How to create a 3D stained glass effect in Illustrator

I came up with this technique while designing a glass art logo. The results were pretty nice so I thought I’d share. This is written in Adobe Illustrator CS3 but it should be fairly simple to implement in other programs.

  1. First, create the basic shape using the pen tool:
    Basic vector shape
  2. Next, slice it into chunks using the knife tool:
    Knife tool
  3. Third, select the chunks with the direct selection tool and color them separately:
    Sliced pieces
  4. Now select the whole and change the transparency to “Overlay.” Use the direct selection tool to select the edges of the sliced pieces and “stretch” them to create the color overlap.
    Vase with pieces overlapped
  5. Give the whole piece a Diffuse Glow. I’ve included a screenshot with the settings I used.
    Settings for the diffuse glow effect.
  6. Copy the object and apply a white to black radial gradient:
    Gradient settings
  7. The gradient is being used to create highlights where the light is shining. Finally, after it’s set, align it over the original shape and reduce the transparency. I used 6%. The gradient applied to the shape.
  8. And you’re finished! You should have something resembling the pic below:

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