How to Create a Halloween Character in a Ghost Costume in Adobe Illustrator

Trick or treat? One of the funniest and scariest holidays of the year is coming closer. In this tutorial we are going to play with the Halloween theme, imagining and creating the character of a kid in a ghost costume with a treat bag. As usual, we will use only the most basic tools and shapes of Adobe Illustrator.

If you would like to skip the tutorial, you can just purchase the result as a part ofmy Trick Or Treat Children Halloween Sceneillustration. Find more inspirationonGraphicRiver.

1.How to Set Up a New Document

The first step we need to take is to set up aNew Document(File > NeworControl-N) with these settings:

• Number of Artboards:1
• Width:800
• Height:600
• Units:pixels

From theAdvanced tab:

• Color Mode:RGB
• Raster Effects:Screen
• Preview Mode:Default
• UncheckAlign New Objects to Pixel Grid

2.How to Create a Treat Bag

Step 1

Let's start simple by creating a 72x 90 pxrectangle with the help of theRectangle Tool (M), filling it with#F26419color.

Add a smaller 23 x 15 px rectangle of the same color near the first one.

Step 2

Place the small shape under the bottom outline of the large one, aligning to its right side.

Holding downShift, select both figures that we created with theSelection Tool (V). Use theUniteoption of thePathfinderpanel to merge them into one shape.

Step 3

Take theDirect Selection Tool (A) and choose the bottom-left anchor. Pull the circle indicator of the Live Corners widgetto the center of the rectangle, making the corner rounded.

Then select the two bottom anchors with theDirect Selection Tool (A) and round them, using the same Live corners feature.

Step 4

Select our figure andCopyit, usingControl/Command-C. ClickControl-Command-Ftwice to get two copies on top of the shape. Move the top copy to the right and up, making it overlap the main shape. Add the second copy to the selection, and use theMinus Frontoption of thePathfinderpanel.

The resulting figure will act as a shadow. Change itsBlending ModetoMultiplywhile lowering theOpacitylevel to 40%in theTransparencypanel.

Step 5

Create a 82 x 10 px rectangle which we will fill with #FF7F11. Using the Live corners method, make all its corners fully rounded.

Place the resulting figure on the top part of the main bag shape, overlapping the top edge.

Step 6

Time to add a shadow to the top part of the bag.

Select the upper horizontal shape which we created in the previous step andCopyit, pressingControl/Command-C. Createtwo copies on top of the shape by clickingControl-Command-Ftwice.

Move the top copy to the right, holding down Shift while dragging it. The left side of it should be placed near the right outline of the bottom shadow part of the bag.

Add the second copy to the selection, using theMinus Frontoption of thePathfinderpanel. Change theBlending Modeof the resulting shape toMultiply, lowering theOpacityto40%.

Step 7

In order to give more life to our bag, let's create a highlight part on the top side.

Make two copies on the top of the largest orange shape. Move the top copy to the left by about 5 px. Add the second copy to the selection and use theMinus Front option of the Pathfinder panel again. Change the Fill color of the resulting figure to #ff9336. Keeping the shape selected, go to Object > Arrange > Send Forward or press Control-] to place the highlight part in front of the shadow one.

Step 8

Add the last detail to our bag by creating a 72 x 5 px rectangle (#e6dfe0) for the string, which we will place under the bottom edge of the top horizontal shape.

To align our white rectangle to the middle of the larger part, select it together with the main orange shape, holding downShift. Click on the large object (without holding down Shift this time!).In theAlignpanel (Window > Align) orControlpanel,click onHorizontal Align Center.

Group (Control-G) all the objects together. The treat bag is ready!

3.How to Create a Halloween Ghost Shape

Now that we have a bag, we need somebody to hold it.

Step 1

Start working on the main body part by creating a 75 x 230 px rectangle, coloring it with#e3beb8.

Build a smaller 32 x 62 px shape of the same color on the outer left side of the bigger shape, aligning to its bottom edge.

Step 2

Make a 74 x 20 px horizontal rectangle (#e3beb8) on the outer right edge of the main figure, aligning to its bottom side.

Select all the parts together and merge them into one shape, using the Unite option of the Pathfinder panel.

Step 3

Using the Live corners feature, slightly round the two left anchors of the bottom-left part of the shape, setting their corner radius to about 6 px (1).

Make the bottom-right part fully rounded by pulling theLive corners widgets of the two right anchors to the left (2).

Using the same method, round the top part of the main shape (3). It is going to be the head part of our future spook.

Step 4

Create a 80 x 134 px light rectangle of #e6dfe0 fill color.

Drag the rectangle over our body shape, aligning it to the right long edge of the main part and placing its bottom side on the same level as the top edge of the right tail-like ledge. You can use the example below as a reference.

Step 5

Take the Direct Selection tool (A), select the bottom-left anchor of the light rectangle, and pull the Live corner indicator to the center of the shape, making the corner rounded.

Step 6

Now we are going to create a main shape for the stretched hand of our future ghost.

Build a 132 x 25 px rectangle, which we will fill using #e6dfe0.

Place it over the top edge of the rounded figure that we created in the previous step, aligning to its right side.

Step 7

Continue working on the ghost's hand by selecting the previously created horizontal shape and making a copy on the top of it by pressing Control-C and Control-F. Set the color of the copy to #c29e97(1).

Move the rectangle down by a few pixels using the arrow key on the keyboard (2)

Keeping the rectangle selected, go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back or press Shift-Control-[, placing the shape behind all objects and forming a thin shadow part for the hand (3).

Step 8

Go back to the rounded white part of the cloth, selecting it. Click Control-C and then Control-F, making a copy on top. Change the color of the copy to#c29e97 (1).

Drag the shape left and up by a few pixels, using the arrow keys (2).

Go toObject > Arrange > Send to Backor pressShift-Control-[to hide the shape behind the main part, creating a shadow (3).

Step 9

Time to add the wrist to finish the hand.

With the help of the Ellipse Tool (L),create a 33 x 33 px circle with #b35454 fill color (1).

Select the circle andCopyit, usingControl/Command-C. ClickControl/Command-Ftwice to get two copies on top. Move the top copy to the left and down, making it overlap the main shape. Add the second copy to the selection, and use theMinus Frontoption of thePathfinderpanel (2).

Change the color of the resulting figure to #e06a6a, creating a highlight (3). Group (Control-G) the light part together with the circle and drag the wrist to the end of the extended horizontal part of the main shape, finishing the hand (4).

Step 10

Now we are going to imitate the folds on the part of cloth which is hanging under the outstretched hand.

Make a thin vertical rectangle (#e6dfe0) and make its left-bottom corner rounded. Copying and varying the sizes, spread the figure over the bottom edge of the white rounded shape, creating something like hanging folded fabric. Use the example below as a reference.

Step 11

In order to give more life to the fabric folds, let's create thin shadow parts for them.

Build a thin vertical rectangle with a rounded right-top corner and spread copies of it near the folded parts of the fabric. Using the Eyedropper Tool (I), make the color of each shadow equal to the color of the neighboring dark areas, creating a shadow effect.

4.How to Create a Smiley Face and Final Details

We are done with the main ghost shape, but we still need to add a kind of face to it and finish with some minor details.

Step 1

Since our ghost is just a boy in a costume, we should create a few holes in the fabric for eyes and a mouth. Start to build them by creating two vertical rounded8 x 14.5 px rectangles for the eye holes and a bigger 24.5 x 16.5 pxrounded rectangle for the mouth hole. Set the Fill color of all shapes to #b35454.

Make two 3 x 3.8 px rounded rectangles (#663048) inside the eye holes, which will act as eyes.

Step 2

Build a19 x 14.5 pxellipse of #e6dfe0 color with the help of theEllipse Tool (L).Draw a horizontal line which goes across the ellipse, lowering it by a few pixels from the center of the ellipse. Select both shapes andDividethem, using thePathfinderpanel.Ungroup (Control-Shift-G)the figure and Deletethe top piece.

Step 3

Drag the half-ellipse inside the mouth hole shape and Group (Control-G) all the face parts together.

Place the group on the head part of the main ghost body. Now our spook has a face, and he is smiling!

Step 4

Take the Pen Tool (P) and create a rectangle (#e3beb8), overlapping the right part of the head. Make the extended corners rounded and go to Object > Arrange > Send to Back (Control-Shift-[).

Step 5

Let's add a highlight to the right side of the head.

Make two copies on top of the large darker ghost part. Move the top copy to the left and add the second copy to the selection, using theMinus Frontoption of thePathfinderpanel. Change theFillcolor of the resulting area to#e6dfe0.

Ungroup (Control-Shift-G)the result andDeletethe bottom-right piece. Make the outstanding bottom-left corner rounded.

Step 6

One small final detail remains.

Create a 210 x 9 px stripe (#e3beb8). Make the left side fully rounded and then round the top-right anchor, using theLive Corners method.

Place the resulting shape on the bottom part of our ghost, aligning to its bottom edge and making it stand out to the right side.

Group (Control-G) all the parts of our happy ghost together. We are almost done!

Step 7

Go back to the treat bag and drag it onto the hand of our ghost, hiding behind it.

Step 8

Create various halloween sweets, using simple shapes and the same colors as for the ghost and the treat bag.

Rotating and varying the sizes, spread them above the treat bag to create a feeling of candies pouring inside the treat bag.

Group (Control-G) all the objects.

Step 9

Create a background rectangle and fill it with #483a85.

Put a thin stripe of the same color under the ghost for the shadow, making its corners rounded and changing itsBlending ModetoMultiplywhile lowering theOpacitylevels to40%in theTransparencypanel.

Trick or Treat!

Great job! Our happy spook has a good mood, a great costume, and a large bag for candies. He is ready for the Halloween night.

This Halloween boy is just a part ofmyTrick Or Treat Children Halloween Sceneillustration, and you can find far scarier and funnier Halloween illustrations onGraphicRiver.

I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial and learned some useful tips and tricks on working in Adobe Illustrator. Stay tuned!