How to Create a Coffee Scene Illustration in Adobe Illustrator

In this tutorial we're going to create a scene of coffee in the morning with cookies and milk using simple shapes in Adobe Illustrator.

Find more great Coffee inspiration on GraphicRiver.

1. How to Create a New Document 

Press Control-N to make a New Document. Set the Units to Pixels, and enter 800 x 600 for the width and height of the document. Then in the Advanced options, select RGB, Screen (72 ppi), and make sure to uncheck the Align New Objects to Pixel Grid box before clicking OK.

Go to the Preferences (Control-K) and enter 1 px for the Keyboard increment. Press OK.

You can activate the Info panel (Window > Info) in order to have a preview of the size and position of your shapes. Remember to set the measuring unit to Pixels from Edit > Preferences > Units. This will greatly increase the speed of your work.

2. How to Create a Milk Carton

Step 1

We will begin by drawing the milk container, draw a 100 x 208 px rectangle with the Rectangle Tool (M) and use #ABE0FD as the Fill color.

Then draw another rectangle next to the last one; this rectangle should have a Width of 61 px (#84CCF4).

Step 2

Now draw a rectangle at the top (#D0EFFD) and, using the Direct Selection Tool (A), select the upper nodes and move them to the left.

Afterwards, add a new node in the other rectangle with the Pen Tool (P) and move it towards the corner. Now draw a triangle (#73BCE8)  and use the Pen Tool (P) to create a shadow on the spout.

Step 3

Take the Rectangle Tool (M) and draw the top flap of the container (#ABE0FD). Then draw two small rectangles (#84CCF4) at the ends of the flap and apply a Blend (Object > Blend > Make) 12 steps away (Object > Blend > Blend Options).

Step 4

Draw a strip on both sides of the container using two rectangles. Then draw an ellipse (#FFFFFF), using the Ellipse Tool (L), and a rectangle (#FFFFFF) on the front side.

Step 5

Now draw the lid with an ellipse in the middle (#FFFFFF) and a smaller one in the center (#ABE0FD). Afterwards, add another ellipse (#84CCF4) and place it below (Control-[).

Finally, Group the container together (Control-G).

3. How to Create a Coffee Maker

Step 1

Now let’s create our coffee maker.

Create a 136 x 124 px rectangle (#E1E1E1) and move the upper nodes 20 px (by pressing the Shift key) to the center using the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Step 2

Now use the Pen Tool (P) to draw the first face of the coffee maker (#CDCDCD) on the right side. Remove the remaining shape using the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M).

Then, make a Copy (Control-C followed by Control-F) of the face, reflect it vertically (right click > Transform > Reflect), and change its Fill color to  #F6F6F6.

Step 3

Draw a thin rectangle (#9A9FAD) at the bottom of the pot and remove the remaining shape using the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M). Group everything together (Control-G).

Then make a copy (Control-C > Control-F) and Rotate it 180° with the Rotate Tool (R). Merge down the group slightly using the Selection Tool (V).

Step 4

Now create a rectangle in the middle of the two cups (#616161) and draw another rectangle, thinner this time, (#7F7F7F) inside it. Then add three rectangles (#A5A5A5) of different widths as shown in the figure below.

Step 5

To create the nozzle and handle, we will use the Pen Tool (P) and the Fill color #7F7F7F. Afterwards, draw a shadow on both things (#616161) and Delete the rest with the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M).

Step 6

On the lid of the coffee maker, draw a thin rectangle (#7F7F7F) and then a triangle (#A5A5A5) using the Pen Tool (P). 

Afterwards, draw a trapezoid (#7F7F7F) and Duplicate it (Control-C > Control-F), and Invert the Copy (#616161). Send both shapes under the triangle (Control-[).

4. How to Create a Cup

Step 1

To create the cup, let’s begin by using a 123 x 133 px rectangle (#DD557B) and rounding the bottom corners with the Direct Selection Tool (A).

Step 2

Now Duplicate the shape (#DF6688) (Control-C > Control-F) and apply a -8 px offset in Effects > Path > Offset Path. Extend the shape appearance (Object > Expand Appearance).

Then modify the width using the Selection Tool (V) and place it on the left edge of the cup. Duplicate it again (#DF6688) and change its Width one more time.

Step 3

Now create a 26 x 26 px ellipse (#DD557B) and a 38 x 38 px ellipse. Apply Minus Front using the Pathfinder panel on the last ellipse.

Step 4

Create a shadow on the cup’s handle by drawing a rectangle (#B33859) and subtracting its shape using the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M). Then send the handle shape backwards (Control-[).

Step 5

Draw an ellipse (#FFFFFF) in the center of the cup, and then draw an S with the Knife Tool. Separate the divided shapes and round its corners slightly. Group the shapes together and Rotate the final shape a little.

5. How to Create a Cookie

Step 1

Create a 90 x 90 px ellipse (#E5D8B0) and Duplicate it twice (Control-C > Control-F). Move the last copy to the left and subtract it with the previous one using Minus Front from the Pathfinder panel. Change the Fill color to #DBC996.

Now draw the chocolate chips (#9D8A7C) using the Pen Tool (P).

Step 2

Let’s draw a second cookie using a rounded rectangle (#E5D8B0), use the Rounded Rectangle Tool. As with the other cookie, Duplicate the shape twice and create the cookie’s shadow.

Finally, draw chocolate chips as shown in the image below.

Step 3

Place the cookies and the cup together. Create a shadow under the circular cookie by drawing an ellipse (#B33859) and subtracting its shape with the Shape Builder Tool (Shift-M).

Once we have the shadow, let’s place it under the cookie (Control-[). Finally, Group the objects together (Control-G).

6. How to Create a Coffee Bag

Step 1

Start by adding a 90 x 120 px rectangle (#E7C5AF). Draw another rectangle (#F3D6C3) at the top and move its upper nodes to the right.

Then, using the Pen Tool (P), draw the side of the bag (#E7C5AF) and the inner shadow (#CCAE9A).

Step 2

Afterwards, draw the top flap using a rectangle (#CCAE9A). Now, draw the label using one 58 x 33 px rectangle (#FFFFFF) and another two with the Fill color #DEDEDE.

Finally, Group the coffee bag together (Control-G).

7. How to Create a Mini-Background

Step 1

First, place all the objects together and then draw a 320 x 320 px ellipse (#F5DE93) in the center of the scene. Remove the bottom node of the ellipse and close the corners (Control-J).

Then slightly round the bottom corners of the ellipse and send it to the back (Shift-Control-[). Stretch the height of the semi-circle upwards with the Selection Tool (V). 

Step 2

Make a Copy of the semicircle and change the Fill color to #FBF5DB. Then stretch the Height a little more and send to the back (Shift-Control-[).

Step 3

Now add a few small dots using ellipses (#FBF5DB) throughout the scene.

Step 4

To finish, draw the steam of the coffee using the Pen Tool (P), selecting the Stroke style and a Stroke thickness of 7 px.

Step 5

Finally, create an 800 x 600 px rectangle (#F9ECBE) at the back of the canvas.

Congratulations! You're Finished!

Terrific! We’ve finished, and the result was terrific. This will surely bring more creativity to your artwork thanks to the techniques you just learned. I hope you enjoyed the process, and I will be expecting your comments.