Illustration: Design Delicious Poker Aces

Step 01

In a New Document, take the Rectangle tool (M) and make a 183×254 px shape to create a card.

Set the stroke width to 5.6 pts and select the options Round Cap and Round Join in the Strokes panel. Then, deactivate the fill.

Step 02

In the new Adobe Illustrator CC, you can use 2 easy methods to change the corner radius of a rounded corner rectangle that has already been drawn:

a) Simply hold and drag the round red handles in each corner.

b) You can change the border radius of all four corners by using the Shape Options and simply enter a new measurement for your corners. To change only one corner or give a different corner radius value to each of them, click on the icon of a chain you see in the middle (Link option) and fill the corner radius field for each corner.

We are going to use the second option and set the Stroke panel like in the image.

Pizza Shape

Step 01

Take the Rectangle tool (M), hold the Shift key and drag the mouse to build a perfect square.

Step 02

Select with Direct Selection Tool (A) the anchor point located at the bottom of the diamond, and delete it. With the same tool, select the two anchor points at the bottom, hold the Shift key and press the Down Arrow key three times. Now we have a kind of triangular shape.

Now select the left anchor point, hold the Shift key and press the Right Arrow three times. Do the same with the right anchor point, but pressing the Left Arrow key this time.

Step 03

Take the Rectangle tool (M) and create a 129x124px shape; it will be the pizza crust. Now, like we did with the card’s corner, round the corners of this new shape.

Step 04

Select this shape with the Selection tool (V) and go to Effects > Warp > Arc. Then, adjust the Bend tool to -25% and click on Expand Appearance. Select this shape and drag until it fits in the triangle.

Step 05

With the Ellipse tool (L), create 4 pepperonis with different sizes and place them like it is shown in the image.

Step 06

With the Selection Tool (V), select the pepperoni at the bottom and double-click on it. As we are in isolation mode, take the Scissors Tool (C), click on the intersection between the pepperoni and the pizza crust, and delete the extra parts. Exit isolation mode and do the same with all the other pepperonis.

Step 07

We are going to do the same we did with the pepperonis, but now with the triangular shape. Delete the intersections between the pepperoni and the triangle. Now we have this pizza without lines in specific places.

Color the pizza

Step 01

With the Ellipse tool (L), create the same 4 pepperonis with fill but without stroke. The color red we used is: R: 220, G: 80, B: 87.

Step 02

You can use two ways to fill the pizza in yellow.

a) With the Pen tool (P), try to repeat the pizza strokes and when you have the shape, fill it with any yellow shade.

b) With the Direct Selection Tool (A), select those anchor points which are disconnected to the pizza’s shape, and connect them with Ctrl + J. You can only connect two anchor points at a time. When you finish it, select this shape and fill it without stroke.

The yellow we used is: R: 244 G: 206 B: 79.

Select this new shape, press and hold Alt + Shift, drag up the mouse and release. Now we have already cloned this new shape. Select this new shape and press Crtl + D to repeat the last action. Repeat this action 8 times.

You can set the stroke width at 6 Pt and chose a white color.

Step 04

Adding white lines to the yellow area is an effect very easy to get. The only thing we have to do is placing the last lines we made between the pepperoni (red) and the cheese (yellow).

I recommend you to create three layers, the first one for the pepperonis, the second one for the white lines and the third for the shape of the pizza.

For the last detail, select just the colors and the white line and move those slightly to the right.

Now we have this displacement effect.

Step 05

Select the pizza icon we just created and place in the middle of the card we made in the first step.

Step 06

With the Selection Tool (V), select the card and double-click on it. As we are in isolation mode, take the Scissors Tool (C) and click on the card’s body and delete the extra parts like in the reference image. Exit isolation mode.

Step 07

Activate the Pen tool (P), hang over the bottom anchor point of this hole we made in the last step and click on it.

Now click on the middle of the pizza crust, like the reference image. Hold the button  and drag to the right to create a curve line connecting the card with the pizza.

Delete the bread´s left round corner and our card is already finished. We just need to add some details like adding the “A” and the little triangle under it.

And now we have the first ace out of four.

Donut Shape

Step 01

Take the Ellipse tool (M), hold the Shift key and drag the mouse to create a perfect circle.

Step 02

With the Selection Tool (V), select the circle, right click and go to Transform > Scale…

Set the Uniform tool at 30% and select the option Copy.

Repeat the action with this new circle but now with Uniform set at 240%. Then, select the option Copy.

Step 03

Select this new circle with the Selection Tool (V) and go to Effects > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag… Set size at 5px, check the Absolute option, adjust the Ridges per segment to 3 and select the option Smooth.

Color the Donut

Step 01

First, create a new layer under the one we have. Select the circle with the Selection tool (V), copy it by pressing Ctrl + C and paste it in the same place with Ctrl + Alt + V. The next step will be filling it with the following color: R: 255 G:211 B:122. Deactivate stroke. Then, do the same for the donut’s hole, and fill it in white.

Step 02

Repeat the steps we followed to create the donut, but now with the chocolate.

Step 03

We are going to decorate the donut with some chips on it. To do so, you can make them with the Rectangle tool (M).

Spiral Effect

Step 01

With the Scissors tool (C), we are going to cut the anchor point on the left side and move it a little bit to the left with the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Step 03

Repeat the same action we did in the previous step, but this time we are going to connect the chocolate with the donut’s hole.

Select this new shape, hold Alt + Shift, drag the mouse upwards and release it. We have already cloned this new shape. Select this new shape and press Crtl + D to repeat the last action. Repeat this 8 times.

To add the last details, select only the colors and the white line and move these slightly to the right.

Step 05

We are going to add again the white lines to the yellow area, which is pretty simple. The only thing we have to do is placing the last lines we did between the chocolate (brown) and the donut (yellow).

I recommend creating three layers, first the chocolate, second white lines, and third the dough.

Step 06

Select the donut we just created and place it in the middle of the card we made in the first step.

Step 07

With the Selection Tool (V) select the card and double-click on it. As we are in isolation mode, take the Scissors Tool (C) and click on the card’s body and delete the extra parts, like in the reference image. Exit isolation mode.

Step 08

Activate the Pen tool (P) and place the pen in the bottom anchor of this new hole we made in the last step. Then, click on it.

Now click onthe middle of the dough, like in the example, hold it and drag to the right to create a curve line connecting the card with the donut.

We just need to add the last details, which are the “A” and the little circle under it.

And now we have the second ace of four.

Burger Time

Step 01

Take the Ellipse tool (M), hold the Shift key and drag the mouse to create a perfect circle.

Select with Direct Selection Tool (A) the anchor located at the bottom of the circle, and delete it.

Step 02

With the Pen tool (P) create a straight line. Start drawing the line from right end of the semicircle and when you reach the left end, turn down -90%, as you can see in the example below.

Step 03

With the Pen tool (P) create a line like we did in the last step.

Select the line with the Selection tool (V) and go to Effects > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag… Set the size at 3px, check the Relative Option, adjust Ridges per segment to 8 and select the Smooth option.

Step 04

Take the Rectangle tool (M) and make a shape with the same size that the bun on the top.

Step 05

In the new Adobe Illustrator CC version, you can use two easy methods to change the corner radius of a round corner rectangle that has already been drawn:

a) Simply hold and drag the round red handles in each corner, then select the two anchor points at the bottom.

b) You can change the border radius of all four corners  by using the Shape Options and simply enter a new measurement for your corners. To change only one corner or give a different corner radius value to each of them, click on the icon of a chain you see in the middle (Link option) and fill the corner radius field for each corner.

Step 06

Select the left anchor point on the top and delete it. Now we have this new shape, drag it upwards and fit it with the other lines.

Step 07

The easiest way to create the cheese’s shape is using the Pen tool (P). First, click on the points which are shown in the reference image.

Select the point of the middle with the Direct Selection tool (A) and drag it down.

Color

Step 01

You can use the same shapes we created it in the previous steps to color them.

For example, for the bun on the top, you can select it and, without stroke, fill it with the following color R:244 G:174 B:67. Another option is using the Ellipse tool (L) to create another circle and fill it with the color.

With the Pen tool (P), you can complete a shape if you need. Put all the colors in different layers because it will be really useful when moving or changing something else.

Lettuce: R:46 G:152 :B:21

Meat: R:102 G:55 B:14

To add the last details, select only the colors and the white line and move these slightly to the right.

Step 03

We just need to follow the same steps that the pizza and the donut. Thus, place the last lines we did between the meat (brown), lettuce (green), cheese (yellow) and the buns (yellow/orange).

I recommend you to create five layers: the first one for the cheese, the second fo the meat, the third for the lettuce, the fourth for the white lines and the fifth for the buns.

Step 04

Select the burger we just created and place it in the middle of the card we made in the first step.

Step 05

With the Selection Tool (V) select the card and double-click on it. As are in isolation mode, take the Scissors Tool (C) and click on the card’s body and delete the extra parts, like inthe reference image. Exit Isolation Mode.

Step 06

Use it the Pen tool (P) and place the pen in the bottom anchor point of this new hole we made in the last step. Then, click on it.

Now click in the middle of the dough like the reference image, hold it and drag to the right to create a curve line connecting the card with the donut.

We just need to add the last details, which are the “A” and the little buns under it.

And now we have the third ace of four.

The Hot Dog

Step 01

Take the Rectangle tool (M) and make a shape like in the example. Change the border radius of all four corners by using the Shape Options. Go to Effects > Warp > Arc, select the Vertical option and set the Bend at 5%. Then, Expand Appearance.

Select this new shape, hold Alt + Shift, drag the mouse to the right and release it. Now we have cloned this new shape. Select this new shape and press Crtl + D to repeat the last action.

Now we have these three new shapes.

Step 02

Select the shape number two and, with the Selection Tool (V), select the shape and double-click on it. As we are in isolation mode, take the Scissors Tool (C), click on the shape’s body and delete the intersection,  like we did it in the reference image. Exit isolation mode.

Repeat the same action with the third shape.

Step 03

Like we did in step 02, select the middle line of the shape, but now we are just going to take it out of the shape.

Select the line with the Selection tool (V) and go to Effects > Distort & Transform > Zig Zag… Set the size at 4px, check the Absolute option, adjust Ridges per segment to 7, and select the Smooth option.

Step 04

Put the line back where it was before.

Color

Step 01

You can use the shape we did in the first step, and fill it with the following colors: for the buns, R: 244 G:174 B: 67. For the sausage, R: 220 G: 80 B:87. For the mustard, R:244 G: 255 :B 67.

You can duplicate the zig zag line of the mustard.

Select this new shape, hold Alt + Shift, drag the mouse upwards and release it. We have already cloned this new shape. Select this new shape and press Crtl + D to repeat the same steps up to 8 times.

Step 03

Like we did in the last cards, what we are going to do now is placing the last lines we did between the sausage (red), mustard (yellow) and the buns (yellow/orange).

Step 04

Select the Hot Dog we just created, and place in the middle of the card we made in the first step.

Step 05

With the Selection Tool (V), select the card and double-click on it. As we are in isolation mode, take the Scissors Tool (C), click on the card’s body and delete the extra  parts, like we did it in the reference image. Exit isolation mode.

Step 06

Activate the Pen tool (P) and place the pen over the bottom anchor of this new hole we made in the last step. Then, click on it.

Now click on the middle of the buns, like the image, hold it and drag to the right to create a curve line connecting the card with the donut.

We just need to add the last details, which are the “A” and the little buns under it.

Our four aces are already done!

We can use these simple techniques to create delicious food, try out different options! Share your designs with us in the comments or through social media!