How to make CDs and DVDs in Illustrator
This took me a while to figure out! The object is to get the gradient mesh to radiate out of the centre of a circle and that’s not as straightforward as you might expect. Anyway, this is a good one.
To start with something easy – draw a circle. Select the circle tool and drag diagonally, don’t forget to hold down the shift key. Fill the circle white, with no stroke.
Then get the Gradient Mesh tool (U) and click 5 times in the centre of the circle as shown in the diagram below. This will leave you with a cross made out of six lines inside a circle. Now you have to space out the gradient mesh points on the edge of the circle so that they are equidistant. Do this with the Gradient Mesh tool (U) as well. Keep shift held down so that the circumference of the circle does not move. You should only have to move eight different points.
Next you have to make the lines from the edge of the circle to the middle to be straight instead of curvy as they are at the moment. To do this use the Direct Selection tool to drag the curves’ handles at each end so that the line becomes straight. (I have to confess this is a bit fiddly; please let me know if you know a better way of doing this).
Now that you are left with a circle with 12 straight lines radiating out from the centre the fun can start.
Go back to your Gradient Mesh tool (U) and use it to select the points individually and then choose the colour in either the Color palette or the Swatches palette. You could select the colour from the image above, once dragged from your browser to your Illustrator document, with the Eyedropper Tool (I).
This will take a bit of experimentation. Notice that I have left to opposing streaks of white and colour. The main body of the CD or DVD should be grey or gold.
The rest of the CD or DVD was a relatively straightforward affair. Make a series of concentric circles and vary their colours and transparencies for the inside bits of plastic. A final rainbow effect was applied in Photoshop. Maybe I’ll explain that later, but that’s enough for now!
Rob … this is such a great tip. How to do this has been bugging me for ages. I even considered creating a long rectangle with the grads running vertically … and then warping it into the round! And no it does not work. I do have a vague recollection way back, of creating something like this effect using Kai’s Gradient Designer. But this is a very editable way of doing it. Nice.
I did play around with Kai’s Power Tools a while ago as well. Anyway, there’s a lot you can do with Gradient Meshes in Illustrator, that’s for sure! Thanks for the comment.
Nice! I used to use stock for this- maybe I’ll do my own next time.
Awesome tutorial!
I’ve always wondered how to get the gloss/reflective effect that comes so naturally in the real world.
What I like about this tute also, is how easy it would be to add or blend in more “rays” after you’ve completed it.