Welcome to my whimsical world where aliens abduct cows! In this tutorial, I’ll take you through the hilarious journey of creating my artwork “Jamukha, Got Milk?” using Adobe Illustrator CS2. Buckle up, because we’re diving into the fun, funky world of vector art!
Alright, let me introduce you to Jamukha—the galaxy’s most confused alien! He got left behind by his mothership and, in a desperate bid to get back home (light years away, no less), he figured he’d need to beef up—literally! So, what’s his master plan? Abducting cows, of course! Why? Because he thinks chugging milk will give him super-strong bones. Forget the beef; he’s all about that calcium! Who knew that intergalactic travel came down to dairy choices? Watch out, Earth—Jamukha’s on a moo-ving mission!
This tutorial was published and printed in 2D Artist Magazine in 2008, and it was also featured on other websites like Evermotion.com. While it may be a bit dated, I believe it’s still relevant, especially for young artists just starting to explore Vexel Arts. Yes, you heard that right—this artwork is vector-based but designed to resemble pixel art, hence the name ‘Vexel!
If you feel challenged to create Jamukha, I’m providing a color-filled artwork. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Step 1: Trace the Outline
First things first, we need to get that outline down. Here’s the initial stage of my masterpiece:
Next, it’s time to fill in some color! This is where the magic starts to happen.
Part 1: Illustrating Jamukha
I’ve broken this tutorial into three delightful parts: Jamukha himself, the flying saucer, and the grand background.
Quick Tip: Before applying any effects, make a copy of your original drawing on separate layers. Trust me, it’s a lifesaver for those “Oops, I messed up!” moments.
Now, let’s remove that black outline (goodbye, boring) and focus on the eyes. I start with the eyes because they’re the windows to the soul! I use the Mesh tool (shortcut: press “u”) and add some white highlights to give them life.
Next, I applied a snazzy radial gradient from black to blue for the iris.
Then, it’s all about the pupil—because what’s an eye without one?
And finally, a little white circle for a specular highlight. Voila! Eyes are done, and they look fabulous!
For the eye bags (because hey, we all have them), I created a gradient from dark pink to light pink. Pro tip: you can save this gradient by dragging it to the swatch window!
Now, let’s flesh out the face and tummy! I prepared color palettes for highlights and shadows. Activate the gradient mesh with “u” and get to coloring those nodes!
I added a mesh on the eye mask for depth, giving Jamukha that extra flair!
Quick Tip: To layer shapes, use CTRL+X to cut, then CTRL+B to paste below or CTRL+F to paste above. Easy peasy!
Now, let’s make some warts! I created a circle shape with a delightful white-to-pink radial gradient.
I reshaped the circle and scattered them around like confetti. Drag those shapes to the swatch window to create a pattern!
From my preserved drawing, I copied the face and tummy and applied the new warts pattern. Setting the transparency to “Multiply” gives an awesome blending effect.
Creating a custom brush is a must! I made an elliptical shape with a black fill and dragged it into the Brushes window to create a “New Art Brush.”
Now, let’s adjust the brush settings to “Tints” so I can choose any color for the outline.
With my new brush, I drew lines on Jamukha’s face, creating a perfect thick-and-thin line combo!
I then drew a new shape under the mouth to separate the head from the tummy, adding a gradient fill with a dark pink transparency set to Color Burn.
Time to color the body! I used the same process as before but switched it up to a reddish-pink to achieve that wobbly, jelly-like look. Perfect for a space-traveling cow!
I also added a darker shade to his coiled tail for that extra flair!
Now, let’s soften those edges for a smooth finish.
Here’s how I created the vanishing edge for the warts pattern. I copied the shape of the base object, applied the warts pattern, and layered on a black-and-white gradient.
In the Transparency window, I clicked the arrow to reveal options and selected “Make Opacity Mask.” It’s like magic!
The result shows how the black side of the gradient is masked while the white shines through.
I combined the masked pattern with the base object for that delicious jelly effect—no more solid patterns!
For his black hand, I copied the original drawing, cut the hands, and applied a gradient color with transparency set to “Multiply.”
I used the same principle for the horn but changed the color for a cool subsurface scattering effect.
I also added gradient mesh to the spikes and shoulder pads.
And yes, even the bones got the gradient love!
The glass of milk? You guessed it—gradient mesh too!
Only the teeth are regular gradient—keeping it classic.
To finalize the effect, I added hard edge shadows. I set the color-filled object to multiply with 40% opacity for a soft shadow.
And last but definitely not least, I added a white shape for the milk mustache. Because really, who doesn’t love a good milk mustache? Got milk?
Part 2: Illustrating the Flying Saucer
Next, let’s tackle the flying saucer! I went for a metallic blue color using mesh gradient for that sleek look.
I followed the same process for the saucer bottom area, adding blue highlights to reflect beam light.
For the mid-section lights, I selected the light, held ALT+SHIFT, dragged, and released to create a copy array.
I drew five lines at the bottom and pressed “w” for the blend tool. Blending those lines creates a beautiful, seamless look!
I also added a saucer hood with a mesh gradient and highlighted the top area.
Next, I created 13 circular holes on the hood and used an envelope mesh to reshape them to fit perfectly.
For the jelly-like steering wheel, I used a mesh gradient, and the switchboard got a classic color gradient.
Referencing a fishbowl, I created the glass dome using mesh gradients to achieve that lovely glassy effect.
The antenna light was created using the blend tool and setting the transparency to “screen” with a white outer glow.
I then created a retractable cable arm, dragging it onto the Brushes Window to set it as a “New Pattern Brush.”
Finally, I applied the cable brush to the outline, completing the saucer’s look!
Preparing the Cow
Time to prep our star, Jamukha! I removed the outline and set up my color palette.
Using gradient mesh with my preset color palette, I made sure to place highlights and shades perfectly.
I created the light beams using the blend tool and added an outer glow for that celestial effect.
After creating additional outer beam shapes, I set the blend tool with 30 specified steps and added a blue gradient fill for that magical touch.
Part 3: Illustrating the Background
Now for the grand finale—the background! Instead of a blue night sky, I opted for hues of gray for a mystical effect.
I added some grassy ground using the wrinkle tool for that perfect distortion effect.
Next, I applied a black-to-white gradient and set the transparency to “Soft Light” at 50% opacity.
For the clouds, I color-picked the background color and applied a gradient mesh to keep everything cohesive.
The result? Subtle clouds blending beautifully into the sky!
To create the stars, I made a white circle, applied an outer glow effect, and renamed it “stars” for easy access.
Using the Symbol Spray tool, I sprinkled stars across the sky in random sizes.
And here’s the grand finish with the stars shining bright—our illustration is complete!
Here’s the final piece.
