Create a Cocktail Glass in Adobe Illustrator

In this very detailed tutorial we will learn how to create a cocktail glass with a colorful drink and fancy decoration. Creating a glass object can be a challenge since there are just few colors you’re allow to use, mostly white, light blue and light gray. With right combination of those colors you can create a nice looking glass. Reflections will help you improve your illustration. They are very important because they are simulating transparency of the glass. Let’s start with our cocktail, it will be a great fun!

Step1

Let’s try to create the shape of the glass. Grab the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and draw just one side of the glass. As you already know a cocktail glasses are different shapes. Feel free to create the shape of the glass you like the most.

Step2

Now we need to create a mirror image. Under the Object select Transform > Reflect to create the other side of the glass.

Step3

In the Reflect box select Vertical for Axis and hit the Copy button. This will create a mirror picture.

Step4

Move the path we just created to the right until the lower endpoints meet. Hold the Shift key on the keyboard for the straight dragging.

Step5

With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select lower endpoints of the both paths and under the right click select Join.

Step6

Select the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create an ellipse. That will be the upper part (edge) of the glass.

Step7

Let’s create the stand for our glass. Grab the Rounded Rectangle Tool from the Tool Panel and create a rounded rectangle as it shown on the picture below.

Step8

We have to bend the rectangle a little bit. Under the Object select Envelope Distort > Make with Warp.

Step9

Set the Horizontal Bend to -25%.

Step10

Place the shape we have just created on the lower part of the body (don’t forget to expand the shape; Object>Expand).

Step11

With the Rounded Rectangle Tool create another rectangle.

Step12

With the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool panel create a circle.

Step13

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the rounded rectangle and place it underneath the ellipse.

Step14

Now we need a base for the stand. Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the ellipse we created for the upper edge of the glass, scale it down and move it downwards.

Step15

Create a copy of the ellipse from the previous step. Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F will create that copy. Nudge it for a few pixels downwards. This will create a thickness of the base for the stand.

Step16

Let’s zoom in with a Zoom Tool (Z) to see better what we are doing. Grab again the Rounded Rectangle Tool and create the Rounded Rectangle as it shown on the picture below.

Step17

Select the rectangle and the yellow part of the stand and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Unite button. Do the same thing for the other side of the stand. When you’re happy with the result send that part of the stand to Back (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + [).

Step18

Grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) from the Tool Panel and select the top anchor point on the pink ellipse. Using the up arrow key on the keyboard nudge that anchor point upwards for the few pixels.

Step19

Select the base of the stand and move it downwards to position it as it shown on the picture below.

Step20

This is the shape of our glass.

Step21

The colors we will be using are white, light blue and light gray. But, before we start with coloring let’s create our drink.

Select the large ellipse from the upper edge and duplicate it (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F). Holding the Shift key on the keyboard, move the copy downwards for 1/4 of the glass. Scale it down until endpoints of the ellipse meets the glass.

Step22

Grab the Line Segment Tool (/) from the Tool Panel and draw a vertical line. Do not forget to hold the Shift key for the straight dragging.

Step23

Select the line and the ellipse and under the Pathfinder Panel hit Divide button.

Step24

You will notice that we have the line across the upper part of the glass. To remove that line we need to Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) the object we’ve just created. Now grab the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and add an anchor point to the middle of the line we need to get rid of.

Step25

With Direct Selection Tool (A) select that anchor point and hit Delete key on the keyboard. Repeat this for the other part of the ellipse we divided. We still have the edge of the glass, but this way we can add a straws and other cocktail decorations. You should end up with something like this.

Step26

Now we can adjust colors. Let’s start from lower parts of the glass.
For the thickness of the glass stand we will use combination of white-blue-gray colors.

Step27

Select the body of the glass and under the Object select Path > Offset path. Set the Offset to -2. This way we will create the cocktail and the illusion of the glass thickness.<.

Step28

Now we need to complete the shape of the drink in the glass. Take the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and add anchor points on the new path in level of the surface.

Step29

With Direct Selection Tool (A) remove the endpoints of the path we’ve just created. Scale down the ellipse (the surface of the liquid) until endpoints of the path meets.

Step30

Time to make our cocktail glass more interesting

Select the ellipse that represent the surface of the drink and apply nice radial gradient.
Don’t forget to remove the black stroke (the stroke was used only for shape adjustments).

Step31

Use nice radial gradient for the rest of the drink.

Step32

Select the paths that forming the glass shape and under the Object select Expand. This way we will turn them into the editable object. Set the Fill color of the glass shape to #BDD2D4.

Step33

Glass has ability to create very interesting reflections. They will give our cocktail glass a required depth and an illusion of 3D look. We will try to use this characteristic to create more convincing look of the cocktail glass.

 

Select the Pen Tool (P) from the Tool Panel and create a shape as it shown in the picture below.

Step34

Apply radial gradient to the shape from the previous step.

Step35

Since we need this reflection for the both sides of the glass we will create a mirror image. Under Object select Transform > Reflect. Set the Axis to Vertical and hit the Copy button.

Step36

Place the mirror image on the right side of the glass.

Step37

Select the Pen Tool (P) from a Tool Panel and create the shape as you see on the picture below.

Step38

Under the Object select Transform > Reflect. Select the Axis to Vertical and hit the Copy button.

Step39

Select the upper part of the stand and duplicate it twice (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F). Select each copy and one of the reflection shape we’ve just made and under the Pathfinder panel hit the Intersect button.

Step40

Repeat the previous step for the other reflection as well. You should end up with something like this.

Step41

Select all of the elements of the glass body and duplicate it (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F). Under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Unite button. This will unite all of the parts of the glass body. Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the new shape and move both copies around a bit.

Step42

Select both copies and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button.

Step43

The new shape we created in previous steps is not quite what we are looking for. We need to adjust it a bit. Select the shape in the left upper corner of the glass, duplicate it (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F), and make sure to place the copy on the top of everything (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + ]).

Step44

Select both shapes and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Minus Front button.

Step45

Ungroup the new shape (Shift + Ctrl / Cmd + G) and Set the Fill color to white (#FFFFFF) and lower the opacity to 25%.

Step46

We should add one more reflection on the upper part of the glass,just to make it more interesting. Grab the Pen Tool (P) and create a shape very similar to the reflection we made earlier.

Step47

Apply nice linear gradient to it.

Step48

Under the Object select Transform > Reflect. Set the Axis to Vertical and hit the Copy button.

Step49

Place the copy we just made on the left side of the glass. Don’t forget to hold the Shift key for the straight dragging.

Step50

Since cocktails are very colorful with so many decorations we should try to crate them as well. We will start with umbrella.
Select the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create an ellipse as it shown in the picture below.

 

Step51

Apply linear gradient as it shown on the picture below.

Step52

Grab the Pen Tool ( P ) and create a long shape (triangle).

Step53

Sale down the new shape, create few copies (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) and place them on the green ellipse as it shown on the picture below.

Step54

With the Pen Tool ( P ) create one more shape to complete our umbrella.

Step55 

Group all the elements of the umbrella and place it in the cocktail glass. Make sure to bring to front some of the elements of the glass. This way it will look like the umbrella is really inside the glass.

Step56

Now we can create a straw. Select Rounded Rectangle Tool and create the shape of the straw. Apply white-black gradient.

Step57

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the straw and rotate it a bit. Place both of them them inside the glass.

Step58

In this part of tutorial we will create some fruit decoration. Grab the Pen Tool (P) and create a triangle, as you can see on the picture below.

Step59

Lets make the corners round. Under the Effect select Stylize > Round Corners. Set the value for Radius to 10 px.

Step60

Under the Object select Expand Appearance in order to convert triangle to editable shape.

Step61

Grab the Rotate Tool ( R ) from the Tool panel. Holding the Alt key on the keyboard click underneath the lower part of triangle and set the value for the Angle to 36°.

Step62

To repeat this action press Ctrl / Cmd + D eight more times in order to complete the whole circle.

Step63

Select all red triangles and Group them (Ctrl / Cmd + G). Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) from the Tool Panel and create the  circles as it shown on the picture below.

Step64

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the circle and scale the copy slightly up. You should end up with something like this.

Step65

Make sure to choose nice yellow and orange colors.

Step66

Don’ forget to create a slice if the lime as well.

Step67

Let’s cut the slice of the lime to half. Select all the elements and Group them (Ctrl / Cmd + G). Grab the Rectangle Tool (M) from the Tool Panel and create the rectangle as it shown on the picture below.

Step68

Make sure to remove Fill and Stroke color. Select all the elements (lime slice and the rectangle) and under the Object select Make Clipping Mask.

Step69

You should end up with something like this.

Step70

Place the fruit slices on the glass edge, create few more decorations and make a small adjustments if needed.

And voila! We are done.

Conclusion

In this quite detailed tutorial we have used a little bit of everything; Pen Tool, Transform Tool, Rotate Tool. We have also had an opportunity to play with colors and gradients. But, our work has paid off. We have created quite neat cocktail glass. Like we’ve said at the very beginning of this tutorial, there are many different ways and shapes you can create. I invite you to show me some of your results.

Thank you for following along.

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