How to Draw a Set of Various Polypropylene and Plastic Packages in Adobe Illustrator

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Mesh Tool and Blend in Adobe Illustrator to create a set of plastic packaging!

If you’d like to skip the tutorial and just use this vector in your work, you can go ahead and purchase the Big Set Of Polypropylene Plastic Packaging from GraphicRiver!

1. How to Draw the Polypropylene Tray

Step 1

Draw a rectangle with rounded edges and fill it with #D5D6D7.

Step 2

Take the Mesh Tool (U) and create a Mesh grid inside the object.

Then color the nodes just like in the screenshot below. You will need these colors:

1. #E6E6E6
2. #F6F6F6
3. #E8E9EA
4. #C9C9C9

Step 3

Add another rounded rectangle, color it with #E8E8E8, and then set it to Screen and 40% Opacity.

Step 4

Draw another rounded rectangle, and then make its Stroke a Linear Gradient from #CECECE to #FFFFFF. Select the result and go to Object > Expand to expand the stroke.

Step 5

Construct the tray.

Step 6

Draw a triangular element with Mesh (#050505 and #FFFFFF), and then set it to Screen with 60% Opacity.

Step 7

Add a few variations of the element by changing its size or opacity.

Step 8

Similarly draw one final element. Set it to Screen and 60% Opacity.

Step 9

Assemble the elements as shown below, and then add a Clipping Mask in the size of the tray.

Place the elements over the top of the tray to simulate a clear foil. Check your Transparency settings if the result doesn’t look like the one below!

Step 10

Begin drawing a Blend shadow. Create two objects, one filled with #777777 and another one with #9D9D9D, and place them together as shown below.

Step 11

Make the bigger object completely transparent, and then go to Object > Blend > Blend Options. Set it to Specified Steps, 30.

Step 12

Select both objects and go to Object > Blend > Make.

Set the result to Multiply with 70% Opacity.

Step 13

Place the shadow under the tray.

2. How to Draw the Plastic Packets

Step 1

Begin by drawing one of the packets with Mesh!

Create a #E9E9E9 rectangle, and then, using the Mesh Tool (U), add #A3A3A3 stripes along the top and bottom edges of the rectangle (add Mesh rows very close to each other, alternating the color to create stripes).

Shape the rectangle into a packet with the same tool (manual dragging of nodes), and color the nodes indicated below with #CECECE. Finally, add some #FFFFFF nodes.

Step 2

Finish coloring the packet by following the step in the screenshot below.

You will need these colors:

1. #A7A7A7
2. #BEBEBE
3. #DDDCDC

Step 3

Create a smaller version of the packet by scaling a copy of it.

Step 4

Begin drawing another plastic packet with Mesh.

1. #E1E1E1
2. #FCFCFC
3. #F4F4F4
4. #FFFFFF

Step 5

Finish the packet, and set it to 60% Opacity.

1. #CFCED0
2. #F2F2F2

Step 6

Draw the seal for the packet.

1. #74D7E5
2. #88DFE9
3. #37888F

Step 7

Create a Blend shadow for the seal with #828282 and #E3E3E3 objects.

Consult Part 1, Steps 10-12 for the process.

Step 8

Add the same shadow to a #E3E3E3 strip.

Step 9

Draw a red strip with Mesh. Add a shadow to it.

1. #FF4D6B
2. #FFABB9
3. #661024

Step 10

Finish two packets using the seals.

3. How to Draw the Sacks

Step 1

Begin drawing the first sack with Mesh.

1. #E9E9E9
2. #A3A3A3
3. #EDEDED
4. #B3B5B4
5. #F9F9F9

Step 2

Draw the top.

1. #D9D9DA
2. #F5F5F6
3. #CCCDC
4. #F6F6F6

Step 3

1. #CCCDCD
2. #F6F6F6
3. #CCCCCC

Step 4

1. #DCDDDF
2. #F6F6F6
3. #C9C9C9

Step 5

Assemble the top of the sack.

Step 6

Draw the tie.

1. #00C9E8
2. #0482A9
3. #00ADCD
4. #00B8D8

Step 7

Draw a Blend shadow for the tie with #565656, #DCDDDF, and the same settings as before.

Step 8

Assemble the sack and set it to 80% Opacity.

Step 9

Create a copy of the lower part of the sack and start bending it with Effect > Warp > Arc Lower, using 80% Bend. Go to Object > Expand Appearance to expand the result.

Step 10

Continue bending with Effect > Warp > Inflate, using -14% Bend and -24% Horizontal Distortion. Expand Appearance.

Step 11

Create a copy of the top of the sack and bend it with Effect > Warp > Arc and 17% Bend.

Expand Appearance.

Step 12

Finally, take a copy of the blue tie and recolor it with Edit > Edit Colors > Adjust Colors.

• Red: 75%
• Green: -60%
• Blue: -63%

Step 13

Assemble the second sack.

4. How to Draw the Plastic Cup

Step 1

Begin drawing the main part of the cup with Mesh. Set it to 70% Opacity.

1. #D0D0D0
2. #DBDBDB
3. #FFFFFF
4. #B1B1B1

Step 2

Begin drawing a part of the lid.

1. #CBCBCB
2. #E5E5E5

Step 3

Draw another part of the lid.

1. #CBCBCB
2. #B6B6B6
3. #F8F8F8

Step 4

Add the final part of the upper lid.

1. #CBCBCB
2. #E8E8E8
3. #B5B5B5
4. #F9F9F9

Step 5

Construct the upper part of the lid.

Step 6

Draw some more parts.

1. #D9D9D9
2. #BDBDBD
3. #FEFEFE
4. #F0F0F0
5. #C7C7C7

Step 7

1. #D9D9D9
2. #B6B6B6
3. #FFFFFF
4. #EEEEEE
5. #D2D2D2

Step 8

1. #CACACA
2. #DFDFDF
3. #D5D5D5

Step 9

1. #CBCBCB
2. #ABABAB

Step 10

Construct the whole lid.

Step 11

Add the lid to the cup.

5. How to Draw the Plastic Bottle

Step 1

Draw the main part with Mesh.

1. #CECECE
2. #989898
3. #DCDCDC
4. #F1F1F1
5. #C2C2C2
6. #CDCDCD

Step 2

Finish the main part.

1. #FFFFFF
2. #D2D2D2

Step 3

Add a #B2B2B2 strip.

Step 4

Begin drawing the lid.

1. #DDDEDE
2. #FFFFFF
3. #C0C0C0

Step 5

Draw another part.

1. #DDDEDE
2. #FDFDFD
3. #C1C1C1

Step 6

Make the third part out of a copy of part 2.

Step 7

Draw a #9B9B9B strip.

Step 8

Create a Blend from a #525151 strip to a #717071 strip, using Specified Steps, 9.

(Object > Blend > Blend Options into Object > Blend > Make)

Step 9

Create another Blend with #BBBBBB and #7C7C7C objects.

Step 10

Assemble the elements as shown, and set them to 60% Opacity.

Step 11

Assemble the lid of the bottle.

Step 12

Add the lid.

Step 13

The set is all done!

Step 14

You can add a checkered background to really showcase the transparency of the packages!

Awesome Work, You’re Now Done!

What now? You can try any of my other tutorials from my profile, or check out my portfolio on GraphicRiver, as well as the original vector we recreated in this tutorial.

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, and I would be super happy to see any results in the comments below!