In this tutorial you will learn how to draw a realistic lipstick from scratch in Adobe Illustrator and from it you will create other versions. It starts from basic shapes so you don't have to worry about your Pen Tool skills. You will use Warp effects and Art Brushes to create reflections and highlights. Also, I will introduce you the Adjust Color Balance option which is great for creating different versions of the same lipstick. Let's begin!
1. Create a New Document
Launch Illustrator and from the File menu choose New. Type a name, set up the width and height of your new document then select Pixels as Units and RGB as Color Mode.
Next, go to Edit > Preferences > General and set the Keyboard Increment to 1px. Now, you can start to draw.
2. Create the Base of the Lipstick
Step 1
Grab the Rectangle Tool (M) and click anywhere on your artboard then enter the dimensions shown and hit OK. With this rectangle selected, go to Effect > Warp and apply the Arch, Shell Upper and Bulge effects. After this you will get the shape that we need.
In the next image you can see the settings applied:
Step 2
Now, you need to expand the three effects applied and to do so, go to Object > Expand Appearance then Ungroup (Shift + Control + G). Next, take the Direct Selection Tool (A) and select only the two anchor points at the bottom then go to File > Scripts > Round Any Corner and apply an 8 Radius.
Step 3
Grab the Ellipse Tool (L) and draw an ellipse having the dimensions shown. Move it over the top of the base and make sure they are centered. Having both shapes selected, click on Subtract from shape area > Expand in the Pathfinder panel.
Step 4
Copy (Control + C) and Paste in Front (Control + F) the shape of the base obtained at the previous step. Move the copy a little down, about 8px if you press the Down Arrow key on your keyboard eight times. Copy and Paste in Front the base again then select the red shape and the copy of the base and click Subtract from shape area > Expand from the Pathfinder panel. As a result you will get the border at the top.
3. Color the Base of the Lipstick
Fill the border obtained at the previous step with the linear gradient shown below using white and many shades of gray. In this case, we want a dark base for the lipstick therefore fill this shape with the other gradient shown.
4. Add Reflections to the Base
Step 1
Draw an ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (L) and arrange it over the base as shown below. Fill it with a linear gradient from white to dark gray then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a 3px Radius. Set the Blending Mode to Hard Light and reduce the Opacity to 55%.
Step 2
Now, grab the Pen Tool (P) and draw a path on the right side of the base. Stroke it with an Art Brush called Tapered-Round that you can find in the Brush Libraries > Artistic > Artistic_Ink, Stroke Weight of 1pt. With this path selected, go to Object > Expand Appearance then Ungroup. Fill the resulting shape with a linear gradient from white to black then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a 2px Radius. Set the Blending Mode to Color Dodge and reduce the Opacity to 20%.
Step 3
It's time to mask these reflections. First, Copy and Paste in Front the dark base and remove the existing gradient fill. Bring this shape in front of everything by going to Object > Arrange > Bring to front. Now, select the two reflection-shapes and also the copy of the base and go to Object > Clipping mask > Make.
5. Create the Metal Body of the Lipstick
Step 1
Grab the Rounded Rectangle Tool and draw a small rectangle having the dimensions shown. Fill this shape with a linear gradient using many shades of gray and move it at the top of the base as in the next image. Send it behind everything by going to Object > Arrange > Send to back.
Step 2
Copy and Paste in Back (Control + B) the shape from the previous step and move it a bit up by pressing the Up Arrow key on your keyboard twice. Now, still having this shape selected, take a look at the Transform panel and instead of 134px type 128px in the width field. Keep the same fill gradient.
Step 3
Next, draw a rounded rectangle having the dimensions shown. Grab the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) and add two extra points in the middle of the top and bottom edges. Use the Direct Selection Tool (A) to select only these two points and move them a little down by pressing the Down Arrow Key two times. Now, use the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) to generate the handles and transform them from corner points to smooth points. Arrange this shape like in the image and fill it with the gradient shown.
Step 4
Copy and Paste in Back the shape drawn at the previous step and move it a little up by pressing the Up Arrow key twice. Take a look at the Transform panel and type 111px instead of 118px in the width field to make the shape slightly smaller. Also replace the existing gradient fill with the one shown earlier. Next, Copy and Paste in Back this shape and move it again 2px up then set the width to 105px. Repeat this action one more time using the last shape as indicated below.
Step 5
Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to draw a rectangle having the dimensions shown then go to Object > Path > Add Anchor Points. As a result you will get an extra point in the middle of each side. Select using the Direct Selection Tool (A) only the middle point at the bottom and move it 2px down. Use the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) to generate the handles and to create the rounded bottom. Place this shape above the others and fill it with the gradient shown, which is basically the same, only some of the stops are in a different location.
Step 6
Finally, draw an ellipse at the top and fill it with the radial gradient shown.
6. Draw the Shape of the Lipstick
Step 1
Grab the Rectangle Tool (M) and draw a 68 x 150px rectangle. Add an extra point with the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) at the bottom then move it a little down by pressing the Down Arrow key two times (2px). With the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) transform this point from corner to smooth point because we need a rounded bottom. Add another point with the Add Anchor Point Tool (+) at the top as indicated.
Step 2
Take the Direct Selection Tool (A) and select only the top right point and move it down as shown. Use the Convert Anchor Point Tool (Shift + C) to drag the handles. Next, move the top left point down and transform it from corner to smooth point also.
7. Color the Lipstick
Step 1
First, draw with the Pen Tool (P) a shape at the top as shown in the image below. Fill these two shapes that make up the lipstick with the gradients shown.
Step 2
Take the Pen Tool (P) and draw a path following the edge between the two shapes. Stroke it with an Art Brush called Tapered Stroke that you can find in the Brush Libraries > Artistic > Artistic_Ink. Set the stroke color to dark pink and the weight to 0.1pt.
8. Add Highlights to the Lipstick
Step 1
Use the Pen Tool (P) to draw a path like below on the left side of the lipstick and select white as the stroke color. Try to not cross over the metal shape otherwise you'll need a mask. Stroke this path with an Art Brush called Tapered-Sharp that you can find in the Brush Libraries Menu > Artistic > Artistic_Ink. Reduce the Stroke Weight to 0.35pt. With this path still selected, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a 3px Radius.
Step 2
Next, draw another path on the right side of the lipstick. Select white as the stroke color and use the same Art Brush to stroke it. Set the weight to 0.25pt. Apply a 1.5px Gaussian Blur then reduce the Opacity to 35%.
9. Add Details to the Body of the Lipstick
Step 1
Use the Pen Tool (P) to draw four tiny curved paths on the sides of the body as shown below. I've stroked these paths with a Blend Art Brush that I use quite a lot. I've explained how to create it in another tutorial of mine. Just that instead of 200 x 5px this one has the dimensions 100 x 3px. Lower the Opacity to 75%.
Step 2
Next, draw other five paths following the edges of the metal shapes. Stroke them with the same Blend Art Brush and set the Stroke Weight to 2pt.
Step 3
Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw a 50 x 177px ellipse and fill it with the radial gradient shown. Set the Blending Mode to Screen and you will get a discreet golden reflection.
10. Add Shadow under the Lipstick
Draw an ellipse at the bottom of the base and fill it a radial gradient from dark gray to white. Send it behind everything by going to Object > Arrange > Sent to back. Set the Blending Mode to Multiply and reduce the Opacity to 50%.
11. Create the Lid of the Lipstick
Step 1
Use the Rectangle Tool (M) and the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw the two shapes and arrange them like in the image. With the Direct Selection Tool (A) select only the top anchor point of the ellipse and press the Delete key on your keyboard. Now, select the rectangle and the path and click Divide in the Pathfinder panel. Press Shift + Control + G to Ungroup the resulting shapes then delete the small shape at the bottom because we don't need it.
Step 2
Draw an ellipse above the shape obtained at the previous step then with both of them selected, click Add to shape area > Expand in the Pathfinder panel. Fill the resulting shape with the gradient used for the base of the lipstick.
12. Add Reflections to the Lid
Step 1
Rotate the lid minus 90 degrees then draw an ellipse on top. Fill the ellipse with a linear gradient from black to white then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and apply a 5.6px Radius. Set the Blending Mode to Screen and lower the Opacity to 65%.
Next, draw a small ellipse on the right side and fill it with a radial gradient from white to black. Apply a 3px Gaussian Blur then change the Blending Mode to Screen.
Step 2
To mask these two shapes, first Copy (Control + C) and Paste in Front (Control + F) the lid and delete the existing gradient fill. Bring this copy in front then select the two shapes and also the copy and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make.
13. Add Shadow Under the Lid
Step 1
Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to draw two ellipses having the dimensions shown and arrange them like below. Give them a black fill and reduce the Opacity for the bigger ellipse to 0%. Having both shapes selected, go to Object > Blend > Blend Options and choose 50 Specified Steps. Now, go back to Object > Blend and select Make. Arrange the shadow under the lid and send it in back.
Step 2
At this point the lipstick is ready and looks like below:
14. Create a Golden Lipstick
Step 1
Using the lipstick created you can easily obtain other versions. All you have to do is to make a copy and change a few things. First, replace the metal gradients with the ones shown below and you'll obtain a golden lipstick. The difference between the first and second gradient lies in the locations of some of the stops but the colors are the same.
Step 2
You can also change the color of the lipstick. I chose a strong red. Replace the pink gradients with the ones shown then also change the stroke color of the small path between the two. With this, the golden lipstick is ready.
15. Create Other Versions via Adjust Color Balance
Step 1
There is another easy way by which you can create other versions of the lipstick. I'm referring to the Adjust Color Balance option. I've used it myself for the first time and I think it's great. First, make a copy of the pink lipstick and select the entire body then go to Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Color Balance. Select RGB as the Color Mode then drag the Blue slider up to 10%. You will get a blush metallic look and also blush reflections on the base. You can keep the base as it is and only select the metal shapes if you want. This time, in the Adjust Colors window drag the Red slider up to 10% and you will get a golden look.
Step 2
The same thing can be done for the lipstick. Select only the two pink shapes and the small path between them (without the highlights) then go to Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Color Balance. For a bright pink drag the Green slider up to -15%. For a bright red, you need a combination of Green and Blue therefore drag the sliders as shown and hit OK. Easy, right?
Fabulous! You're Now Done!
Now that you know how to draw a realistic lipstick you can experiment with various shapes and colors because there are plenty of types of lipsticks to choose from. Also play around with the Adjust Color Balance option in Illustrator and see what you'll get. You can create plenty of versions starting from the same lipstick. I would love to see your drawings.
