Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator

In this Illustrator tutorial, you will learn how to create a cute Christmas Sock.

You’ll begin by creating the basic structure of the sock with basic shapes, then build up the details with gradients and effects.


Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator


Tutorial Details

  • Program: Adobe Illustrator CS6
  • Estimated Completion Time: 45 minutes
  • Difficulty: Beginner-Intermediate

Step 1

Let’s create a new document first. Make sure to set the dimensions to 600 x 600 pixels and the Color Mode to RGB. Use the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a rectangle and fill it with the gradient for our background.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 1

Step 2

Pick the Pen Tool (P) and draw a shape as shown in the image below, then fill the shape with color #961A1E.

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + V) it and place a copy of the shape off to the side of the artboard, which we’ll use later.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 2

With the shape still selected, go to Object > Path > Offset Path and Enter a -30 px Offset and click OK.

Select the resulting shape and place it as shown in the image below then change the color to #ED1C24.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 3

Reselect the shapes and go to Object > Blend > Blend Option > Make.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 4

Back in previous step, I mentioned placing a copy of the sock shape outside the Artboard. Go ahead and grab a copy to work with.

Place the copy shape in front of the sock and now we add the pattern to our copy shape. In the Swatches palette go to Open Swatch Library > Patterns > Basic Graphic_Textures. Then we apply Capsules for the copy. Apply Screen Blending Mode to the copy and lower Opacity = 10%.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 5


Step 3

In this step, we will create a toe and heel pattern by using the Pen Tool (P) as shown in the image below. Fill them with color #006738. Duplicate them and place a copy of the shape off to the side of the artboard, which we’ll use later.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 6

With the toe and heel pattern still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 7

Now we grab the toe and heel pattern copy and place in front. Don’t forget to duplicate them and place a copy of the shape off to the side of the artboard, which we’ll use later.

In the Swatches palette go to Open Swatch Library > Patterns > Basic Graphic_Textures. Then we apply Sewage Disposal for the copies. Apply Screen Blending Mode to the copy and lower Opacity = 30%
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 8

Next, we grab another copy of the toe and heel pattern and place in back. Fill it with black color #000000, then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the values as shown below. Apply Multiply Blending Mode to the copies with lower Opacity = 60%
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 9

You should get a result like this image
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 10


Step 4

Now we will create stitches for our sock. Pick the Pen Tool (P) and draw 2 lines like this
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 11

Open the Stroke palette and set the values, then go to Object > Expand Appearance.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 12

Now we fill the stitches with this gradient.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 13

With the stitches still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 14

And we end up with a result like in this image below.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 15


Step 5

Back in Step 3, I mentioned placing a copy of the sock shape outside the Artboard. Go ahead and grab a copy to work with. Duplicate it and place a copy of the shape off to the side of the artboard, which we’ll use later.

Fill the copy with black color #000000. With the shape still selected, go to Object > Path > Offset Path and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 16

Now we select both the shapes and go to Pathfinder and hit Minus Front
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 17

Reselect the new shape we have created and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the value as in the image below. Then apply Multiply blending mode to it and lower Opacity = 50%.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 18

Now you place our new shape on the top layer.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 19


Step 6

Back in Step 5, I mentioned placing a copy of the sock shape outside the Artboard. Go ahead and grab a copy to work with. Now we fill the shape with no color but set Stroke = 10pt, and fill the color #939597 for the stroke.

Then open Stroke palette and set the values as shown below.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 20

Now we apply Overlay blending mode to the stroke. You should get a result as in the image below.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 21


Step 7

In this step, we will add a shadow for the sock. Go ahead and grab a sock copy and place it under the layers. Fill it with black color #000000 then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 22

Apply Multiply blending mode for the shadow and set the Opacity = 80%.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 23

You should end up with a result like this.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 24


Step 8

In this step, we will create the white fluffy part. Pick the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a rectangle and fill it with the gradient
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 25

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Roughen and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 26

Make sure to expand the shape by going to Object > Expand Appearance.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 27


Step 8

Reselect the fluffy part, then go to Effect > Style > Feather and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 28

Here is the result.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 29

Now I want distort the fluffy shape a little bit. Reselect it and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Free Distort. Then duplicate the new shape and place a copy of the shape off to the side of the artboard, which we’ll use later.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 30


Step 9

In this step, we will add some wrinkles on the fluffy part. Just pick the Pen Tool (P) to draw some shapes as in the image below, then fill them with color #27A9E1.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 31

Make sure that the set of paths created in the previous step are still selected, then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the value.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 32

Apply Multiply blending mode and lower Opacity = 30%.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 33


Step 10

Add an ellipse on top of fluffy by using the Ellipse Tool (L) and fill it with this gradient.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 34

With the ellipse still selected, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the value. Then apply Multiply blending mode to it.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 35


Step 11

In this step, we create another ellipse and fill it with color #68141B, place it under fluffy.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 36

And go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the value. Then apply Multiply blending mode to it.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 37


Step 12

Now we add shadow for fluffy. Back in Step 8, I mentioned placing a copy of the sock shape outside the Artboard. Go ahead and grab a copy to work with. Place the copy under the fluffy part. Fill it with black color #000000, then apply Gaussian Blur effect.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 38

Apply Multiply blending mode to the shadow and lower Opacity = 50%.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 39

Now you should end up with a result like this.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 40


Step 13

In this step, we will create Christmas holly. First, we pick the Ellipse Tool (P) and draw a circle for the holly berry, then fill it with this gradient.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 41

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd +V ) two more holly berries and place them as shown below.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 42


Step 14

It’s time to create a Christmas leaf. Pick the Pen Tool (P) to create half of the leaf.
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Apply this gradient for the half leaf.
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We continue to use the pen to create another half of the leaf.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 45

And we apply the same gradient as in the previous step.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 46


Step 15

We continue to use the pen to create leaf veins and apply the gradient as shown below.
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Group (Ctrl + G) all the leaf veins, duplicate them and place on the opposite side as in the image below.
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Step 16

In this step, we will create leaf midrib. Just pick the Pen Tool (P) and draw a shape as in the image below, then apply the same gradient as Step 15 for midrib.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 49


Step 17

Group (Ctrl + G) all the Christmas holly. Now you should end up with a result like this.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 50


Step 18

Reselect all the Christmas holly and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the values.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 51


Step 19

Place the Christmas holly like this.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator 52


And We’re Done!

Here is how it should look. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and can apply these techniques in your future projects.
Create a Cute Christmas Sock in Adobe Illustrator

Kim Chen
Kim Chen
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