Document Setup
Step 1
Hit Control-N to create a new document. Select Pixels from the Units drop-down menu, set the width to 850 px and the height to 600, and then click that More Settings button. Make sure that the Resolution is set to 300 ppi and the Color Mode to RGB, and then click that Create button.
Step 2
First let’s create the background which all of the methods will use.
Start by selecting the Rectangle Tool (M) from your Toolbar and focus on the color settings. Remove the stroke color and set the fill color to R=79 G=79 B=79.
Click on your artboard to create an 870 x 620 px shape and then focus on the control panel. Make sure that the alignment is set to Artboard and then click the Horizontal Align Center and Vertical Align Center buttons to easily center your shape.
Step 3
Make sure that your rectangle stays selected and focus on the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance) to add a second fill using the Add New Fill button.
Select it and move to the Gradient panel (Window > Gradient), click that Radial Gradient button to replace the flat color with a radial gradient, and then focus on the color sliders.
Select the left one and lower the Opacity to 0%, and then double-click it and replace the color with R=79 G=79 B=79. Move to the other slider, double-click it, and replace the color with R=24 G=24 B=24.
Once you’re done, switch to the Gradient Tool (G) and use it to stretch your radial gradient as shown in the following image.
Step 4
Make sure that your rectangle is still selected, keep focusing on the Appearance panel, and add a third fill using that same Add New Fill button.
Select this new fill, set the color to black (R=0 G=0 B=0), lower its Opacity to 30% and change the Blending Mode to Multiply, and then go to Effect > Artistic > Film Grain. Set the Grain to 20, the Highlight Area to 0, and the Intensity to 10, and then click OK to apply the effect.
1. How to Create a Gold Effect Using a Gold Gradient (Method 1)
Step 1
We’ll start with the easiest method that you can use to create a gold effect in Illustrator, a simple gold gradient.
Pick the Type Tool (T) and open the Character panel (Window > Type > Character).
Select the Robinson Regular font, set the size to 390 px and the tracking to 50, and then simply click on your artboard to type in “GOLDEN”.
Step 2
Make sure that your text remains selected as we move on. Focus on the Swatches panel (Window > Swatches), and click the [None] swatch to get rid of the existing text color.
Move to the Appearance panel and click the Add New Fill button to add a new fill for your text. Select it and click the Linear Gradient button from the Gradient panel.
Keep the Angle set to 90 degrees and then focus on the gradient sliders to create your own gold gradient in Illustrator. First of all, double-click the left slider and set the color to R=206 G=151 B=40 and then double-click the right one and replace the color with R=242 G=185 B=58.
Now, click on the gradient bar to add a third gradient slider, select it and set the Location to 15%, and then double-click it to set the metallic gold color code to R=134 G=91 B=17.
Repeat the same technique to add five more gradient sliders, and select them one by one:
- For the first one, set the Location to 30% and the color to R=231 G=184 B=70.
- For the second one, set the Location to 40% and the color to R=255 G=236 B=122.
- For the third one, set the Location to 55% and the color to R=231 G=184 B=70.
- For the fourth one, set the Location to 70% and the color to R=206 G=151 B=40.
- For the fifth one, set the Location to 85% and the color to R=255 G=225 B=115.
Feel free to adjust these colors to get your preferred golden effect in Illustrator.
Once you’re done, simply click the New Swatch button from the Swatches panel to easily save your gold gradient Illustrator swatch.
2. How to Create a Gold Effect Using the Appearance Panel (Method 2)
Step 1
Now that you’ve got your metallic gold gradient, let’s stylize and texturize the text to give it a more realistic look.
Keep your text selected as we move on. Focus on the Appearance panel and add a second fill. Select it, set the color to R=35 G=31 B=32, lower its Opacity to 40% and change the Blending Mode to Soft Light, and then go to Effect > Distort > Diffuse Glow. Set those sliders to 7, 20, and 15, and then click OK.
Make sure that your new fill is still selected, and this time go to Effect > Stylize > Glowing Edges. Set the values to 2, 10, and 5, and then click OK to apply the gold effect.
Step 2
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, select the stroke, and apply your saved gold gradient from the Swatches panel. Take a quick look at the Gradient panel and make sure that the Angle is set to 0 degrees.
Click that “Stroke” text to open the Stroke fly-out panel, increase the Weight to 6 pt, and don’t forget to check the Round Join button. Then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -3 px and click OK to apply the effect, and then return to the Appearance panel to lower the Opacity of your stroke to 25% and change its Blending Mode to Overlay.
Step 3
Let’s continue and add some subtle glowing edges to this gold gradient. Keep focusing on the Appearance panel and add a second stroke for your text using the Add New Stroke button. Set the Weight to 2 pt and don’t forget to check the Round Join button.
Select this new stroke and focus on the Gradient panel to apply a linear gradient using that Linear Gradient button. Make it a simpler gradient with four white color stops. Select the second one, set the Location to 40% and the Opacity to 0%, select the third one and set the Location to 70%, and then select the final one and just lower its Opacity to 0%.
Lower the Opacity of this new stroke to 25% and change its Blending Mode to Overlay, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -1 px and click OK.
Step 4
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel and add one more stroke. Set the Weight to 1 pt and don’t forget to check the Round Join button.
Select it and apply a linear gold gradient. Make it a white to white gradient, select the left slider and lower its Opacity to 0%, and make sure that the Angle is set to 90 degrees.
Lower the Opacity of this new stroke to 75% and change its Blending Mode to Overlay, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -0.5 px and click OK.
Step 5
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, select the bottom fill, and go to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow.
Change the Blending Mode to Soft Light, lower the Opacity to 20%, set the Offset values to 0 and 5, bring the Blur to 0, replace the color with R=23 G=22 B=22, click OK to apply this effect, and then go again to Effect > Stylize > Drop Shadow. This time, increase the Opacity to 70% and the Blur to 7 px, and then click OK to apply this second effect.
Return to the Appearance panel and click that “Type” section from the top of the panel to make sure that the effect you’re about to add will be applied to all of the golden text. Go to Effect > Stylize > Rounded Corners, set the Radius to 2 px, and click OK.
3. How to Create a 3D Gold Effect in Illustrator (Method 3)
Step 1
Now that you’ve stylized your metallic gold texture, let’s see how you can turn it into a 3D golden effect in Illustrator.
Make sure that you have the golden text selected. Select the bottom fill from the Appearance panel and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Transform. Lower both Scale values to 99.8%, enter 20 Copies, and click OK to apply the effect. Return to the Appearance panel to select the second fill, and simply apply the same Transform effect. This can be easily done by going to Effect > Apply Transform or by pressing the Shift-Control-E keyboard shortcut.
Step 2
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, add a new fill, and drag it between the existing ones.
Fill it with the linear gradient shown in the following image, change the Blending Mode to Soft Light, and then apply that same Transform effect (Shift-Control-E).
Step 3
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel and add a new fill for your text. Drag it on top of the one that was added in the previous step, and simply apply your saved golden gradient from the Swatches panel.
Step 4
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, add a new stroke for your text, and drag it to the top of the panel.
Select it and set the color to R=254 G=230 B=103, and then open the Stroke fly-out panel to set the Weight to 4 pt, check the Round Join button, and select Width Profile 2.
Lower the Opacity of this new stroke to 50% and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -2 px, click OK, and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 15 px and click OK.
Step 5
Keep focusing on the Appearance panel, make sure that your top stroke is still selected, and duplicate it using the Duplicate Selected Item.
Focus on this new stroke and start by decreasing the Weight to 2 pt. Lower the Opacity to 25% and change the Blending Mode to Overlay, and then focus on the existing effects. First, select the Gaussian Blur effect and delete it, and then open the Offset Path effect, lower the Offset to -1 px, and click OK.
How to Add Flares and Sparkles to a Gold Effect in Illustrator
Step 1
For the final touches, let’s see how you can add some flares and sparkles to your Illustrator gold text.
Pick the Ellipse Tool (L) from your toolbar and simply click on your artboard to create a 90 x 7 px shape. Fill it with the linear gradient shown below and then go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 7 px and click OK.
Switch to the Anchor Point Tool (Shift-C) and simply click the left and right anchor points to turn them into sharp points.
Step 2
Reselect the Ellipse Tool (L), and use it to create a 30 x 3 px shape. Fill it with the linear gradient shown below and apply the same 7 px Gaussian Blur effect.
Step 3
Continue to use the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a 50 x 1 px shape. Fill it with the linear gradient shown below and change its Blending Mode to Soft Light.
Step 4
Using the same tool, create a 40 x 11 px shape and fill it with the linear gradient shown below.
Focus on the Appearance panel to select the fill, lower its Opacity to 50% and change the Blending Mode to Overlay, and then apply the same 7 px Gaussian Blur effect.
Duplicate this fill, focus on the copy, and just remove the existing Gaussian Blur effect. When you’re done, select the entire path and go to Effect > Distort & Transform > Pucker & Bloat. Drag the slider to -90% and click OK.
Step 5
Using the Ellipse Tool (L), create a 10 x 7 px shape. Fill it with white (R=255 G=255 B=255), lower its Opacity to 75% and change the Blending Mode to Soft Light, and then press Shift-Control-E to apply that same Pucker & Bloat effect.
Step 6
Select all the shapes made in the last five steps and focus on the control panel. Set the Alignment to Selection and click the Horizontal Align Center and Vertical Align Center buttons to easily center all your shapes. Press Control-G to Group your selected shapes.
Step 7
Multiply your group (Control-C > Control-F) and spread the copies as shown in the following images.
Step 8
For the flare effect, let’s reselect the Ellipse Tool (L) and create a 500 x 20 px shape. Fill it with the linear gradient shown below, focus on the Appearance panel to select the fill, and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 60 px and click OK.
Step 9
Add a second fill for your flare shape and select it from the Appearance panel.
Apply the linear gradient shown below and change the Blending Mode to Overlay, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -5 px, click OK, and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 15 px and click OK.
Step 10
Add a third fill for your flare shape and select it from the Appearance panel.
Apply the linear gradient shown below, change the Blending Mode to Overlay and lower the Opacity to 50%, and then go to Effect > Path > Offset Path. Set the Offset to -8 px, click OK, and go to Effect > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 5 px and click OK.
4. How to Create a Gold Effect Using a Gold Style in Illustrator (Method 4)
Step 1
Now that you have your golden effect in Illustrator, you can save it as a graphic style to easily apply a gold effect to other elements from your designs.
Make sure that your text is selected, and simply click the New Graphic Style button from the Graphic Styles panel (Window > Graphic Styles) to quickly save the Appearance attributes as a graphic style.
Once it’s saved, you’re just a click away from applying your golden effect to other objects. We’ll use this Hexagon Rhombus Logo from Envato Elements to exemplify the magic of graphic styles. All you have to do is select the object that you wish to adjust and click your graphic style from the Graphic Styles panel.
In some cases, you might have to make some small adjustments to make the effect work on your objects. For this logo, I decided to disable the Rounded Corners effect from the Appearance panel.
Step 2
Speaking of graphic styles, you can always use different styles that someone else created for you. Looking through the Add-Ons section from Envato Elements, you will find plenty of metallic gold gradients and metallic gold texture options.
This Metallic Styles for Illustrator pack is a pretty good example. Just download it and open the Illustrator document or add the list of graphic styles to your current document by opening the fly-out menu from the Graphic Styles panel. Go to Open Graphic Style Library > Other Library and select your downloaded document.
Again, with just a click you can apply any of these amazing gold effect styles.
