How to Create a Tennis Ball Using VectorScribe and Adobe Illustrator

Pay attention to detail and your work will look professional.

In this tutorial we will learn how to create a tennis ball using 3D modeling, Wrinkle Tool, Scatter Brush and gradient fills in Adobe Illustrator. This tutorial also covers some features of the VectorScribe plugin that will make our work more convenient and quick. If you have not installed the plugin yet, download a 7 day free full trial now!

Step 1 (using native tools)

Let’s begin our tutorial with 3D modeling of a tennis ball. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a circle 200 px in diameter.

Select the Scissors Tool (C) and cut at the points A and B.

Select and delete the left side of the circle.

Step 1 (using VectorScribe)

Let’s begin our tutorial with 3D modeling of a tennis ball. If you have VectorScribe Studio installed or are operating in the VectorScribe 7 day trial period, you can use the Dynamic Shapes Tool to create the circle of 200 px diameter with 4 segments (Window > VectorScribe > Dynamic Shapes Panel).

Using the PathScribe, you can select the points A and B, then click on the “Split Path” button from the PathScribe panel (Window > VectorScribe > PathScribe Panel).

Select and delete the left side of the circle.

Step 2

Select the shape and go to Object > 3D > Revolve…, set Position: “Front” leave the rest of the parameters of the dialog box unchanged.

Step 3

To take out the guess work, we’ll need some mathematics in place for the following step. Don’t worry if you don’t follow this step as the results are shown in the next step.

Let us define the length of the path travels around a tennis ball. The perimeter of a circle is 2πR, where π (Pi) is a mathematical constant that is approximately equal to 3.14; R is the radius of the circle, which is equal to half of the diameter (^{200 px}/₂ = 100 px). Thus, the circumference is L = 2 * 3.14 * 100 = 628 px.

Step 4 (using native tools)

Now create strips on the tennis ball. At first sight, they have a complex form. But this is not true and we will prove that now. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a new circle with a diameter of 150 px (this circle should be smaller than a tennis ball); set the stroke to 15 px via the Stroke panel (Window > Stroke).

With the help of the Scissors Tool (C) or clicking the “Split Path” button cut this circle at the points A and B.

Move the right side of the circle horizontally to the right holding down Shift. The distance between the parts of a circle should not be greater than the circumference calculated in step 3; otherwise the strips of a tennis ball will intersect. That’s why we had to recall the mathematics classes.

Now take the Pen Tool (P) and connect the points 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Step 4 (using VectorScribe)

Now create strips on the tennis ball. At first sight, they have a complex form. But this is not true and we will prove that now. Select the Dynamic Shapes Tool (Window > VectorScribe > Dynamic Shapes Panel) and create a new rectangle with a width of 440 px, height of 150 px and corner radius of 75 px; set the stroke to 15 px via the Stroke panel (Window > Stroke).

Note that the width of the rounded rectangle should not be greater than the circumference; otherwise the strips of a tennis ball will intersect. That’s why we had to recall the mathematics classes.

Step 5

Open the Symbols panel (Window > Symbols) and save the created object as a new symbol.

Select the 3D model of a tennis ball and open the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance), we can now edit the Revolve effect (to open the dialog box, click on its name in the Appearance panel).

Step 6

Click on the Map Art button in the 3D Revolve Options window. In the new window select the symbol that you created in the previous step.

Now operating the 3D object coordinates, find the position for the tennis ball and press OK.

Step 7

Lock the 3D object in the Layers panel. In further steps, we will be using it as a template. Now reproduce the shape of the tennis ball. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a circle.

Take the Pen Tool (P) and create a line consisting of straight segments. Try to put the points of this line at the bends of the outer profile of the segment line that runs around the tennis ball.

Step 8

We will be editing the created line with the tools of the VectorScribe plugin. Select all the points on the selected path by clicking on the appropriate button in the PathScribe panel (Window > VectorScribe > PathScribe).

Convert all the corner points to smooth ones by pressing the "Smooth point button" in the PathScribe panel.

Take the PathScribe Tool and by controlling its handles bring its profile to the shape of the underlying template. It’s more convenient to edit path with the help of the PathScribe Tool than using the Direct Selection Tool (A). For example, you can change the length of the handle by holding its inclination angle; to do that, hold Opt / Alt during the editing.

For complete information about operating paths shapes with the help of the PathScribe Tool and shortcuts you can read the following articles:

• Click here to read Shortcuts for PathScribe: Part 1
• Click here to read Shortcuts for PathScribe: Part 2
• Click here to read Shortcuts for PathScribe: Part 3

Step 9

Turn off the visibility of the 3D template in the layers panel to check the smoothness of the created line.

In my opinion, the line does not look very smooth at the point A. Point A is extra. Removing it in a usual way would change the trajectory of the line.

VectorScribe allows us to remove the extra point without changing the trajectory of the curve. Select this point with the PathScribe Tool and click on the “Smart Remove Point” from the PathScribe panel. This results in a smooth curve.

Step 10

Using this technique, create the second curved line repeating the inner boundary of the line of the template.

Connect the two curved paths, resulting in a clothed path. Select the right points of both curves (in my case they coincide), and click shortcuts (Cmd / Ctrl + J) connecting them.

Step 11

Select two left points of the opened path and open the menu of the PathScribe panel. As you can see, VectorScribe allows closing the path in two ways. Cloth Path command closes the path taking into consideration the handles of the connected points.

Cloth Path (Ignore Endpoints Handles) command closes the path creating a straight-line segment between the points.

I think we will stick with the second option. Now let’s make this segment curved; take the PathScribe Tool and simply drag the segment to the side. If you need a small curvature of the segment, as it is in our case, hold down Cmd / Ctrl while dragging, it will turn on the “Slow Drag” mode.

Basic shapes are ready, it’s time to do their color.

Now 3D template can be deleted.

Step 12

Fill the circle with radial gradient consisting of yellow color and shades of light green color. Using radial gradient, we reproduce the light distribution on the spherical surface.

Fill the shape of the rubber line on the ball with radial gradient which consists of light shades of gray.

Step 13

Good results can be recognized by the attention to detail detail — something we’ll aim for now.

The rubber strip on the ball is usually slightly sunk into the surface, so its lateral end will be visible. Let’s create it. Copy and paste the rubber strip in front two times (Cmd / Ctrl + C; Cmd / Ctrl + F x 2 times).

Select the middle strip in the Layers palette and replace its fill with some bright color such as red. I’m doing it just to see clearly the object during the following manipulations. Move the upper strip slightly to the right.

Step 14

Select the upper and middle strips of red color and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder panel.

As a result of these actions, we get a group of three objects, two of which should be deleted, see picture below.

The remaining object will be the end of the rubber strip; fill it with linear gradient which consists of shades of gray.

Step 15

The surface of a tennis ball is covered with fluffy felt. Therefore, its edges cannot be smooth.

Create rough edges of the ball with the help of the Wrinkle Tool. Double clicking on the icon of the tool in the toolbar opens a dialog box with its settings which are shown in the figure below.

(Note: in Illustrator CS3 and CS4, you can access the Wrinkle Tool by click-holding the Warp Tool in the toolbox to reveal the sub-set of tools. In Illustrator CS5, it was moved to be a sub-set of the new Width Tool.)

Now, using this tool, create roughness of the upper and lower edge of the ball.

To create roughness on the other areas, open the dialog window with the settings of this tool and change the angle.

Step 16

Now create felt on the ball. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a small ellipse (in my case its height is 0.5 px).

Select its lateral points and convert them from smooth to corner ones. This can be achieved quickly and easily via the PathScribe panel by clicking on the “Retract handles” button.

I chose red shading in order to see the felt effect better in the further stages.

Step 17

Move the created figure to the Brushes panel (Window > Brushes) and save the created brush as a Scatter Brush. Apply the brush settings shown in the figure below.

Take the Paint Brush Tool (B), begin to dab on the surface of the ball creating felt.

Step 18

Select all the brush strokes and go to Object > Expand Appearance, turning them into individual fibers.

Group up all the fibers (Cmd / Ctrl + G) and fill them with radial gradient, color matching so that the fibers are hardly visible.

Step 19

We only need to create a shadow of the ball. Create two ellipses below all the objects using Ellipse Tool (L).

Set 0% Opacity for the bigger one in the Transparency panel.

Select both ellipses and go to Object > Blend > Make.

Conclusion

Pay attention to detail and your work will look professional.

Download the final tutorial artwork

Click here to download the final artwork for Illustrator CS3 and above…

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About the author

My name is Iaroslav Lazunov, I am a graphic designer from Zhytomyr, Ukraine. I am glad that I finally found the job in my life that I can share my knowledge and experiments with you in my tutorials.

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