This is a tutorial on how to create a sleek pencil design using Adobe Illustrator CS3.
Step 1
Go to File > New, and use the settings you prefer. Also change the color mode to RGB and leave the rest. Enable the grid (View > Show Grid) and Snap to Grid (View > Snap to Grid).
Step 2
Use the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a rectangle keeping it aligned with the grid. Looking at the subdivisions of your grid, make sure that the base of our pencil is an even number of boxes tall (see the image below): Width can be easily changed later if it looks out of whack with the rest of the pencil.
Step 3
You need to use different tools such as the Pen Tool and the Rounded Rectangle Tool to create the rest of the shapes (See the image below0).
Using the Pen Tool, you have to create the pointed end(s). Start with the wood part, and then afterward create the sharper point (the lead).
Step 4
Start colouring each shape of the pencil with the colours you like.
Use these colours as a guide and add gradients to each of your shapes.
All the colours we added are simple two-colour gradients except for one, the metal piece next to the eraser.
Step 5
Let’s finish this by adding a highlight effect to the top of our pencil. Start by getting out the Pen Tool, and then draw a simple two-point path along the top like this:
After forming the path, add a fairly-thick rounded-corner stroke to it. In the “Transparency” tab (Window > Transparency), change the mode to Screen and lower the opacity to 50%.
Our final image will look somewhat like this:
Final Result
