size).

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

2. Extrude your shape

With your Star selected, in the Effect menu go to 3D > Extrude and Bevel.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Check the ‘Preview’ option so you can see what you’re working with.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Now you should see something like this:

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Now take the ‘Perspective’ setting all the way to the right (160 degrees)

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star
Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Now make your Extrude depth something like 900 or so.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star
Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Click on the blue box and drag to get your desired rotation.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Click OK, and you should have something like this:

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

3. Expand Appearance

Now that we have our 3D shape, we will most likely want to have a little more control over it. Go to Object > Expand Appearance and click OK to get rid of the effect and separate our effect into individual shapes that we can edit.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

You’ll notice that we now have individual shapes for each side of the 3D star shape (and the effect s gone as well, which is good). Great! Now lets make a few more changes.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

4. Fill the Sides with a Gradient.

To do this, you can either ungroup (about 3 times) until you can select the individual shapes, or you can use the Direct Select Tool (white arrow) to select the individual shapes and fill them with a gradient.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star
Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Do the same for all of the sides.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

This is pretty much a 3D Vintage Star already, but there are a few extra touches we can add to take it a step further.

5. Offset the Front Face of the Star

To do this you will, again, either have to ungroup everything until you can select an individual shape, or use the Direct Select Tool (white arrow).

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Select the face of the Star.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

In the menu, go to Object > Path > Offset Path.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Choose a negative value for the offset. (Negative = Smaller/Inside the Selected Shape) I chose -8px.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Click OK and you will see your original Star face, and the new offset one.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Click once on the blank artboard to deselect everything, then use the Direct Select Tool to select the new (smaller) star.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star
Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Fill this smaller star with a different color to add something a little extra to your vintage star design.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Take it a step further:

6. Add a stroke around the entire group.

Hit Command/Control + A to select everything, then hold Option/Alt, click, drag and release to duplicate your shape. (or you can copy and paste if you like)

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Now, select the NEW group of shapes and if they are grouped, you must ungroup them until you can select individual shapes with the black arrow. DON”T SKIP THIS STEP.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Now, with all of the new (individual) shapes selected, in the Pathfinder palette (Window > Pathfinder) hit the “Add to Shape Area” button.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Keep everything selected the way it is and immediately hit the “Expand” button in the Pathfinder palette.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Sweetness! Now we have a single vector path that is an exact copy of our 3d Star shape. Now all we have to do is add a Stroke and Align. You can change the fill if you want, but you won’t be able to see it anyway. It’s up to you. I chose a dark 3px Stroke.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

7. Align Your 2 Shapes

IMPORTANT: To align, first, make sure your shape on the left (the ‘3d’ shape is grouped). Then select both of your shapes like below, and hit these two buttons in the Align palette (Window > Align) in any order. (you probably want to uncheck ‘align to artboard’ in the palette options first).

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

If your shape with the stroke is on top it will look like this. So all you have to do to get it behind the 3d shape is (with the black arrow) click on the blank artboard once to deselect everything. Then select your top shape with the stroke on it, and hit Command/Control + { until it gets behind your 3d star shape.

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Now it should look something like this!

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

That should be enough to get you started, but I have one extra tip for you before you go…

Extra Bling

You can literally do anything you want from this point, but here is a quick tip to take it one more step:

You can easily make the front of your vintage star appear to be ‘inset’ by simply duplicating the smaller star shape, filling it with a dark color, and nudging it up and over. Like this:

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star
Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Bonus Freebie:

You can download the file I used to make the Cover Image at the beginning of this tutorial! (vector)

Illustrator Tutorial: How to Make A 3D Vector Vintage Star

Download EPS (Ill version 8 eps)

Download

Includes: – EPS (1)

Download SVG (svg 1.1)

Download

Includes: – SVG (1)

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 15th, 2007 at 6:52 pm and is filed under Illustrator. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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83 Responses to “Illustrator Tutorial: How To Make 3D Vector Vintage Stars”

  1. DinkLock Sep 15, 07 at 9:09 pm

    OK. I’ve been reading Bittbox for a while now. I’ve gotta ask (since both file types are available), how do you convert your EPS and SVG files so seamlessly? I do most of my work in Inkscape (non-profit), and constantly run into situations where an EPS file is needed. Every time I try to convert to EPS I don’t get exactly what I need.

    Also, thanks for this tutorial. Its given me a couple of good ideas.

  2. BittBox Sep 15, 07 at 9:13 pm

    @DinkLock

    In Illustrator, you can simply “save as” SVG. Nothing fancy.

    ~Bitt

  3. Felipe Sep 15, 07 at 11:41 pm

    I love your blog. You help us so much. Thank you =)

  4. Janshi Sep 16, 07 at 5:05 am

    I think DinkLock was asking how you convert it for webpresentation so seamlessly and the answer is PNG!

  5. shery Sep 16, 07 at 6:39 am

    thanks bitt, love it

  6. Lee anne Sep 17, 07 at 3:05 am

    always wanted to know how to do this! thanks

  7. Peter Sep 17, 07 at 3:24 am

    Funky!
    One of your best tutorials.
    P

  8. Sharmela Sep 17, 07 at 6:31 am

    Stumbled upon your site by accident.

    Boy, am I glad I did!

    This is amazing!

    I do wish I’d discovered it earlier.

    Thanks for the wonderful brushes & tutorials.

    You made my day! ;)

  9. Paige Sep 17, 07 at 8:06 am

    Wow, thanks!
    I’ve often wondered how to do this, usually with typography. I’ve always avoided filters ‘n such in illustrator, but “expand appearance” is really wonderful at returning wild effects to usable fills and strokes.

    I think I’m gonna have to explore illy some more.

  10. Miguel Sep 17, 07 at 4:19 pm

    Just GREAT, this is absolutly amazing, you help alot in every single topic

  11. Ali Sep 17, 07 at 4:21 pm

    Thank You! I have been trying to figure this out for a while and everything I’ve done was soooo much harder. I’m just having a blast! Thank You!

  12. Tutorial para realiizar estrellas en 3D con Ilustrador « Cosas sencillas Sep 18, 07 at 3:40 am

    [...] Tutorial para realiizar estrellas en 3D con Ilustrador En BitBox tenemos un tutorial paso a paso para realizar estrellas en 3D, esta en inglés pero es fácil seguir los pasos, puedes verlo en: Illustrator Tutorial: How To Make 3D Vector Vintage Stars. [...]

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    [...] une fois bittbox propose un tutorial pour illustrator très bien réalisé pour faire des étoiles avec un look vintage le tout en [...]

  14. Graphics Workshop Blog: Ruminations, observations and postulations by Paige Howarth Sep 18, 07 at 8:33 am

    [...] wonderful blog Bittox has yielded another great vector tip. The tutorial is ostensibly about creating “3D vector vintage stars”, but the method is insanely valuable in a variety of scenarios- anyone who’s created this [...]

  15. 2d4u Sep 18, 07 at 8:51 am

    This is just amazing! I love your blog!

  16. Nate S. Sep 18, 07 at 4:14 pm

    hey long time lurker here. Just thought that i would mention another way to do this, perhaps simpler.
    Just make a small star, and a big star of different colors, go to obect, blend, make blend. you can play around with the blend settings to get some pretty great effects

  17. Phil G Sep 18, 07 at 8:00 pm

    Great tutorial! :) Inspirational and useful.

  18. Vector Stars with Tutorial from BittBox : Design Bliss Sep 19, 07 at 3:02 am

    [...] BittBox provides an EPS of some of the stars he’s created as well as a tutorial so you can make some of your own. [...]

  19. Tati Sep 19, 07 at 7:00 pm

    hi! i´m kinda new to illustrator and was I have cs2 and was wondering how can I open some brushes I downloaded in to the program. thanks!

  20. BittBox Sep 19, 07 at 7:18 pm

    @Tati,

    In the menu, go to Window > Brush Libraries. If you installed it correctly, it will appear in the list.

    ~Bitt

  21. Scrapyard Antics! Sep 22, 07 at 2:19 am

    Top tutorial Bitt!

  22. zacksmith Sep 25, 07 at 12:21 pm

    so very helpful… thank you, benevolent genius.

    blessings…

  23. jr Reaper Sep 28, 07 at 2:45 pm

    Your site is Awesome bro! Thanks for all the tips!

  24. Carly Oct 22, 07 at 7:18 am

    I really need a newer version of Illustrator. Any way of doing this in an older version? 10 maybe?

  25. Illustrator Tutorials | Free Illustrator Tutorials | How To Illustrator | Outlaw Design Nov 29, 07 at 4:03 pm

    [...] Tutorials – website – Illustrator tutorial by the famous BittBox Blog. Learn how to create vintage [...]

  26. Ashley Dec 12, 07 at 7:46 am

    this is sweet!!

  27. nix Dec 16, 07 at 7:37 pm

    oh this is nice. can you extrude it in a way that it curves?

  28. Shan Dec 27, 07 at 9:28 pm

    Im came here by searching for somthing. This is very useful for my practise. Thank u so much.

  29. tvorba www stranek jan cermak Jan 4, 08 at 7:55 am

    Perfect tutorial, now i test in my illustrator CS2 and it work perfect.

  30. udayakrishna Jan 7, 08 at 12:41 am

    thanks u so much…….. from this tutorial i learned a lot

  31. Adobe Illustrator Tutorials - Best Of | Tutorials | Smashing Magazine Feb 5, 08 at 9:14 am

    [...] How To Make 3D Vector Vintage StarsI’m going to walk you through a technique to create vintage looking 3d stars in Illustrator. You guessed it, 100% vector. [...]

  32. Adobe Illustrator Tutorials - Best Of | Tutorials | Smashing Magazine Feb 5, 08 at 9:14 am

    [...] How To Make 3D Vector Vintage StarsI’m going to walk you through a technique to create vintage looking 3d stars in Illustrator. You guessed it, 100% vector. [...]

  33. Best Of Illustrator Tutorials | Bigg Magazine Feb 5, 08 at 1:50 pm

    [...] How To Make 3D Vector Vintage Stars I’m going to walk you through a technique to create vintage looking 3d stars in Illustrator. You guessed it, 100% vector. [...]

  34. maria Feb 25, 08 at 8:50 pm

    ey esto si sirve se los recomiendo

  35. renz Feb 27, 08 at 4:29 am

    hey you! what version of inkscape are you using???

  36. shawne Mar 2, 08 at 10:14 pm

    Hehehh.. Best Tutorials man.. I Loved It.. Friends Love It.. Everyone Love IT MAN!! Keep up the good work.. If you have more tuts that come up please let me know .. Please mail me..
    Thank’s A LOT A BUNCH A MILLIONS!!!!!!

  37. 10 essential Illustrator tutorials - Sean Johnson Mar 4, 08 at 9:39 am

    [...] How to make 3D vintage stars [...]

  38. Julia Mar 18, 08 at 12:36 pm

    I love it, really!

    but, what program did you use?
    I see you have an Apple.
    But, what program?
    Greets Julia

  39. ali rokib Mar 22, 08 at 5:26 am

    Thank’s a lot for u’r help…

    i very help from u’r adviced…

    Wish u luck…

  40. Adobe Illustrator Tutorials - Best Of Mar 25, 08 at 7:17 am

    [...] How To Make 3D Vector Vintage Stars I’m going to walk you through a technique to create vintage looking 3d stars in Illustrator. You guessed it, 100% vector. [...]

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  42. max_2211 Apr 18, 08 at 8:09 pm

    thank you so much ! I love your site. I’ve never used illustrator before, But I think I’ll start NOW :D

  43. Free Illustrator Tutorials | Outlaw Design Blog Apr 22, 08 at 8:15 am

    [...] Tutorials – website – Illustrator tutorial by the famous BittBox Blog. Learn how to create vintage [...]

  44. Alehandro Jun 5, 08 at 10:47 pm

    Legendary. Just random stuff, not this post in particular.

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  46. serkan Sep 10, 08 at 5:52 pm

    how can i move it? like a S shape ??

  47. ramonchi Sep 16, 08 at 1:54 am

    nagmayat… nagasat nak ta nasurutak dayta dude

  48. fzsdg Oct 6, 08 at 1:15 pm

    this stunk really really really really really really really baddly

  49. dure Oct 24, 08 at 8:37 am

    i have corel drawx3.iwant to create designs like u have created please guide

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  53. Dan Jan 27, 09 at 10:41 am

    It didn’t work, not very well explained, very disappointed.

  54. sasukie Feb 17, 09 at 8:16 am

    is not very lovely he is simple thing

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  58. easy Mar 12, 09 at 6:27 am

    thanks nice job

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  61. David Mar 29, 09 at 6:25 pm

    Hi, love the site!

    I was just wondering; Is there a way to get the vanishing points of all the different stars to realistically match to one point? – As in a real-life perspective drawing. Please reply as I think I can use the effect in a yearbook section, I have been asked to do.

    - David

    - David

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  65. yassin1033 Jul 2, 09 at 9:38 am

    thank you good job freind

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  67. Riana Jul 29, 09 at 10:44 pm

    cool. Thanks for sharing

  68. Nitesh Aug 2, 09 at 12:25 am

    its a good Software to create a nice and latest designed

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  71. Erick Sep 19, 09 at 2:20 pm

    Great tutorial budy, very useful !

  72. Suae Oct 5, 09 at 2:30 am

    Great tutorial !

    Just one question though, when you use the extrude depth option in the “3D extrude & bevel options”, how would you make it so its bending? rather than the straight shooting star

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  82. Cesar Mar 9, 10 at 8:21 pm

    Hi there!! this is an exelent tutorial just what i was looking for, thanks from México

  83. Cesar Mar 9, 10 at 8:27 pm

    it’s me again XD i was wondering if is posible to make rounded stars, i mean de peaks please reply me

    Thanks a lot!!

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