In this tutorial we will learn how to create a hand grenade with the help of 3D modeling. This tutorial contains plenty of useful tips and description of manual techniques. Let's get started!
Let's start with creating a 3D model of a grenade. Take the Pen Tool (P) and create a half of a grenade shape.
Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create four circles of identical diameter and place them as shown in the figure below. The centers of the circles lie on the curvilinear outline of the hand grenade.
Select all the created elements (Command + A) and click on the Minus Front button from the Pathfinder palette.
Select the obtained shape and go to Effect > 3D > Revolve, and set the parameters in the dialog box as shown below.
We are creating a fragmentation grenade, so we need to divide its body into sections. Take the Rectangle Tool (M) and create a rectangle.
Keep the rectangle selected, go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform..., set the amount of horizontal displacement and number of copies in order to achieve the result shown in the figure below.
Drag the achieved result to the Symbols palette and save a new symbol.
In order to get access to the editing of the 3D model, open the Appearance palette and click on the function of the effect.
Hit the Map Art button in the open dialog window....
Choose Surface 3 and apply the created symbol to it.
Now click on the Scale to Fit button in the Map Art dialog box. Do the same actions with Surfaces numbers: 5, 7, and 11.
3D modeling is completed at this step, it is time for the manual work.
Let's proceed to the hand-tracing of the grenade model. Lock the under layer with the 3D model in the Layers palette, we will use it as a template. Use the following tools in this artwork: the Pen Tool (P) and the Ellipse Tool (L). It is convenient to set 50% Opacity for the newly created objects.
Paint the created objects in different colors, it will help you not to get lost in the abundance of shapes.
Use the Pen Tool (P) to create the sections of the body of the grenade.
As a result of your work you should have something like that shown in the figure below (Opacity was restored back to 100%).
Now proceed to the creation of the shapes of notches on the body of the grenade. First, take a look at the technique of creating edge notches. Take the Pen Tool (P) and connect the corners of the sections of the grenade in neighboring rows. Turn on the Smart Guides mode (Command + U) in order to hit the anchor points right.
Extend the created lines by using the Pen Tool (P), so they could go beyond the green outline of the ellipse.
Perform the same actions on the other side of the grenade.
Select all the created lines and the ellipse, then hit the Divide button from the Pathfinder palette.
Remove all the elements of the ellipse, except for the right and left segments.
Using this technique, create all the lateral notches of the grenade.
Proceed to the creation of the central notch shapes. Take the Pen Tool (P) and create two lines, as shown in the figure below.
Lock one of them in the Layers palette, and cut the other one at the intersection of lines using the Scissors Tool (C).
Lock the received segments in the Layers palette, unlock the second line and cut it at the intersection too.
Thus, we have four segments that converge to a single point. Select the lower segments, and lock the upper ones in the Layers palette.
Now select the area of intersection of the segments with the Direct Selection Tool (A), and go to Object > Path > Join (Command + J).
Lock the obtained angle in the Layers palette. Unlock the upper segments and also unite them together at the intersection.
Now take the Pen Tool (P) and close the outline of the upper notch as shown in the figure below.
All the points for creation of a horizontal notch in the central part of the grenades have been created, so it does not take much effort to create its shape with the help of the Pen Tool (P).
So, using the above described techniques, create the other shapes of the grenade notches.
Proceed to the coloring of the grenade elements, moving from top to bottom. To begin with, set the direction of light, I chose a front-mounted light source. Fill the flat end of the grenade fuse with a linear gradient that goes from white to a light gray color.
To fill the cylindrical part of the fuse, apply a linear gradient consisting of rotating colors, white and various shades of gray.
Let's proceed to the coloring of the grenade body. Fill the upper flat end of the shell with a linear gradient that goes from dark green to green. At this step, you have to determine what shades of green color the grenade will be painted in. These colors will be applied to the gradients of the grenade body.
Continue coloring the body, keeping in mind the location of the light source.
The notches of the grenade body also cut through the upper plane of the body. You can create cuts with the help of ellipses and Minus Front command from the Pathfinder palette.
Continue filling the sections of the grenade using the same colors and gradients. Remember where the light source is coming from?
When coloring notches on the body, use the Gradient Tool (G) to place gradient lines, as shown below. The shape of the upper notches should be extended to the upper flat end of the body. The Pen Tool (P) and the Direct Selection Tool (A) will be very helpful in that.
So, using only linear gradients, color the notches on the grenade body.
Due to inaccurate installation of objects, there can be some gaps.
In order not to do painstaking and time-consuming work to remove these defects, I recommend you do it in a different way. Select all the components of the grenade shell, copy it and paste it back (Command + C, Command + B). Keep it selected, click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder palette and fill the obtained shape with dark green. Now gaps are not visible. This professional technique is used by plenty of designers.
Now let's create a strap on the upper part of the grenade shell. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create an ellipse, as shown below.
Take the Scissors Tool (C) and cut it in the extreme left and right anchor points, then remove the upper part of the ellipse.
Now take the Pen Tool (P) and close the path, as shown in the figure below.
Copy and paste in front the conical part of the shell (Command + C, Command + F). Select the created shape and the copy of the conical part of the grenade, then press the Intersect button from the Pathfinder palette.
Fill the achieved shape with a linear gradient made of red shades and place the under layer with this shape below the upper flat end of the body, moving it in the Layers palette.
The lateral parts of the notches will be visible in the gaps on the flat end of the shell, create them using the Pen Tool (P) and gradient fills.
Proceed to the creation of the elements of the stem. Using the Pen Tool (P), create the shape shown in the figure below. The Gradient fill of this shape is similar to the fill of the striker string. You can copy it using the Eyedropper Tool (I) and adjust it by moving the slider of the gradient.
Now create the lateral surface of this element. Copy and paste it in back (Command + C, Command + B), move it a little bit to the right and up, and edit the shape using the Direct Selection Tool (A). Fill it with the gradient containing the lighter shades of gray color.
Create holes in the striker string. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a black circle.
Duplicate this circle and paste it back, increase the size of the bottom circle by a few pixels and fill it with a solid light gray color.
Create two more holes using this technique.
Create a bracket to hang the ring. Take the Pen Tool (P) and create a straight line, as shown in the figure below.
Keep the line selected, go to Object > Expand and fill the resulting shape with a linear gradient.
Create the flat end of the bracket. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create an ellipse, rotate it as shown below and fill it with a linear gradient.
Start creating the ring. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a circle without a fill, pick an approximate stroke width in the Stroke palette.
Keep the ring selected, go to Object > Expand and fill the shape with radial gradient as shown below.
Copy the ring and paste it back. Cut out and remove the part of the ring, using the Scissors Tool (C), and unite the cuts with the Pen Tool (P).
Create a shadow from the ring. Group up all the elements of the ring, copy and paste them back, now move the copy a little bit down. Keep the copy selected, click on the Unite button from the Pathfinder palette.
Remove unnecessary items of the shadow, using the Scissors Tool (C), and unite the cuts with the Pen Tool (P). Fill the shape with a neutral gray.
Set the Multiply Blending Mode for this shape in the Transparency palette.
The technique for creating the lever is common to the ones used to create the other elements of the fuse, the figures below show the steps for its creation.
Create the shadow from the grenade. Take the Ellipse Tool (L) and create two ellipses. Fill the smaller one with a dark green color and fill the bigger one with a light green.
Set 0% Opacity for the light green ellipse in the Transparency palette.
Select both ellipses, and go to Object > Blend > Make.
The grenade is ready. Now transform it into an antiwar symbol. Draw "XOXO" on it. Create the Art Brush. Take the Pen Tool (P) and create a horizontal line of gray color.
Keep the line selected, go to Object > Expand. Now go to Effect > Pixelate > Mezzotint... and choose the Medium dots option in the dialogue window.
With it still selected, go to Object > Expand Appearance and then Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options... Set the values shown in the figure below and click on the Trace button.
Keep the tracing object selected, go to Object > Expand. Replace the fill of vector objects with a white color and move the group to the Brushes palette. Save the new brush as an Art Brush.
Take the Paint Brush Tool (B) and let’s play Tic Tac Toe. Thanks to 3D modeling, you can create very complex objects. It only requires a little imagination and ingenuity.