Create A Custom Avatar | Illustrator Illustration Challenge

Introduction

Welcome to another exciting Illustrator illustration challenge! In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to create your very own stylized avatar that you can proudly use as a profile picture on platforms like Behance, Discord, and other social media.

Getting Started

To begin, you can find the starter file linked in the description of the video associated with this tutorial. The artboard is set to 600 by 600 pixels, which is a standard size suitable for most social media profile pictures. Within this file, a guiding circle is placed at the center to help you visualize the crop that many social platforms use today. This guiding circle won’t be included when you export your final file, so it’s purely for reference.

Understanding Flat Illustration Style

Today's focus is on working with a flat illustration style. This technique involves using flat colors to create depth and dimension, without the use of gradients or soft edges. A helpful resource is IBM's design system site, which showcases various illustration styles and provides valuable explanations and examples of how to effectively use flat colors.

Choosing Colors

Before diving into the illustration process, you’ll need to select some colors. Although you can eyeball colors from a photo reference, picking brighter and more saturated colors will give your avatar a unique and stylized look. Start by creating a color palette, considering base colors for skin and hair, as well as accent colors for shadows. Aim for simplicity—too many colors can complicate the design.

Steps to Create a Color Palette:

1. Utilize the Rectangle Tool to create multiple colored shapes for your palette.
2. Choose base colors, including lighter and darker shades.
3. Convert your color swatches to global swatches, allowing you to edit tints easily.

Creating Your Avatar

Using your chosen photo as a reference:

1. Outline Face Shape: Use the Rectangle Tool to create the overall face shape. Adjust this with the Pen Tool to better match your portrait's form.

2. Draw the Hair: Start with an ellipse, modifying its shape to capture your hairstyle. Use the Direct Selection Tool to round the edges and create movement in the hair.

3. Add Facial Features: Create the eyes, glasses, nose, mouth, and ears using simple shapes, building them out from rectangles, ellipses, and polygons.

4. Shading: Apply your previously created color palette to add depth and dimension to your avatar.

5. Final Touches: Incorporate neck and torso shapes and use the transparency settings to give a natural look to shadows and highlights on your clothing.

Exporting Your Avatar

Once satisfied with your avatar, export your design as a PNG or JPEG file suitable for sharing. Don’t forget to remove any guiding shapes before export.

Conclusion

With creativity and practice, you'll have a delightful avatar ready for use across your social media profiles. Share your finished designs in the associated Discord community chat to gather feedback and admire the work of others.

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Keyword

• Avatar
• Illustrator
• Illustration Challenge
• Flat Style
• Color Palette
• Profile Picture
• Social Media
• Design

FAQ

1. What size should my avatar be?

The standard size for avatars is 600 by 600 pixels, which fits well on most social media platforms.

2. What is a flat illustration style?

Flat illustration style uses solid colors without gradients, focusing on simple shapes and minimal details to create depth.

3. Can I use a photo reference for my avatar?

Yes, taking a selfie or using a photo can help guide your avatar design, ensuring its resemblance to your real-life features.

4. How do I create a color palette in Illustrator?

Use the Rectangle Tool to create colored shapes, select your desired colors, and organize them within the Swatches panel to create a palette.

5. How can I share my avatar after creating it?

Export your design as a PNG or JPEG and share it in the designated Discord channel for feedback and community engagement.