Say It with Banners Using Adobe Illustrator CS2
Strolling through the local supermarket, I’m often surprised at how much of the packaging uses banners, ribbons, and flags to highlight a product’s name or features. I see them on everything from cake mixes to egg cartons. Thus, a recent trip to the store provided inspiration for this tutorial.
Using Adobe Illustrator, we’ll create a banner that wraps around our artwork, with blends and masks to add visual detail and depth. Bear in mind that there are many types of banners and ribbon graphics: Some wrap around a corner of artwork, while others wrap several times around an image. In this tutorial, we’ll create a banner that wraps around our artwork and features ribbon ends. Then you can use this technique as a starting point for your own unique banners and ribbons.
STEP 1 Draw a Wavy Path
Create a new RGB document, double-click on the default layer in the Layers palette, and rename it “BANNER.” In the Toolbox, set the Fill color to None and the Stroke to black. Enable Snap to Grid (View>Snap to Grid) and Show Grid (View>Show Grid). Draw a wavy path with the Pen tool (P). Use the Snap to Grid feature to keep the anchor points for the path on the same x-axis. Note the number of small squares the direction handles extend. In our example, the path extends across three large grid squares. When you’re done, disable the grid commands.
STEP 2 Create Two More Paths
Copy the path (Edit>Copy). Use Paste in Front (Edit>Paste in Front) to maintain positioning. Move the copy down from the original (the space between will be the banner’s height).
Select and copy the bottom path. Option-click (PC: Alt-click) the Create New Layer icon in the Layers palette, name this layer “TEXT” in the Layer Options dialog, and click OK. Target this new layer (click the hollow circle next to it in the Layers palette) to ensure you paste into the correct layer. Use Paste in Front to paste the copy into this layer, then click the layer’s Eye icon to hide it.
STEP 3 Draw Banner Ends
On the “BANNER” layer, use the Pen tool to connect the two wavy paths together (make sure you close the paths). Then, still using the Pen tool, create a shallow curve (as shown) near the wavy banner shape. Make a copy, paste it in front of the original, and move the copy down from the original. (The distance between these two paths should be shorter in height than those of the wavy paths.) Select both curved paths. Hold Option (PC: Alt) and drag a copy to the other side of the banner then rotate the copies 180º using the selection’s bounding box.
STEP 4 Complete the Banner Shapes
Use the Pen tool to connect these curved paths together: On the sides nearest the banner, use a straight line; for the opposite sides, create a path similar to that shown above (again, make sure all paths are closed). These new shapes will serve as the ends of the banner. Enable Smart Guides (View>Smart Guides) and align the ribbon’s edges with the straight edges of the banner. Once aligned, Shift-click both end shapes to select them and choose Edit>Cut. Create a new layer between BANNER and TEXT. Name this layer “ENDS.” Paste the ends into this layer using Paste in Front.
STEP 5 Fill and Create Inset Shapes
Select the banner and both ends. Press Shift-X to swap the Fill and Stroke colors. Fill with a base color (we chose a dull orange: R:204, G:102, B:0). Next, choose Object>Path>Offset Path. In the dialog, enter a value of –3 pt for Offset, and click OK. This creates inset shapes to enhance and add detail to the banner. (If you end up with a compound path, your paths were not closed.) Cut the inset shapes (Edit>Cut). Create a new layer between ENDS and TEXT. Name this layer “INSET.” Paste into this layer using Paste in Front. Hide both the INSET and ENDS layers.
STEP 6 Create the Banner Back
To create the back of the banner, select and copy just the banner on the BANNER layer. Press Command-Option (PC: Control-Alt) while clicking on the Create New Layer icon in the Layers palette. Name the layer “BACK.” Target this new layer and paste into it using Paste in Front. Double-click the Reflect tool in the Toolbox. Select Vertical in the dialog and click OK. Fill this shape with either a gradient or solid dark color. Hide this layer.
STEP 7 Add Blend Lines
To add color to the banner, set the Fill color to None and the Stroke to orange (R:204, G:102, B:0). On the BANNER layer, use the Line Segment tool set to a 1-pt Stroke to create seven vertical lines that extend above and below the banner (as shown). The center line is angled slightly to match the banner’s curve. Use Smart Guides to position the two outermost lines on the edges of the banner. Color the outside lines with dark red (R:153, G:0, B:0). The center line is light yellow (R:255, G:181, B:0).
STEP 8 Make Three Separate Blends
Now, we’ll create three separate blends: First, double-click the Blend tool and in the dialog, ensure Spacing is set to Smooth Color. Click OK. Use the Blend tool to blend the three center lines together by clicking once on the top anchor points of each line. Deselect this blend before creating the next blend. Create a blend for the two lines on the left and another blend for the lines on the right. Use the Direct Selection tool to adjust line colors and positioning, if needed, and use Smart Guides to assist in making selections.
STEP 9 Create a Clipping Mask
Select and copy the banner shape beneath the blends, and then deselect the original banner. Use Paste in Front to paste the copy above the blends. With the copy selected, Shift-click the three blends to include them within the selection. It’s important for the banner copy to appear above the blends as we’re going to create a clipping mask. With the required shapes selected, choose Object>Clipping Mask>Make. The blends now appear within a mask. You can still use the Direct Selection tool to make adjustments, if necessary. Hide the BANNER layer.
STEP 10 Add Text Paths
Make the ENDS layer visible (click where the Eye icon was) and select the two shapes. Copy these and deselect. Click on the TEXT layer in the Layers palette, make it visible, and paste the shapes into this layer using Paste in Front. Press Shift-X to swap the Fill and Stroke colors. Hide the ENDS layer momentarily and use the Direction Selection tool to click-and-drag a selection around the top three anchor points of each shape. Press the Delete key. Change the Stroke color to black for easier visibility. (We’ll use the remaining paths as text paths later.) Hide this layer.
STEP 11 Blend the Banner Ends
Make the ENDS layer visible again. On this layer, create four vertical lines, positioned as shown. Color the lines on the edges with the dark red from Step 7 (R:153, G:0, B:0). Fill the remaining lines with the dull orange that matches the fill color of the ends (R:204, G:102, B:0). Use the Blend tool to blend the lines for each end. Remember to deselect the first blend before moving on to the next one. Mask the blends using the information from Step 9 performing the steps individually for each end. Use the Direct Selection tool to adjust lines, if necessary.
STEP 12 Set Blend Mode and Opacity
Now make the BANNER and the INSET layers visible. Click on the INSET layer, and select the three shapes on this layer. Open the Transparency palette (Window>Transparency) and set the blend mode of the shapes to Overlay and lower the Opacity to 50%. For even richer color, copy the three shapes, Paste in Front of the originals, fill the copied shapes with black, and leave the blend mode at Overlay and Opacity settings at 50%. Lastly, set the Stroke color of the black copies to a bright yellow (R:255, G:255, B:0), with a stroke Weight of 1.5 pt.
STEP 13 Add Text
Make all the layers visible and lock them—except for the TEXT layer. Click on the left end of the banner’s text path with the Type on a Path tool and begin typing, using the text brackets to position and flip the text, if necessary. Now we’ll use the Paragraph’s Align Center command in the Control palette to center the text. In the Character palette (Window>Type>Character), adjust baseline shift to position the text vertically. Format your text as desired. Select Type>Type on a Path>Skew for additional formatting. Repeat the process for the ribbon ends. Apply a text drop shadow using Effect>Stylize>Drop Shadow.
STEP 14 Add Artwork and Banner Drop Shadow
Lastly, create a layer between the BANNER and BACK layers (named ARTWORK). Paste your artwork on this layer and position and resize as necessary.
For our artwork, we created a banner drop shadow on a new layer (named SHADOW) above the ARTWORK and below the BANNER layer. Make a copy of the main banner shape and paste this layer using Paste in Front. Nudge it down slightly and fill with black. Set the blend mode to Multiply and the Opacity to 25% in the Transparency palette. For a shadow matching the boundaries of your artwork, you’ll need to use Pathfinder commands.
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