How to Create a Summer Girl Illustration in Adobe Illustrator

I want to show you how to create a summer-inspired illustration: a cute little girl eating a watermelon. As usual, you will use basic shapes as well as the Brush Tool to create the flowing hair. In this tutorial, I will show you the easiest way to draw the hair, but if you are already pretty good at this and want to learn more, please check out this special tutorial.

1. Drawing the Head and the Face

Step 1

We will start from the head. Using the Ellipse Tool (L), first draw an ellipse with the fill color shown in the image below. Then draw a smaller ellipse for the eye, and rotate it a little to the left. Now, draw an even smaller circle for the pupil of the eye. 

After that, make a reflection to create the right eye. To make a reflection, you will need to select the whole eye and, using the Reflect Tool (O) while holding down the Alt key, click the middle of the head. Then check Vertical and press Copy. Make sure that the eyes are in the middle of the head. That's it for now.

Step 2

Let's create the mouth. Start with a long ellipse. While keeping it selected, using the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C), click on the right and left anchor points to make them sharp. Continue to keep them selected and go to Effect > Warp > Arc. In the new dialogue window, enter the options you see in the image below:

Step 3

Place the mouth in the correct place.

Step 4

Make a copy of the mouth and adjust the Warp Options—this will be the nose. Place the nose in its place.

Step 5

Draw an ellipse for the blushing cheek. Rotate it a little to the right and then make a reflection of the left cheek to create the right cheek.

Step 6

Using the same fill color, draw few circles around the nose—these are the freckles.

Step 7

Create a copy of the nose, expand it (Object > Expand Appearance) and using the Eye Dropper Tool (I), take the fill color from the center of the eye—this will be the eyebrow. After creating the left eyebrow, rotate it to the left. Then make a vertical reflection to create the right eyebrow.

Step 8

Two ellipses with the same fill color as the face will finish the face by adding the ears.

2. Drawing the Hair

Step 1

To draw the hair, first let's create the base as shown in the image below. Using the Eye Dropper Tool (I), take the fill color from the center of the eye.

Step 2

Before we start drawing the hair, we need to create a special brush. Draw a long, narrow ellipse (R=53 G=61 B=51). Drag it to the Brushes panel to create the new brush, set Colorization Method Tints and press OK.

Step 3

Now, let's take this brush and draw the hair. You can increase or decrease the Stroke Weight, whatever suits best.

Step 4

Reduce the Stroke Weight, make the stroke color lighter (R=83 G=83 B=72), and draw more hair.

Step 5

Reduce the Stroke Weight once again, make the stroke color darker (R=16 G=17 B=16), and draw the hair once again.

3. Creating the Floral Wreath

Step 1

Remove the stroke color and set the fill color to R=239 G=236 B=230. Take the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw a few lines—two or three are enough.

Step 2

Now for the flower. Set the fill color to R=247 G=245 B=240 and draw an ellipse. Hit the Rotate Tool (R) and while holding the Alt key, press on your artboard under the ellipse. 

In the new Rotate window, enter Angle 72 degrees and press Copy. Keep pressing Control-D to repeat your last movement, until you complete the flower. Place a yellow (R=255 G=229 B=130) circle in the middle to finish off the whole flower.

Step 3

Make different sizes of the flower, and spread the flowers throughout the head.

Step 4

Once you have an ellipse, fill with R=115 G=145 B=80. Pick the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and make sharp anchor points. You'll get a simple leaf shape.

Step 5

Create several copies of the leaves, make them different sizes, and place them under the flowers.

4. Creating the Cherries

Step 1

Three different circles placed as in the image below will make up the cherry.

Step 2

Put two cherries close to the girl's ear. Using the Eyedropper Tool (I), take the color from the leaf, but make it a stroke color. Using the Pencil Tool (N), draw the stems connected to the cherries.

Step 3

Create a vertical reflection of the cherries for the other side.

5. Creating the Watermelon

Step 1

Draw two red ellipses which are overlapping each other. The upper ellipse has to be over the circle. On the Pathfinder panel (Window > Pathfinder), press Minus Front and you'll get the watermelon base shape.

Step 2

To create the effect of a bitten watermelon, draw small circles over the previously created shape. And press Minus Front in Pathfinder again.

Step 3

To make the rind of the watermelon, create a copy of the previously created shape and place it behind the original shape (Control-C, Control-B). Change the fill color to R=215 G=234 B=195 and stretch it down little bit. We’ll do this once again, but this time, apply the color R=115 G=145 B=80. Don't forget to stretch it down.

Step 4

For the watermelon seeds, we will make them like water drops. Set the fill color to R=53 G=61 B=51. Draw an ellipse. Make the top anchor point sharp using the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C). Then move the left and right anchor points down.

Step 5

Spread the seeds over the watermelon.

Step 6

And give it to the girl.

6. Creating the Hands

Step 1

We’ll start with an ellipse and a circle to create the finger. Select the whole finger and move it to the right. Press one more time, Control-D, as you did with the flowers before.

Step 2

Rotate her right hand and put it on the watermelon. Reflect the right hand to create her left hand.

Step 3

Now for the sleeve. On the ellipse, move the right and left anchor points down.

Step 4

Rotate it to the right and place it under the hand. Then create a vertical reflection of it to create the other sleeve.

Step 5

To make the body, simply make a copy of one of the sleeves and make it wider. Place it under everything (Control-X, Control-B), and that completes the body of the girl.

Step 6

We can also decorate the shirt of the girl by drawing a few navy blue (R=76 G=84 B=107) stripes. Make one more copy of the body in front (Control-C, Control-F), and while keeping it selected, select the stripes. Press Crop in Pathfinder. Don't take out this selection, and go to Object > Path > Clean Up. Make sure that all the small squares are checked and press OK.

7. Creating the Background

Step 1

Create a gray square behind everything (Control-X, Control-B), 600 px width and height. Draw in a darker circle inside.

Step 2

Place the girl in the middle of the circle. Try to put her head inside the circle; the body will overlap the circle a little bit.

Step 3

Create a copy of the background circle (Control-C, Control-F), and while keeping it selected, select the whole girl. Or you can select everything (Control-A) and uncheck the background square. Then go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make. Now the girl should be inside the circle.

Conclusion

Tadaa! We are done. You completed a huge task! Maybe you learned something new, maybe you practiced what you already knew, but I'm sure you enjoyed it!