How to Create a Lego Batman Figurine in Adobe Illustrator

In today's tutorial we're going to spend some quality play time together and unleash our inner child by learning how to create a digital version of the awesome Lego Batman. Woohoo! We're going to do all that in Adobe Illustrator, using simple geometric shapes that we're going to adjust here and there. Enough said—grab a fresh cup of coffee, and let's get started!

Oh, and don't forget you can always expand your universe by heading over to GraphicRiverwhere you'll find a great selection of Lego-themed assets.

1. How to Set Up a New Project File

Assuming you already have Illustrator up
and running in the background, bring it up and let’s set up a New Document (File > New or Control-N)
for our project using the following settings:

• Number
  of Artboards: 1
• Width:
  800
  px
• Height:
  600
  px
• Units:
  Pixels

And from the Advanced tab:

• Color
  Mode: RGB
• Raster
  Effects: Screen (72ppi)
• Preview Mode: Default

2. How to Set Up a Custom Grid

Even though today we’re not working on
icons, we’ll still want to create the illustration using a pixel-perfect
workflow, so let’s set up a nice little grid so that we can have full control
over our shapes.

Step 1

Go to the Edit > Preferences > Guides & Grid submenu, and adjust
the following settings:

• Gridline
  every: 1 px
• Subdivisions: 1

Quick tip: you can learn more
about grids by reading this in-depth piece on How Illustrator’s Grid System Works.

Step 2

Once we’ve set up our custom grid, all we
need to do in order to make sure our shapes look crisp is enable the Snap to Grid option found under the View menu (that’s if you're using an
older version of Illustrator).

Now, if you’re new to the whole
“pixel-perfect workflow”, I strongly recommend you go through my How to Create
Pixel-Perfect Artwork tutorial, which will help you widen your technical skills
in no time.

3. How to Set Up the Layers

Once we’ve finished setting up our project
file, it would be a good idea to structure our document using a couple of
layers, since this way we can maintain a steady workflow by focusing on one
section of the illustration at a time.

That being said, bring up the Layers panel, and create a total of two
layers, which we will rename as follows:

• layer
  1: main figure
• layer 2: mask

Quick tip: I’ve colored all of my layers using the same
green value, since it’s the easiest one to view when used to highlight your
selected shapes (whether they’re closed or open paths).

4. How to Create the Figurine’s Legs

We’re going to kick things off by creating
the lower section of the toy, so make sure you’re on the right layer (that
would be the first one), and then lock the other one so that we can get
started.

Step 1

Create the main shape
for the figurine’s lower body using a 100
x 16 px rectangle, which we will color using #53555Eand then center align
to the Artboard, positioning it at a distance of 224 px from its bottom edge.

Step 2

Give the shape that
we’ve just created an outline using the Stroke method, by creating a copy of
it (Control-C), which we will paste
in front (Control-F) and then adjust
by first changing its color to #24252B and then flipping its Fill with its Stroke (Shift-X). Set
the resulting outline’s Weight to 8 px and its Corner to Round Join,
selecting and grouping the two shapes together afterwards using the Control-G keyboard shortcut.

Step 3

Start working on the
left leg by creating its upper section using a 44 x 32 px rectangle (#6D6F77) with an 8 px thick outline (#6D6F77), which we will group (Control-G) and then position below the
previous section so that they overlap as seen in the reference image.

Step 4

Create the center
section using a 44 x 36 px rectangle
(#53555E) with an 8 px thick outline
(#24252B), which we will group (#24252B) and then position onto the smaller
section.

Step 5

Add the foot section
using a 44 x 20 px rectangle (#6D6F77)
with an 8 px thick outline (#24252B),
grouping (Control-G) and then
positioning the two as seen in the reference image. Once you’re done, select
and group (Control-G) all of the
current leg’s composing sections before moving on to the next step.

Step 6

Create the right leg
using a copy (Control-C > Control-F)
of the one that we’ve just finished working on, which we will position on the
opposite side of the lower body.

Step 7

Add the divider holding
the two legs together using a 16 x 36 px
rectangle (#6D6F77) with an 8 px thick
outline (#24252B), which we will group (Control-G)
and then position as seen in the reference image. Once you’re done,
select and group (Control-G) all of
the current sections before moving on to the next one.

5. How to Create
the Figurine’s Torso

Once we’ve
finished working on the lower section of the body, we can move a few pixels
upwards and start working on the upper part, starting with the torso.

Step 1

Create the lower section
of the torso using a 108 x 12 px rectangle,
which we will color using #6D6F77and then position on the upper section of
the lower body as seen in the reference image.

Step 2

Add the upper section
using a 108 x 76 px rectangle, which
we will color using #6D6F77and then position on top of the previous shape.

Step 3

Adjust the shape of the
rectangle that we’ve just created, by individually selecting its top anchor
points using the Direct Selection Tool
(A) and then pushing them to the inside by12 px using the Move tool (right click >
Transform > Move > + / - 12 px depending on which side you start
with).

Step 4

Select the torso’s two composing
shapes and combine them into a single larger one using Pathfinder’s Unite Shape
Mode.

Step 5

Give the resulting
shape an 8 px thick outline (#24252B),
selecting and grouping both of them together afterwards using the Control-G keyboard shortcut.

6. How to Create the Figurine’s Hands

Once you’re done building the torso, we
can move on to the sides and start working on the toy's hands.

Step 1

Select the Pen Tool (P) and, with the color set to
#53555E, gradually draw the arm using the reference image as your main guide.

Step 2

Give the resulting
shape an 8 px thick outline (#24252B)
using the Stroke method.

Step 3

Draw the diagonal line
segment where the arm would normally bend, using an 8 px thick Stroke (#24252B)
with a Round Cap, which we will
position as seen in the reference image. Once you’re done, select and group (Control-G) all three shapes together before moving on to the next
step.

Step 4

Create the wrist using a
20 x 16 px rectangle, which we will
color using #53555E and then position on the arm, at a distance of 12 px from its bottom-right anchor
point.

Step 5

Adjust the shape that
we’ve just created by selecting and pushing its bottom anchor points to the
left side by2 px using
the Move tool (right click > Transform > Move > Horizontal > -2 px).

Step 6

Continue adjusting the
current shape, by selecting and pushing its bottom-left anchor point to the top
by2 px.

Step 7

Give the resulting shape
an 8 px thick outline (#24252B),
grouping (Control-G) and then
positioning the two underneath the larger hand (right click > Arrange > Send Backward).

Step 8

Create the main shape
for the hand using a 36 x 36 px circle,
which we will color using #6D6F77and then position on the wrist, as seen in
the reference image.

Step 9

Adjust the circle that
we’ve just created by cutting out a 12 x
30 px rounded rectangle (highlighted with red) with a 6 px Corner Radius from its lower half.

Step 10

Give the resulting
shape an 8 px thick outline (#24252B),
selecting and grouping the two together using the Control-G keyboard shortcut. Once you’re done, select and group (Control-G) all of the left arm’s
composing sections, positioning them underneath the larger torso (right click > Arrange > Send to Back).

Step 11

Create the right arm
using a copy (Control-C > Control-F)
of the one that we’ve just finished working on, which we will vertically
reflect (right click > Transform >
Reflect > Vertical) and then position on the opposite side of the torso.

7. How to Create the Figurine’s Head

Since we’re pretty much done working on
the figurine’s body, we can shift our focus towards his head, and gradually
build it one section at a time.

Step 1

Kick things off by
creating the neck section using a 40 x
12 px rectangle (#DDA98C) with an 8
px thick outline (#24252B), which we will group (Control-G) and then position on top of the larger torso.

Step 2

Add the actual head
using a 76 x 64 px rounded rectangle
(#F9C9A9) with a 16 px Corner Radius
and an 8 px thick outline (#24252B),
which we will group (Control-G) and
then position on top of the neck section.

Step 3

Finish off the blank
figurine, by adding the connector section to its head using a 32 x 16 px rectangle (#DDA98C) with an 8 px thick outline (#24252B), grouping
(Control-G) and then positioning the
two as seen in the reference image. Once you’re done, select and group (Control-G) all of the head’s composing sections before moving on to
the next step.

8. How to Add Details to the Figurine’s Face

At this point, we have a completely blank
version of our Lego figurine, which we will turn into the crime-fighting
vigilante by gradually adding details to his different sections, and we will
do so starting with the head.

Step 1

Start working on the
eyes by creating the main shape for the left one using an 8 x 10 px ellipse, which we will color using #24252Band then
position at a distance of 20 px from
the head’s left edge and 16 px from
its top one.

Step 2

Add the little
highlight using a 2 x 2 px circle,
which we will color using white (#FFFFFF), and then center align to the
previous shape, positioning it at a distance of 2 px from its top edge. Once you’re done, select and group (Control-G) the two together before
moving on to the next step.

Step 3

Add the right eye
using a copy (Control-C > Control-F)
of the one that we’ve just finished working on, which we will position on the
opposite side of the head, making sure to maintain the same 20 px distance from its outer edge.

Step 4

Draw the eyebrows
using two 4 px thick Stroke lines (#24252B) with a Round Cap and Join, following the reference image as your main guide.

Step 5

Start working on the mouth by creating a 24 x 10 px rectangle, which we will
color using white (#FFFFFF) and then center align to the head, positioning it12 px from its top
edge.

Step 6

Adjust the shape that
we’ve just created by repositioning its top anchor points as seen in the
reference image, giving the resulting shape a 4 px thick outline (#24252B).

Step 7

Add the horizontal
detail line to the right side of the mouth, using a 6 px wide 2 px thick Stroke line (#24252B). Once you’re
done, select and group all of the current section’s composing shapes using the Control-G keyboard shortcut.

Step 8

As we did with the
eyebrows, take a couple of moments and draw the two cheek lines using a4 px thick Stroke (#24252B) with a Round
Cap and Join, which we will
position as seen in the reference image. Take your time, and once you’re done, select and
group (Control-G) all of the face’s
composing shapes before moving on to the next step.

9. How to Add Details to the Torso

Once you’re done working on the face, move
over to the torso, and let’s start adding details to Batman’s costume.

Step 1

Start working on the chest
logo patch by creating a 44 x 28 px ellipse,
which we will color using #FCCF4Fand then center align to the larger torso,
positioning it at a distance of 14 px from
its top edge.

Step 2

Draw the bat logo (#24252B)
using the reference image as your main guide. Take your time, and once you’re
done, select the two shapes and group them together using the Control-G keyboard shortcut.

Step 3

With the patch in
place, start drawing the rest of the armor starting with the pectoral area,
using a couple of 4 px thick Stroke lines (#24252B) with a Round Cap and Join.

Step 4

Draw the abs using
the same process, making sure that all the anchor points are positioned so that
they overlap the lines next to them.

Step 5

Finish off the armor by
drawing the rib lines, selecting and grouping all its composing shapes
afterwards using the Control-G keyboard
shortcut. Also, since we’re pretty much done working on the figurine, you can select and group (Control-G) all of its composing
sections as well.

10. How to
Create the Cape

Next off our
costume’s prop list is the crusader’s cape, which we will create in the following moments.

Step 1

Start by creating a 256 x 320 px ellipse, which we will
color using #393B42 and then center align to the torso’s top edge.

Step 2

Remove the shape’s lower
half, by selecting its bottom anchor point using the Direct Selection Tool (A) and then pressing Delete, making sure to close up the resulting path using the Control-J keyboard shortcut.

Step 3

Create four 64 x 32 px ellipses (highlighted with
red), which we will position as seen in the reference image and then subtract
from the cape using Pathfinder’s Minus Front Shape Mode.

Step 4

Give the resulting shape
an 8 px thick outline (#24252B),
grouping (Control-G) and then
positioning the two underneath the figurine using the Arrange tool (right click
> Arrange > Send to Back).

11. How to
Create the Mask

Since we need to
protect the real identity of Batman, we’ll have to create his mask, so make
sure you’ve positioned yourself on the second layer, and let’s get started!

Step 1

Create an84 x 92 px rectangle, which we will
color using #53555Eand then center align to the head, positioning it over the
neck outline’s top edge.

Step 2

Set the Radius of the shape’s bottom corners to 8 px from within the Transform panel’s Rectangle Properties.

Step 3

Add the ears using two 24 x 36 px rectangles (#53555E), which
we will position on the shape that we’ve just adjusted.

Step 4

Select and unite all
three shapes into a single larger one using Pathfinder’s Unite Shape
Mode, selecting and pushing the ears’ top-outer anchor point to the inside
by16 px (right click > Transform > Move >
Horizontal > + / - 16 px depending on which side you start with).

Step 5

Continue adjusting the
resulting shape by selecting and pushing its ears’ bottom anchor points to the bottom by24 px (right click > Transform > Move >
Vertical > 24 px), and then adjusting their curvature as seen in the
reference image.

Step 6

Take a couple of moments
and draw the little cutout which we will remove from the mask, using the
reference image as your main guide.

Step 7

Cut out the shape that
we’ve just created from the mask’s surface using Pathfinder’s Minus Front
Shape Mode, giving the resulting shape an 8 px thick outline (#24252B).

Step 8

Add the eyes using two 20 x 14 px ellipses (#FFFFFF) with an 8 px thick outline (#24252B), which we
will individually group (Control-G)
and then position as seen in the reference image.

Step 9

Add the detail lines to
the mask’s ears using two 8 px thick
Stroke lines (#24252B) with a Round Cap.

Step 10

Finish off the mask, and
with it the project itself, by adding the remaining detail lines using a couple
of 4 px thick Strokes (#24252B). Once you’re done, select and group (Control-G) all of the current section’s
composing shapes before hitting that save button.

Great Work!

No matter if you're a fan of the original Batman or the more recent reincarnations, I really hope you had fun recreating this little fellow and learned a new trick or two along the way.

Since the beauty of Lego is that you can easily create new worlds and characters with a switch of a few parts, I wanted to show you what you can achieve using the blank version of the figurine as a starting point.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them inside the comments area, and I'll get back to you with an answer as soon as I can humanly can!