How to Create a Bodega Shop Illustration in Adobe Illustrator

In this tutorial we will create a complete shop with all the details, in addition to some shrubs and a street with its lampposts, using the most basic shapes and tools of Adobe Illustrator.

Find more inspiration for your vector illustrations over on GraphicRiver.

1.How to Create a New Document

PressControl-Nto make aNew Document. Set theUnitstoPixels, and enter800 x 600for the width and height of the document. Then in theAdvancedoptions, selectRGB,Screen (72 ppi),and make sure to uncheck theAlign New Objects to Pixel Grid boxbefore clickingOK.

Go to thePreferences(Control-K) and enter1 pxfor theKeyboard increment. PressOK.

You can activate theInfopanel (Window > Info) in order to have a preview of the size and position of your shapes. Remember to set the measuring unit toPixelsfromEdit > Preferences > Units. This will greatly increase the speed of your work.

2.How to Create a Road

We'll start with the road and the sidewalk of our shop.

Start by creating an 800 x 120 px rectangle using the Rectangle Tool (M). Use #706B79 as the fill color.

Now create the sidewalk using one 704 x 10 px rectangle (#A8A5AA) and one 704 x 6 px rectangle (#706B79).

3.How to Create a Store

Now for the most time-consuming step, the store.

Step 1

Start by creating the shop floor. Create a 314 x 7 px rectangle (#9D9588) with the Rectangle Tool (M).

Then create a column using a 36 x 256 px rectangle (#E9E7DC) and add details with two 22 x 53 px rectangles (#F9F6E6) and a 22 x 125 px rectangle (#F9F6E6). Set Inverted Round corners with a 5 px radius from the Transform panel.

Step 2

Now duplicate the internal forms of the column twice (Control-C followed by Control-F) and move them 2 px downwards with the keyboard’s arrow keys. Apply Minus Front from the Pathfinder panel to every copy.

Change the fill color to #D6D4C3. Group the column together (Control-G) and duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F) at the other end.

Step 3

Let’s create the door using a 90 x 180 px rectangle (#EAAB61). Then add another 62 x 34 px rectangle (#DB9747) and create a shadow by duplicating twice (Control-C followed by Control-F). Move the last copy 4 px downwards and 4 px to the right.

Set Minus Front from the Pathfinder panel.

Step 4

Create the door’s window using a 62 x 112 px rectangle (#78C4ED). Now add a 5 x 112 px rectangle (#64ABD5) to act as a shadow.

Now create a pair of rectangles (#FFFFFF) and rotate them 45º with the Rotate Tool (R). Set a 30%Opacity in the top bar and with the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M) remove the remaining forms.

Step 5

Now, create a sign using a 30 x 20 px rectangle (#FFFFFF). Add two 2 x 18 px rectangles (#EAAB61), rotate them until they have a 45º angle using the Rotate Tool (R), and place them under the sign (right click > Arrange > Send Backward).

Then create a 6 x 6 px ellipse (#FFFFFF) using the Ellipse Tool (L). Draw two rectangles (#F7DDC0) on the sign.

Group the sign (Control-G) and duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F). Use #64ABD5 as fill color for the copy, move it 2 px downwards and to the right, and then send it behind the sign (Control-[).

Step 6

Now create the handle using a 7 x 7 px ellipse (#BB7B33).

Now add a 224 x 27 px rectangle (#EAAB61) for the wall of the store and a 224 x 153 px rectangle (#78C4ED) for the window.

Duplicate the rectangle of the wall twice (Control-C followed by Control-F), and move the second copy 3 px downwards and 3 px to the right. Set Minus Front from the Pathfinder panel. Change the fill color to #DB9747.

Step 7

Create some setoffs in the wall with a 3 x 16 px rectangle and a 61 x 3 px rectangle (#DB9747), grouping them together (Control-G) to form an inverted L. Then duplicate it twice (Control-C > Control-F).

Step 8

We will create some details in the window. Take the Pen Tool (P) and draw the top of a bar using the fill color #6BAFE2.

Then draw the seat’s shadows and some glasses on the table using the fill color #5789C3. Round the seats’ corners using Live Corners with the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Step 9

Now create the lamps using one 2 x 44 px rectangle (#5789C3) and one 22 x 12 px rectangle (#5789C3). Move the upper nodes of the last rectangle inwards by 4 px with the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Add an8 x 8 px ellipse (#5789C3) under the hood of the lamp and group everything together (Control-G). Duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F) and place them far from each other.

Step 10

Add reflections on the window, drawing three rectangles with the Rectangle Tool (M). Use #FFFFFF as the fill color and set a 30% Opacity in the top bar.

Rotate the rectangles45° and use the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M) to remove the rest of the form of the window.

Step 11

Now add the window divisions using one 7 x 180 px rectangle, one 217 x 7 px rectangle, and one 7 x 146 px rectangle. Use#F9F6E6 as the fill color.

Then add two 4 x 146 px rectangles (#64ABD5) and place them under the reflections (Control-[) as shown in the image below.

Step 12

In this step we will create the blind. To do this, create a 24.15 x 74 px rectangle (#EAAB61) and round its lower corners. Duplicate the rectangle (Control-C > Control-F) three times and alternate the use of the fill color #EDEEF0.

Step 13

Now draw a rectangle (#EAAB61) one-third away from the lower part of the blind and remove the remaining shape with the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M). Set the Blending Mode to Multiply and the Opacity to 35% using the Appearance panel.

Add a 314 x 4 px rectangle (#FFFDEF) in the fold of the blind, and from the Appearance panel set the Blending Mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 50%. Group everything together (Control-G) and duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F).

Step 14

Send the blind copy backwards (Control-[) and apply the fill color #000000. Set the Opacity to 10% in the top bar.

Move the copy downwards just once by pressing the Shift key.

Step 15

Add a lintel by creating a 314 x 34 px rectangle (#E9E1C4). Then create a 296 x 168 px rectangle (#D6D0B5) and set Inverted Round corners with a 4 px radius from the Transform panel.

Afterwards, duplicate it twice (Control-C followed by Control-F) and move the last copy 2 px downwards. Then apply Minus Front with the previous copy using the Pathfinder panel. Use #C2BCA4 as the fill color.

Step 16

Create a 314 x 35 px rectangle (#D6D0B5) over the lintel. Then create a 4 x 28 px rectangle (#C2BCA4) and round the lower corners.

Duplicate it and place it at the other end of the lintel. Select both rectangles and go to Object > Blend > Make to merge. Then establish a 40 step separation from Object > Blend > Blend Options.

Step 17

Make some shadows on the columns using two 36 x 4 px rectangles (#D6D4C3). Afterwards, add a 314 x 7 px rectangle (#C2BCA4) above the lintel, and set the Blending Mode to Multiply with a 40% Opacity using the Appearance panel.

Step 18

Let’s finish the roof, using a 405 x 27 px rectangle (#F9F6E6). Then, add one 351 x 14 px rectangle (#D6D0B5) and one 351 x 4 px rectangle (#C2BCA4). Finally, add a 360 x 7 px rectangle (#F9F6E6).

Step 19

Create some bushes with two 54 x 54 px ellipses and use #7FBB86and#68A96A as the fill colors. Then, duplicate the bushes (Control-C > Control-F) and place the copy at the other end.

Be sure to place them behind the shop (Shift-Control-[).

4.How to Create a Lamppost

Step 1

In this step, we are going to create the lampposts on the street. To do this, use an18 x 18 px rectangle (#7C7C7C) and move the upper nodes 2 px inwards with the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Then add a 7 x 194 px rectangle (#6B6B6B) and move the upper nodes 2 px inwards. Afterwards, draw a rectangle at the top and delete the rest with the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M).

Step 2

Now create a 26 x 3 px rectangle (#6B6B6B) over the post and a 36 x 3 px rectangle (#6B6B6B) above the last rectangle. Create a 3 x 26 px rectangle and place it in the middle, make a copy (#424242) and change its height to 4 px in the Transform panel.

Then take the Pen Tool (P) and draw a trapezoid for the lamp using the fill color #F2F2F2. Place it below the rectangle (Control-[).

Step 3

Create a 36 x 3 px rectangle (#6B6B6B) and place it in the middle of the lamp. Use the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M) to remove the ends with the shape of the lamp.

Now create a 26 x 26 px ellipse (#7C7C7C) and remove the lower node. Place it on the top of the lamp. Group the lamppost together (Control-G), duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F), and place it at the other end of the store.

Step 4

To finish, let’s create the sky. Create an800 x 600 px rectangle (#80C3EA) and send it to the back of the canvas (Object > Arrange > Send to Back).

Perfect, You're Finished!

The result is commendable! Congratulations on reaching this point. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and that you have learnt a lot. I'll be watching the comments!