In this tutorial you'll learn how to make a realistic 3d sphere logo. This tutorial is for designers who use CorelDraw as their main software. This kind of logo works well for technology focused companies, as it has a high-tech feel. After working through this tutorial you'll be able to create similar designs in your work.
Step 1: Basic Elements
First of all you have to use CorelDraw with version 11+. In this tutorial I use CorelDraw X4. Okay lets get started. Let's take a look at the basic elements used to create our design:
- Sphere
- "S" shape
- Background
Step 2: Creating Worksheet
First of all open your CorelDraw program. Now create a new file and set the paper size to A4 with a landscape view.
Step 3: Creating Circle
Create a circle using the Ellipse Tool. Find em on the left toolbar. Set it to 7x7 cm size.
Step 4: Creating Box
Create a box using the Rectangle Tool find em in the left toolbar. Make a box with the size 8,3 x 8,3 cm. Select both the box and the circle, then make it center width using buttons C + E.
Step 5: Convert to Curves
Select the box using Pick tool at the first upper left toolbar. Then convert the box into curves using Command + Q, or go to the upper toolbar then find Arrange > Convert to Curves.
This will allow you to edit the node or frame of the box. After that go to the Shape Tool. It's the second upper left toolbar, and click em. Now you will see the node of the box.
Step 6: Creating Nodes
Using the Shape Tool to add 6 nodes to the box by double-clicking the line of the box, with the position shown below.
Step 7: Dragging Nodes
Select the node in the middle-left and drag using the Shape Tool. This applies also to the right node. Drag them to the middle with the position shown.
Step 8: Convert to Curves
Now still using the Shape Tool Left-click the line between the node that you have dragged, and convert it to curves using Convert Line to Curves.
It's in the upper toolbar, until you see 2 arrows in the line. This applies also to all the lines between the middle node that you have dragged.
Step 9: Creating "S" Shape
Now still using the Shape Tool Left-click the arrow in the node and you can drag em, it will make a curvy shape. Drag the shape em until it looks like an "S" shape.
Step 10: Colorize the "S" Shape
Now the box is shaping like an "S" letter. Now let's put color so they will look a little metallic. Select the "S" shape. Go to the Fountain Fill Tool, which is in the left bottom toolbar. Choose Custom fill on the color blend and make the type Radial.
Now you will see a color box. You can change the color by left-clicking it, fill the color with 50% Black on the left, and white on the right. You can make a custom fill by double-clicking at the color box. Fill the color with 50% Black on the middle left, and white on the middle right. Two custom colors in the middle will make the color gradient softer.
If you did it correctly it will look like this.
Step 11: Colorize the Circle
Now we will work with the sphere. Left-click the sphere, and go to the Fountain Fill Tool to colorize. After you open the Fountain Fill Tool, choose Custom color blend, and make it Radial Type.
Fill the left side Color box with the Dark Red Color. you can make this by clicking in others in the left bottom color palette. Set them to dark red by dragging it. And fill the right side with the normal Red color, this will make a gradient that goes from dark to light red.
If you id it correctly it will look like this.
Step 12: PowerClip
After that we are going to put the "S" shape into the sphere with the PowerClip tools. Left-click the "S" shape, and then go to the top toolbar and find Effect > Powerclip > Place Inside Container.
Then you will see a black arrow, Left-click em to the sphere, and now you will see that the "S" type is inside the sphere. You can go "inside" or "outside" the container by holding Command while double-clicking.
Step 13: Editing Inside The Container
Okay its getting more interesting right. Now we are going to edit inside the container, which is the sphere. Hold Command while double-licking the sphere and now you are inside the container. Make a custom box inside the container, and shape it.
Shape it using the Shape Tools
Step 14: Editing the Custom Shape
Now we are going to colorize the Custom Shape that you have created. Go to the Fountain Fill Tool, which is in the left bottom toolbar. Choose Custom fill on the color blend And make the type Linear.
Now you will see a color box. You can change the color by left-clicking it. Fill the color with Black on the left and right. and you can make a custom fill by double-clicking at the color box, fill the color with Black on the middle left, and middle right, and 50% Black in the center. Use a 45 degree angle.
Do this on both the Custom Shapes.
Now Send Two of the Custom Shape to the bottom layer by selecting both of them and pressing Command + Page down.
Okay now it looks cool.
Step 15: Adding Texture into the S shape
And now we are going to add a little texture to the "S" shape. I create this in Photoshop, so I won't explain it in here. It is available in the 'source' file though
OK, now import the metal texture into your working file by pressing Command + I.
Click the Metal Texture and Place it inside the "S" shape Container using PowerClip (see step 12 for information on the process). Now if you do it correctly you will see something like this.
Here is the look from Outside the Container.
Step 16: Transparency
Now we have two containers the Sphere Container and the "S" shape Container. Now the "S" shape Container will have a texture, but it's still too dark, so let's lighten them up a little.
Go inside the "S" shape container by holding Command while Double-clicking. Inside the "S" shape container Click the Metal texture and go to Interactive Transparency Tools, it's in the left bottom toolbar. We are going to make the metal texture a little bit transparent, in the Interactive Transparency Tools go to the upper left toolbar. There you will see a transparency type, set it to uniform. While still in the Interactive Transparency Tools, you will see a set transparency point tool, make the value 80.
If you do it right, then it will look like this from Outside the Container.
Step 17: Creating Shadow
Now we are going to add a little shadow to the custom shapes inside the sphere container, which gives an aura to the sphere. Go inside the Sphere container by hitting Command + Double-click, and select the two custom black shapes. After you select them, find the Interactive Shadow Tool, which is in the left bottom toolbar. After that, you will see that your cursor turns into boxes, hold and drag them to create a shadow.
Apply this on both custom shapes, and it will look like this from outside the container.
Step 18: Applying Racing Texture
Now we are going to apply a Racing Texture to the sphere. Inside the 'source' file you will find racing-texture.cdr. Import it into your working document.
Now we are going to put the texture into the red sphere. Select the texture and put it into the Sphere container with PowerClip (process explained in step 12).
Inside the Sphere Container put the texture at the bottom of the layer by pressing Command + Page Down. After that go to the Interactive Transparency Tool and set the type to uniform and set the transparency value to 80.
If you do it right, it will look like this outside the container.
Step 19: Making the Background
Now we'll create a Background for the sphere. Make a rectangle or a box for the background, colorize it to a darker color or gray - it's up to you. Custom fill it, like in step 11. Send the background into the bottom by pressing Command + Page Down.
After that put a shadow into the sphere using the Interactive Shadow Tool (see step 17).
Now we'll leave that sphere for a little while. Now make a star shape using the Star Tool, which is located in the left toolbar. Left-click and drag into your document to make the star.
On the upper toolbar you will see a value of polygons for the star. Apply the value 8 to make an 8 corner star.
After you make a star go to the Distortion Tools in the left toolbar. When you click it, on the top toolbar will appear a Distortion Type, set it to " Distortion.
Now grab the star, by holding and dragging Left-click, and make a clockwise circle move to distort the star.
Our background texture shape is complete, now put a color in it (any color) and apply the swirl to the sphere.
Step 20: Creating the Glow
We are going to make a glow, which will give the sphere an aura. Now create a little sphere with any size you like, as long it's smaller than the red sphere. Use the Ellipse Tool to create it, and put and color in it you like.
Now create a shadow for the little sphere using the Interactive Shadow Tool, then drag it to the big red sphere. Instead of creating a black shadow now we are going to make a white shadow, set the Shadow opacity to max, Shadow Feathering to 62, and Shadow Color to White.
You can separate the shadow and the little circle by pressing Command + K. Duplicate the white glow and you'll have the results below.
Final Image
You can customize it and make it more interesting by adding more Shadow, Glow, or even texture. The final design is below.
