Computersight -

In this tutorial I will show you how to easily draw a realistic 3d iPod nano. It is good practice for any one who is new in to graphic design. You can create it by keep in proportions or you can get very close by actually measuring a real iPod nano and then applying that to your drawing. Which ever way you choose, I promise it will look awesome…

You will need:

A vector graphic drawing software. I used Adobe Illustrator CS4 (Mac OS X).

A cup of coffee, maybe a beer instead if you are old enough ; )…

Step 1.

Open a new file (can be whatever size or resolution you want). Then draw the shapes you see in the image and then put them together as shown. You can use the Ellipse Tool, and the Rectangle Tool to easily draw them.

It doesn’t have to be perfect, or doesn’t have to be a specific size, simply keep the proportions and later on you can re-size it. When you are done, group them.

Tip: To draw a perfect circle, hold down the shift key on your keyboard.

Step 2.

Extrude the group you just created in step 1. To do so, select the group, click effect at the top menu bar, then hover over 3d and then click extrude and bevel.

A window, like the one below, will come up showing you the options you have. You can use the settings I used or play around with it. Remember to keep the proportions. When done, click OK.

Step 3.

Draw the following shape. You can use the Rounded Rectangle Tool and the Ellipse tool. Again, it does not need to be perfect. (I set it on a green background so you can see easily. You just need to draw the screen and the menu wheel of the iPod.

When you are done drawing that, you need to group them and then transform them in to a symbol.

It should look like the first symbol from left to right.

Tip: To convert it to a symbol, you can drag the group and throw it in to the “Symbols Menu”

Step 4.

Select the extruded figure you created on step 2 and then click on the “Appearance” menu and then click again on “3d Extrude and Bevel”. That will bring up the “3d Extrude and Bevel options”. In there you will click on the “Map Art…” button. A menu like the one below should come up.

Select the surface in which you want to apply the symbol and select the symbol you made while ago from the drop down list (make sure the “Preview” check box is selected). Adjust it and re size the symbol until you feel comfortable with the position. When done, click OK and then OK again..

Step 5.

In this step you will need to expand the appearance. Select the extruded iPod then click “Object” from the top menu bar, and then click on “Expand Appearance”.

Step 6.

Almost done!

Draw the black shapes shown in the middle of the image below. You can cheat by copying the already existing shapes, for example the screen black border and then erasing the rest.

When you are done with that, set up the transparency and the gradient as shown in the right part of the picture above. You can use your own settings here are the ones I used:

The gradient is a simple black and white. Make sure both shapes are on “Screen” mode. When you are done, place them on the left corner of the iPod so they look like this:

Don’t worry about the screen yet

Step 7.

Copy the white screen and put what ever gradient you like. The one I made is in the top right part of the image below.

When you are done with that, copy the screen again, change the color to black so you can see it better. and erase the bottom right part as shown below. After that change the gradient and the transparency of it as on step 6.

Put the triangular looking shape you just made and put it on top of the screen as shown below.

Step 8.

Put everything in place and you should have something looking like this:

Play around with the colors and gradients…

That’s it… I hope you enjoyed and learned something from my tut.. ;  )… See you next time, I will be posting more tuts soon.