[AI CS2+] Use opacity mask to create a sheen/shine on logo

[mhulse]

about: Opacity mask "sheen" for mock logo.
Version: Illustrator CS2+ (I think v. 10 and above has these same options)
Platform: PC/XP
Other Tutorials: 1, 2

1. Open Illustrator and create a new RGB document: "File >> New..."
2. Press "T" key (Type Tool). Click on the canvas and type something meaningful:
   
3. Press the "D" key. This will set your "fill" with white and your "stroke" with black. If your stroke is in the background, press the "X" key (This will bring the "stroke" to the front)... With the stroke in the front, press the "/" (forward slash) key -- this will allow us to draw a white box without a border:
   
4. Press the "M" key (Rectangle Tool). Now draw a box around your text:
   
5. Press the "V" key (Selection Tool) and "cut" the box you just drew (control-x, or "Edit >> Cut").
6. Click and select your text. Open the "Transparency" window (Shift + Control + F10, or "Window >> Transparency"). Click on the "Transparency" pop-open window, and choose "Make Opacity Mask":
   
7. Within the "Transparency" window, click on the box to the right of the link icon, and paste your box (Control + F, or "Edit >> Paste in Front").
8. With your pasted box selected, open the "Gradient" window (Control + F9, or "Window >> Gradient"), and choose "Linear" from the drop-down menu:
   
9. Click the "A" key ("Direct Selection Tool"), and then immediately press the "P" key ("Pen tool"). Without getting too detailed on how to use the Pen and Direct Selection tools, you want to manipulate your box until you get the look/feel that you want... here's mine:
   
10. Next, we want to fix our gradient. Click the "G" key, and click and drag downwards, across the top of your manipulated box:
    
11. Once you get a gradient look/feel that you like, go back to the "Transparency" window, and click on the box to the left of the link icon:
    
    Note: The transparency window has several other options and settings that you can change... Feel free to play around with these settings (see Illustrator docs for all the details).
12. Finally, with a bit more creativity and manipulation, I came-up with this silly looking thing:
    
    Note: In my above example, I took things a bit further by converting the text to outlines, combining the shapes, applying gradients/strokes, choosing blend modes, and and futzing with a couple different layers. Here is my source file.

Obviously, my example is basic and not meant to look pretty... With that in mind, I hope this information helps someone.

Cheers,
Micky

[Dark Tranquility]

Awesome stuff Micky! keep 'em coming

[mhulse]

Thanks DT!

[conradical]

Nice. Gradient masks and illustrator is just another secret for a lot of people (until now at least)

[yvv47]

Gr8!!

[mhulse]

Heeeey...

Glad folks are finding it helpful...

I was kinda hoping AI folks would make this type of thing easier in CS3, but from what I have experienced so far, it appears that this technique still holds water.

Also, I forgot to mention: This technique also works well for reflections:



(Source file)

Couple tips:

• Be sure that the opacity mask gradient black is in RGB mode. Illy CS2/3 default to Grayscale for the default gradient fill, and this will stop you from getting a fully transparent area in your gradient. IIRC, I think this is also true for CMYK docs too.
• Windows/palettes that you should get very familiar with: 1) Appearance, 2) Color, 3) Gradient, 4) Transparency, 5) Layers, and last but not least 6) Tools.

Thanks for the feedback all!
Cheers,
Micky

[bnandika]

Good tutorial, thank you for sharing

[mhulse]

Sure thing... Glad it helps.

[arabtut]

nice tutorial ... I use the same method to create glassy effect in Photoshop , but nice to see the more features that illustrator offers .

[macarthur]

Hey, Using similar steps I pulled it off in CorelDRAW using powerclips
Good tut

See attached
-Mac

[mhulse]

Ooooh! Nice work Mac! That looks sweet.

I have barely used CorelDraw, and that was many many years ago anyway... How is it for a graphic editing app? Looks like you can get some nice looking effects.

Originally Posted by arabtut

nice tutorial ... I use the same method to create glassy effect in Photoshop , but nice to see the more features that illustrator offers .

Nice... Yah, Photoshop does make things easier.

Personally, I do try to use AI for all my logo/icon work.

Hehe, I always hate having to rebuild bitmap graphics as vectors when the client eventually wants their logo 20 times the original size.

For example, this 3D generated logo (sans the logo text):



... had to be converted to all vectors:



... Hehe, that took me most of a day.

Well, I am need to head off to work... Cheers all! Thanks for the feedback! Keep up the excellent work Mac!!!!

Cheers,
Micky

[Shaun(OfTheDead)]

Originally Posted by macarthur

Hey, Using similar steps I pulled it off in CorelDRAW using powerclips
Good tut

See attached
-Mac

What's with the reflection ?

Looks like your name is standing in a puddle.