How to Make a Photo Look Like an iPod Ad With Illustrator

If you like those cool iPod ads with pastel colors and characters in silhouette, you can make your own with a little help from Illustrator. Illustrator's pen tool is ideal for tracing different image elements and saving them as the solid shapes that are iPod ad trademarks.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Set up your Illustrator document. It should match your photo's orientation and be at least as big.

2. Place your image file in Illustrator. Look for a photo with one or two people holding an object. Find the "Place" command in the File Menu and browse through your hard drive for the image. The photo will load into a layer named "Layer 1."

3. Make a template of the image layer. Select "Layer 1" in the layers palette and choose "Template" from the palette options menu (the triangle in the palette's top right corner.) The image will become locked and semi-transparent.

4. Trace each character with the pen tool. Set the stroke to black and the fill to transparent to make it easier to see the shape. When you finish tracing, change the fill to black and stroke to none.

5. Trace the objects in the character's hands. Set the stroke to none and the fill to white.

6. Select Layer 1 and add a new background layer with the rectangle tool. Change the fill to a bright color (pale blue, pink, lime green.) Hide Layer 1.

7. Save the image in Illustrator (AI) format in case you want to make changes. Choose "Save to Web and Devices" from the File menu to export the image as a GIF file to load to your web page.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't already have an image, it's easy to take one. Pose in a crazy dancing position, holding an object in your hand. The typical iPod ad shows a single girl tossing her hair with the iPod held in full view. Try to shoot against a solid colored wall.
• For an extra cool effect, try adding white stroked paths to connect one of the objects to the ears, like ear bud cables.