It's always good to have a stock of design elements to use. In this tutorial, Michael Travers, microstock and freelance illustrator from Nicemonkey, will show you how he created traffic lights changing through their light phases. The first image is the final creation that you we will be working towards.

Final Result: Set of Traffic Lights Changing Phases

STEP 1: Creating The Traffic Light Shape

Start by opening a blank document (I have used landscape A4 (297x210mm)). Make sure that you choose the CMYK colour profile. Although the completed illustration can look quite intimidating, when you break it down into its basic parts, it is really very simple to create. First off select the "ellipse tool" (L) and copy the shape I have made on the left hand side of image 2. Fill this with a gradient (G) fading from a mid grey to a dark grey. Below this use the "rectangle tool" (M) to draw a portrait box below the ellipse and fill it with the same gradient (I have cut the post off). Now with the "rounded rectangle tool" draw another portrait rectangle to fill the gap between the two elements and fill with the same gradient (as in the centre image).Finally "copy" and "paste" this "rounded rectangle" and pull the edges in by the bounding box to create a border, fill this with a darker grey to black gradient from top left to bottom right as in the image on the far right.

Step 1: Creating The Traffic Light Base

STEP 2: Adding The Lights

Now we have created the basic traffic light shape its time to work on the lights themselves. Draw a circle centred at the top on the traffic light base and fill it with the silver gradient we used previously, "copy" and "paste" this new circle (to create the peak). Using the bounding box increase the size by roughly 10% and move it upwards so that the bottom of the two circle are aligned. To make things easier to see I have created the next steps away from the base. Select the new (larger) circle and holding down the "alt" key drag the circle down to overlap and create a half moon shape. Now select the two circles again and from the "path finder" tab select the "subtract from shape" option and then expand. Use the base dark gradient for the peak.

  Step 2: Adding The Lights

STEP 3: Creating The Grainy Surface Of The Lights

Again to simplify things, I have created the red light away from the base. "Copy" and "paste" the silver circle, but this time reduce the size of it by 10% to create a silver border, drag a gradient from the top left to bottom right (of circle) ranging from warm red (100% yellow, 100% magenta) to a darker red (100% yellow, 100% magenta, 100% black). The next stage might take a bit of experimenting to get the correct size but "copy" and "paste" the red circle and reduce until it is only about 8% of its original size then hold down the "alt" and "shift" key and drag the small circle to the right until there is a small gap between it and the original, under the "object" menu you will find "transform" and then "transform again" this should duplicate your circle...keeping doing this until you have created enough duplicates to be wider than the original circle. Select all of the new small circles and holding down the "alt" key drag them down and diagonally to create the offset row below. Select the two rows and duplicate them using the above method downwards until the large circle is covered. Select the large red circle and "copy" and "paste in front". Use this to create a "clipping mask".

Step 3: Creating Grainy Effect

STEP 4: Putting It All Together

Ok we are nearly there now, select both the red traffic light and the peak and hold the "alt" key whilst dragging the elements down to about the mid point of the light base, under the "object" menu you will find "transform" and then "transform again", this should duplicate your light.

Now you have three red lights, select the middle one and adjust the colours to represent an amber light. Do the same with the bottom light but this time change it to green. Select everything and duplicate the traffic light. We will use this new traffic light to create the "off light", to do this select each light in turn and in the gradient change add 80% black to the lightest colour. Now we have all the lights in each of the different states it's just a case of duplicating the base light 4 times and moving the lights to the correct order. You might find this easier if you "group" each light individually.

 Step 4: Putting It Together

About Michael Travers:

Michael has been in the print industry since leaving school which is scarily over 20 years ago! Three years ago he broke free and went at it alone and that is when Nicemonkey.co.uk was born. Although he specialises in microstock Illustrations he also freelances and produces stock video.

Check out Michael's portfolio at Nicemonkey and Zymmetrical