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Easy to follow free tutorial. Learn with easy-to-follow steps, how to create “Gears” in Adobe Illustrator using the Incredibly powerful Rotate / Copy Tool. The Rotate/COPY tool is a very powerful tool.
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Requirements
To follow along with this article, you will need the following software and files:
- Illustrator CS2 (or above)
Using the Rotate Tool
Creating Gears with Adobe Illustrator are easy and fun. Let’s begin with using the advanced rotate tool method.
With Adobe Illustrator software open: complete the following steps.
- Create a new document (Default Letter Size)
- Turn on the Smart Guides by accessing the Guide settings from the Top Menu Bar.
View > Smart Guides or use the shortcut key CTRL+U
- Select Ellipse Tool (L)
- Draw a large circle while holding the Shift & ATL key
- With Ellipse selected, hover mouse over the center of the circle
- With the Smart Guides active, the work “CENTER” will appear when hovered over
- Draw a second circle, approximately half the size of the first circle
- Open the Pathfinder palette.
Window > Pathfinder or use the shortcut key SHIFT+CTRL+F9
- Select both circles CTRL+A
- Pathfinder > Subtract (second icon on top row)
- Move the object to see that you now have one object (similar to a doughnut)
- Select the Rectangle Tool
- Using Smart Guide > Hover the mouse to Locate the Center of your new object
- Move your mouse straight up until you are just beyond the height of the doughnut object
- Hold you ATL key draw a small rectangle to create the first tooth for your gears
- Select rectangle (tooth for gear) > Select Rotate Tool
- Hover over the Center > Press the ATL key (to more the anchor point)
- Open the Rotate Panel > Check: Preview > Angle: Enter 20 > Press COPY > OK
The copy feature will add a copy of the selected object
- To complete the remaining teeth, press CTRL D to duplicate your last step
- Repeat until entire circle has teeth around the circle
- Select all objects CTRL+A
- To group all the pieces together Pathfinder > Add to Shape
- Deselect obeject by clicking anywhere off the object
Use this same method for creating gears could be used to create interesting repeating designs or for arranging the petals of a flower. The rotate tool is a powerful way of creating and arranging conten.