How to Create a Delicious Pizza in Adobe Illustrator

In this Illustrator tutorial, we will learn how to create a delicious pizza using very simple techniques.

We will use the effects along with some basic vector shapes to achieve the final outcome in a short time. Hopefully, you will learn some useful work tips.


Final Image

As always, this is the final image that we’ll be creating:
How to create delicious pizza in 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 CMYK.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 2

Now we use the Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a rectangle for the table cloth, fill it with #efb6bf.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Next, we continue to use the Rectangle tool(M) to draw 2 shapes and fill with red #d21f26, then place them as shown in the image below.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Select the 2 yellow shapes and go to Object > Blend > Make and set their values as shown below.

Make sure to expand them, go to Obkect > Expand Appearance.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Apply Overlay blending mode to the stripes and lower the Opacity = 50%.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + V) the stripes and go to Object > Transform > Rotate, set Angle = 90.

Then change Opacity = 70% for the copy. You should get a result as shown in the image below.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

We group ( Ctrl + G ) the elements together and go to Object > Transform > Rotate, set Angle = 45.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

You should get a result like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 3

In this step, we will create the cutting board. Use the Pen tool (P) to draw a shape like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) to create a small circle and place it as shown in the image below.

Select all elements we have created so far and under the Pathfinder Panel hit the Subtract from shape area button. Make sure to expand the shape.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Here is the result. Then duplicate it and place a copy of the shape off to the side of the artboard, which we’ll use later.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 4

In this step, apply this gradient to the cutting board.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then with the shape still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Here is the result.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 5

We are going to create the wooden texture for the cutting board.

Create a new layer and name it “Wooden texture”. Select the Ellipse Tool (L), create a squeezed shape, fill it with no color but Stroke = 2px , then go to Object > Expand.

Duplicate the shape we have created and resize the copy as shown below. Then select both of these objects and go to Object > Blend > Blend option > Spacing: Specified step =2 > OK.

Make sure to expand the shape. Select Object > Expand.

Then apply a radial gradient to them with black in the middle and white on the edges.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 6

Double click on the Warp Tool (shift + R) in the Tools Panel to bring up the Warp Tools Options dialog. They are probably on the default settings, but if they are not, press the reset button on the right of the dialog. Change the settings as shown in the following image and click OK.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Now feel free to warp the ” Wooden texture “ the way you like. Then select the object that we have just warped, go to Object > Transform > Rotate : Angle = 90, change Blending mode to Soft light.

Duplicate the object, resize some bigger and scale some smaller as you want. Here is my example.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 7

Back in Step 3, I mentioned placing a copy of the cutting board shape outside the Artboard. Go ahead and grab a copy to work with. Place the shape as shown in the image below.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Select all elements and go to Object > Clipping Mask > Make.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 8

Select the Ellipse Tool (L), create a circle, fill it with no color but Stroke = 12px , then go to Object > Expand.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then apply this gradient to the circle.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Here is the result.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 9

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) that shape and apply the Multiply blending mode to the shape with lower Opacity = 20%.

Move the copy shape up a little bit.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 10

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) that shape again and apply the Screen blending mode to the shape with lower Opacity = 30%.

Move the copy shape down a little bit.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Now we are done with the cutting board. You should have a result like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 11

We are going to create the pizza. Select the Ellipse Tool (L), create a circle, fill it with this gradient.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

And you should get a result like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 12

Reselect the Ellipse Tool (L), create a smaller circle and place it as in the image below. We apply the same gradient as in Step 11 to this circle.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 13

Select the Ellipse Tool (L), create a circle, fill it with no color but Stroke = 4px , then go to Object > Expand.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then apply the Overlay blending mode to the shape and you should get a result like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 14

Pick the Pen tool (P) to create a shape like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then we apply a gradient to this shape.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then apply the Screen blending mode to the shape with lower Opacity = 30% and you should get a result like this.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 15

Pick the Pen tool (P) to draw a chilli shape as in the image below. Then apply a gradient to it.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Pick the Pen tool (P) to draw a stem for the chilli. Then apply a gradient to it.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Pick the Pen tool (P) to draw a shape as in the image below. Fill it with white #ffffff.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then apply the Screen blending mode to the shape with lower Opacity = 40%

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + V) the chilli and resize them to different sizes, then place them as you like. Here is my result.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 16

In this step, we will create an onion ring. Now we use Pen tool (P) to create 2 shapes as shown in the image below.

Select the shapes we have created so far and click the Minus – front from the Pathfinder panel.

Then go to Object > Expand Appearance to expand the shape.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Step 17

Fill the new shape with #cc8cbd. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + F) the new shape we’ve created and scale it smaller.

Fill the copy with #ffffff. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Group (Ctrl/ Cmd + G) all of the elements together. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + V) the onion rings and resize them to different sizes, then place them as you like. Here is my result.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 17

In this step, we will create an olive. Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) to create an ellipse shape then fill it with this gradient.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Use the Ellipse Tool (L) to create a small ellipse shape and place it as shown in the image below, then lower Opacity = 20%.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Group (Ctrl/ Cmd + G) all of the elements together. Then go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + V) the olive and resize them to different sizes, then place them as you like. Here is my result.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


Step 18

Now it’s time to decorate our pizza with herbs.

In the Symbol palette go to Open Symbol Library > Flowers > Poppy. We select the poppy symbol and go to Object > Expand Appearance, then Ungroup (Shift + Ctrl + G), keep the leaf shape and remove the flower shape. This leaf will represent an herb on the pizza.
How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Then we fill it with this gradient.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

With the shape still selected, go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow and set the value.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Duplicate (Ctrl / Cmd + C, Ctrl / Cmd + V) the herb and resize them to different sizes, then place them as you like. Here is my result.

How to create delicious pizza in illustrator


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.
How to create delicious pizza in illustrator

Kim Chen
Kim Chen
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