make a flat image look 3d in illustrator

See below how when you look up close, the blending mode of mulitply versus normal creates a much more accurate shadow.ģ. Add a Thick Outline to your Fashion Sketches in Illustrator When you are working on a black and white sketch, the blending mode won’t make a difference, but as soon as you add a pattern or color fill, it will automatically create a darker shade of whatever is under it. Next, open the Transparency Panel (Window > Transparency), set the opacity to about 20-30% (depending on how dark you want the shadows to be) and change the blending mode to Multiply (2). Make sure they’re closed shapes and give them a black fill and no stroke to start (1).

You can create the shapes using your favorite drawing tool, for this example I’ve used the Pencil Tool. I like to create small shapes where there may be some shading in real life and add those to the sketch.

Yeah, I know a fashion flat is a far cry from 3D, but this trick will help bring some life into your fashion sketches.

Add Subtle Shading to your Fashion Illustrations for a 3D Look

Make a flat image look 3d in illustrator