How to Make a Scroll in Illustrator
Identified by the classic shape of a piece of paper slightly rolled or curled at both ends, scrolls, as a design feature, can be used on a wide variety of objects, from report cards and diplomas to invitations and awards. In use since early civilizations, scrolls have been associated with important proclamations. The classic scroll design can be achieved simply in Adobe Illustrator by using a combination of tools.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Open Adobe Illustrator and create a new document by selecting “New...” under “File” in the menu bar.
-
2
Set the dimensions of your document, such as 5 inches by 5 inches, and select “OK.” Because you are drawing a scroll in Adobe Illustrator, the drawing will be a vector graphic, meaning that it can be scaled to any size without a loss in quality.
-
-
3
Go to “View” in the menu bar and select “View Grid.”
-
4
Select the “Pen Tool” from the Tools palette and click once in the right half of your document to draw a point.
-
5
Click and hold to draw a second point 16 grid spaces below the first dot. A line will connect the two points. Without letting go of the left click button on the mouse, drag the cursor down to the lower right to add a slight curve to the line. This will create the right edge of the scroll.
-
6
Click 16 grid spaces to the left of your second dot to create another line.
-
7
Click 16 grid spaces up from your previous dot and drag your cursor to the upper right area of the screen to create a slight bend in the left side of the scroll.
-
8
Hover your cursor over the first dot you drew. You’ll notice that the “X” alongside the cursor will change to a “O,” indicating that the path can be completed. Click on your first dot to complete the path.
-
9
Select the “Direct Selection Tool” from the Tools palette. Click on the lower right dot of your scroll to select it. Two light lines will extend from the dot. These are handles, and can be dragged to adjust the curviness of the line. Hold the “Option” key on your keyboard and select the lowermost handle. Drag the handle back to the dot to flatten out the bottom of the scroll. Do the same for the upper left dot to flatten out the top of the scroll.
-
10
Select the “Spiral Tool” from the Tools palette. The “Spiral Tool” is located underneath the “Line Segment Tool.” Click and drag to create a small spiral. This will be the beginning of the curled pieces of paper at the bottom of the scroll. Draw the spiral so that the tail end of it connects to the lower right corner of your scroll.
-
11
Copy and paste the spiral using the commands under “Edit” in the menu bar and move the new spiral to the lower left corner of the scroll.
-
12
Click and hold on the “Pen Tool” in the Tools palette to select the “Delete Anchor Point Tool.” Delete all of the points that make up the spiral except for the outer three points, leaving you with a basic curve.
-
13
Select the “Pen Tool” again and connect the top point of the left spiral to the very top of the right spiral with a straight line. Because these two spirals were identical -- before you deleted a portion of the left one -- they have the same height.
-
14
Use the “Pen Tool” again to draw a straight line from the bottom point of the left spiral to the bottom point of the right spiral. This will fully connect both spirals and allow you to add a fill.
-
15
Select the “Color” palette from under “Window” in the menu bar. Click on the “Fill” box in the “Color palette” and select any color. Click on the first part of the scroll that you drew and use the same “Fill” box to fill it with the same color as the spirals, as well.
-
16
Use the “Selection Tool” from the Tools palette and select the spirals you drew. Select “Copy” and then “Paste” from under “Edit” in the menu bar to create a copy of it.
-
17
Open the “Transform” palette from under “Window” in the file menu and select the drop-down arrow in the upper left of the palette. Select “Flip Vertical” to flip the spirals and then use the “Selection Tool” to move the spirals to the top of your scroll. Your scroll is now complete.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Once the basic scroll has been drawn, you can use the “Direct Selection Tool” to go back and adjust some of the curves as you see fit.
Use the “Type Tool” from the Tools palette to add text to the scroll.
The “Gradient” palette, found under “Window” in the menu bar, can be used to enhance the effect of the scroll by adding a light-yellow to white gradient across the scroll.
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
