Going round in circles

This illustrative style has been used throughout history, from Inca stonework, through Spanish pottery and to today's digital technology. The results of these circle patterns look complex, but the Photoshop and Illustrator methods used are not. Follow this tutorial and you'll soon realise how amazingly easy it is to produce stunning circular illustrations.

Like most things worth doing, it will take a little time to complete your composition, but the use of this illustrative style is infinitely flexible. It can be used to adorn anything from flyers to annual reports, and some artists now sell this style of art for very lucrative fees.

You will, however, need quite a powerful set-up, because you'll be pushing both Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to the limit. Your computer will scream for more RAM, but just be patient - it will all happen in the end, and cursing the irritating slow motion of the blue bars only adds to the frustration! Stepping away from your computer and having a nice brew usually calms the situation - a Jaffa Cake can ease the pain even more!

So, prepare to go into Photoshop heaven. Every illustrator and designer loves a good play with .psd files and the following tutorial steps can provide hours of enjoyment with the promise of an amazing glowing light at the end of the tunnel.

Click here to download the support files (3.4MB)

Click here to download the tutorial for free