Fancy stars aren't just for Christmas! Learn all about blending options in this short but sweet tutorial, and try out some different shapes to get some cool variations on the same theme.

Step 1:  Create a new document - it doesn't matter what size, because you can resize vector graphics to any size you want without losing quality. Then, using the Star Tool, draw a star shape using any shade of red.

Step 2:  Select the star shape, press CTRL+C on the keyboard to make a copy of the star, and then press CTRL+F to paste the copy on top of the original star. Give the new star a yellow color, and press CTRL+T to start a free transform of the new star. With the transform handles still active, hold SHIFT+ALT (SHIFT+OPT on the mac) while dragging one of the corner handles inwards to reshape your second star about 10% the size of the original star.

Step 3:  Select both stars, and choose Object > Blend > Blend Options from the main menu. Enter the following settings into the dialog box that pops up:

Step 4:  Press OK and enjoy!   As you can see, the blending function is quite simple, and can be varied by alignment and number of steps. Be sure to try this technique with different shapes to get some interesting variations on the same funky theme!

- Tutorial written by Slick Illustrator

Automatic Translations: