How to create an app icon in Illustrator

12. Add depth

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Now we’ll give some depth to the button’s base. So, select the shape, press Ctrl+ C to copy and press Ctrl+ B to paste in back. Drag the copy 2-3 steps upwards. Keep the copy selected and change its stroke color to #E2E2E1 with 2pt stroke weight and fill color to #DDD9D3 in the Appearance Panel as shown above.

13. Create 3D button

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Next, I’ll show you how to create a 3d button. Pick the Rounded Rectangle Tool (M) to draw a 60 x 38px rectangle using #C5BCB4 fill color. Select it and make its corners rounded by 12px.

Select the button and go to Effect > Stylize > Inner Glow. Apply given settings here. And apply Black & White gradient on it with Multiply blending mode and 40% opacity as we did in step 11.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

14. Extrude and bevel

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Select the button and go to Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel. Apply given settings here.

15. Make the button's shadow

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

We’ll create button’s shadow now. To do so, duplicate the button. Select the bottom copy and remove all the effects in the Appearance Panel. Now change its fill colour to black and hit the down arrow twice to move it down. Duplicate it and change fill colour of the copy to white. Hit the down arrow on your keyboard 6-7 times downwards as shown above.

Select both the black and white shapes and go to Object > Blend > Blend Options. Choose Specified Steps with the value of 20 and hit OK. Once again, go to Object > Blend > Make to blend them. Once you are done, change blended shape mode to Multiply with 60% opacity in the Transparency Panel.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Select the shadow and go to Effect > Blur >  Gaussian Blur. Apply 8px Gaussian blur effect on it.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

16. Apply the symbol

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

To apply symbol over the button, draw a small rectangle with #56524C fill color. Select it and go to Object > Transform > Rotate. And rotate it at 90 degrees and hit Copy option to make the + symbol. Make its copy, turn the backside copy white and drag it 1-2 steps upwards.

17. Make more buttons

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

You can make as many buttons as you want by using the same technique. And make the shadow of icon the same way as explained in step 15.

18. Fill in colour

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Now pick the Rounded Rectangle Tool, click the canvas to view options window and enter 210px width and 8px height here. Give it #404041 fill colour and #F1F1F2 colour stroke (Stroke weight: 1pt).

19. Make the paper

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

To make the paper, draw a rectangle with following dimensions and #F7F5E8 fill color.

Pick the Pen Tool (P) to draw a small line using any colour as a stroke. Select it and go to “Effect”> “Distort & Transform”> “Zigzag”. Apply given settings here to make the path wavy. Now draw a rectangular shape by clicking one end of the wavy path using Pen Tool (P) and close it on the other end. And give any fill colour to the resulting shape.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Now place this shape over the top edge of paper, select both shapes and hit “Minus Front” in the Pathfinder Panel (Shift+ Ctrl+F9).

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

20. Apply gradient to paper

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Select the paper, duplicate its fill attribute in the Appearance Panel and apply given gradient on the copied fill.

Change gradient fill blending mode to “Multiply” with 40% opacity.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

21. Add text

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

I’ve used “Bebas Neue” Font to type some text over the paper with given settings.

To make dashed line, draw a straight path using Pen Tool (P) with no fill color and #404041 color stroke (Stroke weight: 1pt). Now apply given settings below in the Stroke Panel at the top control bar.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

To make paper shadow, draw a rectangle as shown below with black fill. Apply 8px Gaussian blur effect on it and change its blending mode to “Multiply” with 30% opacity.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

22. Draw a knob

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Next, we’ll draw a knob. Draw the following path using Pen Tool (P) and give it #DF7F5E color fill with no stroke.

Select the shape and go to “Effect”> “3D”> “Revolve”. Apply given settings below.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

23. Place the knob

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

To place the knob parallel to the calculator we have to rasterize it first. Select the knob and go to “Object”> “Rasterize”. Apply given settings above.

After that, rotate the knob at 90 degrees and hit “OK”. To reflect it you have to rotate it at 180 degrees and hit “Copy”.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Now position both knobs as shown below.

illustrator app icon

Click image to enlarge

Related articles:

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Matthew Pizzi is an Adobe Certified instructor with over 15 years of experience teaching Adobe applications. He has been a speaker at industry events like Adobe MAX and Social Media Week and has authored several books on Adobe’s products. Matthew’s training videos are featured regularly on Adobe.com which demonstrate new and important features of their Creative Cloud offerings.