Creating Realistic Sunset Landscape Using Illustrator cs2

Everybody knows that illustrator is a vector graphics designing program. In vector graphics, you’ll never loose a picture quality. I am going to show you how to create a beautiful landscape using Illustrator. This step by step tutorial will guide you through clear and detailed images.

But before we begin, let me assume the following facts:
You have Illustrator installed on your computer.
You have basic skills in pen tools and illustrator.
Ok now lets begin,
Open up Illustrator by going to, Start > Run > Illustrator
Create a new file in illustrator, File > New.
Apply everything default but except Portrait choose Landscape and RGB instead of CMYK. And then click OK.
Now the illustration starts.
Take a big rectangle equal to the size of art board.

Apply gradient tool to the rectangle box with similar gradient shown in image below:

Now we need a sun, create new Circle (to create the exact circle hold down ALT and draw the mouse button while drawing).
Apply the following type of gradient to the circle:

And you’ll get some what similar result:

Place it wherever you find suitable, I put it below the art board, with partial part out from the box.
Now create the ocean, use pen tool to draw the ocean. Draw ocean similar to the image below:

Now we will need the radial brightness caused by the sun. To create it, draw a circle similar to image below, apply Gaussian Blur Effect (Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur) to the circle (keep blur value not less than 5).

Change the transparency according to your choice.

Now we need the reflection of sun light on the surface of ocean, use same method as above but change color to yellow orange and resize the oval shape to fit on the ocean.
Again change the transparency according to your choice.

A picture never becomes beautiful until you have subject on it (A photography principle).
Create a boat and man standing on the boat using pen tool. Color it black as we’ll seethe object shaded when placed just in front of the sun.

Now we need land, draw the following shape using pen tool.

Choose Mesh tool and color it similar to the image below.


Now we are adding some trees and bushes. Choose symbol in the color palette.

Drag and drop the trees in to the art board and place it above the land.

Select the tree using selection tool resize it according to your need. After you are done, expand the symbol.

Click OK

Change the color of the trees to black and apply no stroke.


Using Lasso tool select the part of the tree.

Apply the following gradient to the selection.

Now create two flying birds using pen tool and place it near the inner edge of the sun.

We’ll need clouds to make the image beautiful. Create large but long clouds but not much wide fill it black and apply no stroke.

Apply Gaussian Blur effect.

Keep value near to 5, I kept 4.4.

Create other clouds using pen tool and do the same for rest of the clouds.

The boat will obviously cast the shadow on the water surface. Therefore we’ll need to create a wavy shadow on the ocean surface.
Using pen tool roughly copy the shape of boat and the man.

Select the boat shadow and choose warp tool.

Change the brush size according to your ease. To change brush size, Hold down ALT + Left click and drag up/down or left/right.

Now warp the left and right edges of the boat and a man.

Change the color that will be suitable for the image.

Replay and replace the object, place the objects in front that needs to be in the front and place them behind or overlapped according to their needs.
If you went correct, you’ll get the image some what similar to the image below:

Hope this tutorial was helpful.