vector-compass

Illustrator Tutorial: Vector Compass

vector compass

Have you ever thought of how to draw a vector compass in Illustrator? This tutorial with cover all the steps to draw a nice vector compass with a magnifying glass. Hope you have fun learning this tutorial.

1. First, let us open a new document. To open a new document you will go to File > New. When you click on New a new document will open. As shown in the image above, we will name the file and then we will input the size of the artboard. One thing that we should always remember is to set the color mode in the document to RGB, so that the image looks like an original image.

vector compass

2. First, make a circle.

vector compass

3. Make one more circle inside the first circle.

vector compass

4. After making the circles, select the two circles and make a compound. Refer to the image shown below. Go to Object > Compound Path > Make.

vector compass

5. After making the compound, the circle is cropped from the middle. Lets go to next step and fill this shape with a radial gradient color. The value of the gradient is given below.

vector compass

6. After filling the gradient, our image will look something like the image shown above.

7. Let us then proceed further and make a shape, as shown below and marked by a red arrow.

vector compass

8. Fill this image with gradient color. The value of the gradient is given in the image below.

vector compass

9. Let us make the shape shown in the image below and fill this image with the same gradient color used above. Rotate the gradient by 180 degrees. By doing so, the gradient will be reversed.

vector compass

10. Place the lines filled with gradient on this shape marked by the red arrow. You can fill the lines with the gradient of your choice.

vector compass

11. After placing the shape, our image will look like this.

12. Let us now proceed towards the bottom part of the compass. Make a circle shape as shown in the image below.

vector compass

13. Fill this shape with the gradient color with values shown in the image below.

vector compass

14. Next, let’s make one more circle inside this circle. Fill it with the gradient shown in the image above, but change the orientation of the grading. As you can see, the gradient’s line is straight at the moment. Now, selecting the gradient tool, we’ll drag this line again so the orientation of the gradient changes.

vector compass

15. To Proceed to the next step, make one more circle inside the shape of the circle and fill it with random gradient color. You can choose any gradient color for this.

vector compass

16. Now, we have made one part of the compass in silver color. Let us then move on to the next step and make 2 more circles inside this shape. Fill the circles with colors, as shown below.

vector compass

17. We will place a circle of black color in the smallest circle. Refer to the image below.

vector compass

18. Now, the basic structure of our compass is complete. Therefore, we are ready to proceed to making the inner part of this compass. You would have seen how numbers are placed in a clock, so we will apply the same method to this part of the compass.

vector compass

19. Now we’ll place outlines in between this black cirlce as shown in the image below.

20. Now we’ll make a small stroke on the upper side.

21. Press R key and drag it’s round point in the centre of the circle.

22. As shown in the image.

23. Now press Alt+Shift and drag this stroke by doing so it will rotate itself.

24. Press Ctrl+D till the full circle is completed.

25. Similarly we’ll make the other round and use the same technique as mentioned above.

26. Lets proceed and insert the 3rd and last lines, we have used the same technique for this too. After this hide the outlines.

27. Once we have finished placing the lines, we will then place the corresponding numbers.

vector compass

28. The next step is making the needles. To make the needles, let’s create a shape, as shown in the image below.

vector compass

29. We’ll fill this shape with gradient with the value given in the image below. Remember that the center part of gradient has 2 nodes; one node is hidden behind the other node, but we have to give the gradient value to both nodes.

vector compass

30. Now that we have made one side of the needle, we will proceed with other side of the needle. We will only change the color from red to green and it will look like this.

vector compass

31. Let us attach both these needles and place them in the center of the compass. We will also change the rotation of the needles.

vector compass

32. After placing the needles in the middle of the compass, we will make 2 more circles in the middle of the compass and fill them with the simple gradient. The illustrator will take the default value so we need not give any value for it.

vector compass

33. Let us proceed further and make some needles as shown in the image below.

vector compass

34. Place the shape in the middle of the compass and change the color from black to white. After this, our image will look like this.

vector compass

35. Now, we will place the text at the tip of each white needle, indicating the direction.

vector compass

36. Now, we will give the compass a glow. To do so, make a shape with the pen tool, as shown in the image below.

vector compass

37. Select the black circle and press Ctrl + F. By doing so, the black shape will be copied on the shape made by the pen tool. See the image below.

vector compass

38. Go to Window > Pathfinder and you will see a window in front of you. Select the option marked red in the image below.

vector compass

39. After selecting the said option, we will see a new shape, in which we will fill with the gradient color. To fill the gradient color, refer to the window shown below. Remember, we have to set the opacity value of black in the gradient to zero.

vector compass

40. Notice the image shown below. The compass adjustment clutch is copied and pasted at the lower part.

vector compass

Drawing the Magnifying Glass

41. Now that we have made the compass, let’s start working on the magnifying glass.

vector compass

42. Let us make a circle and fill it with gradient color. We have to use the same technique for making the circle as we used in making the compass.

vector compass

43. To make the handle of magnifying glass, make a box and fill it with default gradient color.

vector compass

44. We will also make one more box that will be slightly bigger than the first one. Fill it with gradient color, too.

vector compass

45. After making the handle, make 2 more small box shapes, as shown below.

vector compass

46. Fill the shapes with white color and set opacity to 20% then place them over the handle.

vector compass

47. After placing the shape, the basic structure of the glass is completed. Make one more circle inside the magnifying glass, as seen in the image below.

vector compass

48. Now, we’ll place the compass under the magnifying glass shape, as shown in the image below.

vector compass

49. Select the magnifying glass circle and the compass then go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

vector compass

50. By doing the clip mask, the compass will be masked with the circle.

vector compass

51. We will now place the magnifying glass over the compass, but remember that placement should be exact.

vector compass

52. Rotate the glass as per your liking. Remember that you have to rotate the glass, but not the clipping mask of the compass. See the image below.

vector compass

53. We’ll go inside the clipping mask of the compass and increase the size of the compass by 30%. To increase the size, go to clipping mask and select the compass; then go to toolbox and double click the tool marked red.

vector compass

54. By double clicking, you will see a window in front of you. Input the values given below then press OK.

vector compass

55. After pressing OK, the size of the compass will increase.

vector compass

56. Now, move the magnifying glass, with it’s clipping mask, slightly to the upper right side of the compass.

vector compass

57. The final image is now complete and looks like this.

Final Image

vector compass

To download the source file for this tutorial, you will need to login as a member.
Sign up today to access all exclusive members content!



premium content lock

Scroll to Top