Tuto Illustrator : draw a cat

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Introduction

Here is a portrait of a cat that I find very cute (photo found on the internet) and that I intend to reproduce with the Adobe Illustrator (CS5).

The photo is of good quality (2000 x 2000 pixels) and allows zooming on various interesting details...

The final result after a few hours of work is as follows:
 

To perform some portraits, including human persons, I use a technique that is based on the "Live Trace" function of Illustrator with the following basic tracing options (see green arrows):

•          Preset : color 16
•          Check button : « Ignore White »

Le résultat de la vectorisation est ensuite décomposé en 17 694 tracés qui sont ensuite regroupés selon leur couleur (10 groupes environ) :
 

The result of tracing is then expanded into 17.694 paths which are then grouped according to their color (about 10 groups):

Outline of the face

The outline of the face is the basis of the design:

The path is filled with a background color (RGB = 231, 207, 178) to be then wrinkled with the "Wrinkle" tool configured with the following options:

Global Brush Dimension:

•         Width : 30 pts
•         Height : 50 pts
•         Angle : 0°
•         Intensity : 50%

Wrinkle Options:

•         Horizontal: 50%
•         Vertical: 50%
•         Complexity : 1

And the result is shown below:

Ears

I continue by drawing the ears with a first path color RGB = 183, 62, 57 and 4 pixel Gaussian Blur:

The edge of the ear is a path of color RGB = 184, 110, 73, 2 pixel Gaussian blur and feather 4 pixels:

The inner ear is a path of color RGB = 128, 58, 16 and 4 pixel Gaussian Blur, modified with the "Wrinkle" tool:
 

Cat’s coat

With the vector path created above, I make the darker parts of the coat (except eyes will be drawn later)

I reproduce them considering these same areas on the original cat’s coat of the photo, which makes me change the color and the surface of these areas (color RGB = 55, 34, 4 and Gaussian blur 5 pixels):

I proceed the same way for the different colors of the cat’s coat:

The cat’s coat color above has resulted in the picture below (RGB color = 128, 58, 16 and Gaussian blur 6 pixels):

Other colors are added using the same technique:
 

·         Path filled with color RGB = 170, 84, 25 and Gaussian blur 5 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 199, 116, 39 and Gaussian blur 5.2 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 227, 159, 80 and Gaussian blur 5 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 221, 181, 137and Gaussian blur 4 pixels:

Neck

The fur of the neck is made of lighter colors. The background color is white (RGB = 255, 255, 255) and a strip of color RGB = 243, 237, 251.
 

Below 2 paths color RGB = 224, 213, 198:
 

·         Path filled with color RGB = 184, 110, 73:

All Paths are with Gaussian blur 5 pixels:

Eyes

My usual approach to the drawing of the human eye is described in the post "draw an eye".

But the cat's eye is completely different depending on whether it is open or closed (here it is open):

 

We can see from the picture the following:

•          eyes with eyelid, iris and pupil
•          shadows and light reflections
•          hairs around the eye

Eyelid, iris and pupil

The cornea of ​​the cat's eye is almost invisible here, however the path of the eyelid around the eye below is color RGB = 79, 25, 5 with feather 4 pixels:

The dark part around the eye is a path of color RGB = 28, 10, 2 with feather 5 pixels:

The iris is a radial gradient of 4 colors (pixel aspect ratio: 124%, angle = -23 ° and feather 3 pixels), as described below:

•          Location 40%, RGB = 190, 188, 53
•          Location 57%, RGB = 149, 132, 45 (Distribution: 26-74%)
•          Location 78%, RGB = 83, 81, 18 (Distribution: 35-65%)
•          Location 100%, RGB = 190, 188, 53 (répartition: 49-51%)

For more information read the post "Notation for color gradients".

The line clearer under the eye is a path (thickness: 1 pt.) RGB color = 107, 70, 57:

 

The pupil is a path of black (RGB = 0, 0, 0) and feather 3 pixels:

The stripes on the iris are performed with blends composed of lines filled of color RGB = 31, 26, 8, and others with color RGB = 89, 35, 12, all paths are with feather 2 pixels:

Blends are duplicated as many times as necessary (see arrows):

Shadows and light reflections

Dark shadows on the iris are paths filled with color RGB = 43, 33, 8 and 3 pixel Gaussian Blur:

Another path is filled with color RGB = 32, 24, 7 and 3 pixel Gaussian Blur:

The light reflections are made with the 2 paths below:
 

·         Path filled with color RGB = 176, 191, 198 and 6 pixels feather:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 244, 239, 232 and 1.5 pixels Gaussian blur:

The dark line at the bottom of the eye is filled with color RGB = 55, 34, 4 and 2 pixels feather:

Hairs around the eye

The eye is surrounded by colorful areas (which will be filled with hair) and the 2 areas below are given as examples:
 

·         Path filled with color RGB = 239, 217, 183 and 3 pixels Gaussian blur:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 253, 242, 198 and 3 pixels Gaussian blur:

Finally, the result for the 2 eyes is shown below:

Mouth

The zoom on the photo below shows the mouth and nose of the animal.

The drawing of the mouth begins with a path filled with color RGB = 213, 174, 175 and feather 4 pixels:

The light parts are paths of RGB color = 243, 237, 251 and Gaussian Blur 6.2 pixels:

Follow these 3 paths below for the drawing of the mouth:
 

·         Path filled with color RGB = 183, 62, 57 and Gaussian blur 5 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 148, 47, 42 and Gaussian blur 3 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 45, 9, 3 and Gaussian blur 2.1 pixels:

Nose

The design of the nose begins with a path of color RGB = 198, 84, 71 and Feather 3 pixels:

Reflections on the nose are made with the following 2 paths:
 

·         Path filled with color RGB = 212, 114, 93 and Gaussian blur 3 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 234, 178, 164 and Gaussian blur 3 pixels:

The small middle slot of the nose is performed with 2 lines:

One of color RGB = 148, 47, 42, the other of color RGB = 234, 178, 164, all of which are placed in 66% opacity and 1.5 Gaussian blur pixels:

The nostrils are made with 2 paths:

One is a linear gradient of 2 colors (angle = -41 ° and Feather 3 pixels) as described below:

•          Location 44%, RGB = 75, 15, 15
•          Location 100%, RGB = 148, 47, 42 (Distribution: 50-50%)

The other is a linear gradient of 2 colors (angle = 24 °, and feather 3 pixels) as described below:

• Location 0%, RGB = 148, 47, 42
• Location 75.5%, RGB = 75, 15, 15 (Distribution: 50-50%)

Under the nose, 2 paths enhance the relief:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 150, 52, 20 and Gaussian blur 3 pixels:

·         Path filled with color RGB = 112, 49, 12 and Gaussian blur 3 pixels:

The mouth is also enhanced with 2 lines of color RGB = 148, 47, 42 and 3 pixels Gaussian blur:

The spots on the muzzle are paths of color RGB = 184, 110, 73 and 4.5 pixel Gaussian blur:

And here is the final result for the mouth and nose:

Hair

The design of the hairs begins with those in the ears of the animal.

For this, I create a new symbol with a line of color RGB = 221, 181, 137 (for this, simply drag the path in the "symbols" window). I use the new symbol by selecting the "Symbol Sprayer" tool. After "sprayed" some symbols I bring them together with the "Symbol Scruncher" and "Symbol shifter" tools.

By duplicating several times the group of symbols and adapting them with the different symbol tools the result below is obtained (if you are not familiar with tools symbol it takes practice to master these tools):

 

I use then a path close to the contours of the ears to make a clipping mask (see red arrow):

 

I use the same symbol for fill hair in the ears:

 

With a new clipping mask:

 

Whiskers are made with lines of color RGB = 222, 228, 230 (thickness 0.5 to 1 pt.)

 

The hairs around the eyes are made with a new Scatter Brush created from a path of color RGB = 208, 139, 94, whose characteristics are the following:

•          Random Size, variation from 74% to 100%,
•          Random Spacing, variation from 11% to 25%,
•          Random Scatter, variation from -9% to +9%
•          Random Rotation: 0°

 

Then I use different lines for drawing the hairs around the eyes:

 

Drawing of facial hair is made ​​from a new symbol (line of color RGB = 240, 160, 81). A small group of symbols is sprayed as below:

 

Then, by duplicating the group of symbols and adapting in size and position, I draw the fur of the cat face:

 

By duplicating the symbols (adapted with the opacity value from 33% to 75%), I fill the cheeks:

 

Then I fill the top of the nose with groups of the same symbol, but with a smaller size and a greater density (with symbol opacity value from 33% to 70%):

 

Then, in the same manner, the whole face of the cat is fulfilled (with symbol opacity value = 50%):

 

And the fur of the back part of the cat (with symbol opacity value from 25% to 50%):

 

The hairs around the mouth are made with a new Scatter Brush created from a path of color RGB = 255, 255, 255, (brush lines opacity value from 25% to 40%) whose characteristics are the following:

•          Random Size, variation from 74% to 100%,
•          Random Spacing, variation from 10% to 25%,
•          Random Scatter, variation from -9% to +12%
•          Random Rotation: 0°

 

And finally, the background is filled with a linear gradient of 2 colors:

I must say that I'm very happy with the end result...