How to create a an USB flash drive using illustrator

• July 17th, 2017
• Illustrator

USB flash drives, they are now everywhere, slowly replacing compact disks. In this tutorial, I will show you how to draw an USB flash drive in Illustrator. The end result looks great, along the way your also pick up some nifty illustrator techniques you can apply to your future design work.

Final Result

Step 1

Set up a new document in Illustrator, any size you like. Select the Pen Tool (P) and draw the top of the USB flash.

Fill with gradient: #f2f2f2 to #cccccc.

With pen tool draw the top of the side and fill with the same gradient.

Draw now the side and fill with gradient #f2f2f2 to #dddddd.

Create the front face and fill with gradient dark gray #333333 to black #000000.

Step 2: USB connector

With the pen tool try to draw the top of the connector.

Draw the side and fill with gradient #e6e6e6 to #adadad

Now Draw the front and fill with with black color of with gradient #4d4d4d to #000000.

Create some details of the USB connector and fill with #444444 color.

Draw the top and fill with gradient #303030 to #232323.

Create a metallic case around the the last path.

It already looks ok but we have to add some details to make it look even better.

With Pen Tool draw the same shape, stroke with #bbbbbb color and fill with linear gradient #e6e6e6 to #9b9b9b.

For the holes draw two rectangles with pen tool and fill with #333333.

Create two copies of that rectangles but fill them with gradient #b1b1b1 to transparent.

With the pen tool draw three shapes, those will the the top stroke of the body, and fill with gradient #c8c8c8 to #b5b5b5.

Step 3: Highlights and shadows

On the top of the USB flash draw a path as you see below and fill it with white.

Set the opacity to 20% for this shape.

For the highlights of the corners draw some lines and give them a white stroke.

Now apply Blur effect (Effect> Blur > Gaussian Blur). (In CS3 Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur) with radius 0.8px and press ok, after that reduce the opacity to 60%.

Apply the same effect to the rest of the corners.

For the shadows make a new layer and put it before current layer. With your pen tool draw a shadow path and fill with black color.

Now go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur with radius 7px and reduce the opacity to 40%.

Now if you want add some text or your logo.

Final Result