DESIGN AND LAYOUT • HOW-TO
Roll out dimensional diagrams with photos and texture.
Bring flavor to vector graphics seamlessly by combining Illustrator and Photoshop.
DESIGN AND LAYOUT • HOW-TO
Roll out dimensional diagrams with photos and texture.
Bring flavor to vector graphics seamlessly by combining Illustrator and Photoshop.
RESOURCES
Start by generating a pie chart in Illustrator, adjusting your base shapes, and adding labels. Then, make your maki come to life by applying photos and texture. Get inspired by this video, and follow the steps below using the practice files in the Resources box.
Tip: Choose a variety of images with a range of textures and sizes to visually balance your graph.
Step 1: Add to your toolbar.
Click the three dots at the bottom of the toolbar to view all of the available options. Then, drag the Pie Graph Tool to the toolbar.
Step 2: Chart your course.
In Illustrator, select the Pie Graph Tool and input data to automatically generate a graph. Then, ungroup the shapes and use the Direct Select tool to space them out.
Step 3: Copy and connect.
Duplicate the graph and move the copy below the original so that the two are stacked. Then, use the Pen Tool (P) to draw a shape that connects the outermost edges of the tops and bottoms of each section of the pie graph.
Step 4: Spice up your chart.
Use the Type Tool (T) to label your graph, but don’t stop there. Explore lines, icons, and contrasting colors to make your chart stand out. (Tip: At this point, you can add your chart as a Library asset to simplify making changes. Once in your Library, edits made to the original automatically appear everywhere you have placed it — like in Photoshop.)
Step 5: Switch to Photoshop.
Move your artwork from Illustrator to Photoshop by selecting and copying in Illustrator. Then, paste it into Photoshop as a Smart Object on top of a white background.
Step 6: Prepare the pieces.
In Photoshop, bring in a photo of salmon and position it above your graph. To get a better sense of where to place it, toggle the Salmon layer visibility.
Step 7: Mask your maki.
Use the Magic Wand tool (W) to select the portion of the graph where you’d like to mask the image. Then, select the Add Layer Mask button and watch the photo take shape.
Step 8: Repeat and complete.
Apply steps 5 and 6 to add nori and rice photos to your art. Then, change the background color and add texture with brushes to finish it off.
