3D/Extruded Rounded Square

[toolman123]

Hi there,

I am trying to create a 3D rounded cornered square that looks like a keyboard button.

I have tried creating a rounded square, duplicating it, layering it under the first square and then drawing the corners to connect the two like this:

However, I'm not sure if it looks right.

Should the corners have a straight join from the top of the square and then going into a rounded part. Not sure how to explain that, but something like this:

(Obviously this is just rough and not merged with the underneath layer etc)

Can anyone recommend a way of creating such a button? I have also tried the 3D extrude option in Illustrator, but need the button to be solid colour/shapes.

Also, just out of interest, should the button have a straight edge or is the first image with the rounded corners correct?

Thanks!

[Monika Gause]

Should this have a perspective or isometric?

Keyboard caps can look quite differently. Some have straight edges, some don't, some are like a flat pyramid, some are just extended. So maybe you decide that first?

You can still use the classic 3D effect. Use no lighting and then expand the appearance. Afterwards you can apply coloring or unite the shapes-.

[toolman123]

Thanks for the reply.

There will be no perspective - just face on with a bit of depth. I just wasn't sure how to get the straight/round edges via best practice, or if I should just go with hand drawing the edges. I also wasn't sure which "looked correct" as if I have straight edges, it sometimes didn't look right as in if I start the line right at the top of the top left curve or if it should be a little bit down the curve if that makes sense.

[Monika Gause]

The edge needs to be round at the top and the bottom. And because you cannot find the tangent points with Illustrator native functionality, you could first rotate the squares and the draw it using Smart guides:

I would first build all the parts using simple shapes and then use Live Paint for the construction

https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/live-paint-groups.html

[toolman123]

Many thanks for the reply.

That looks like how it should, so thanks for confirming how it should be 🙂

I will give it a go and see how I get on 🙂

[Jacob Bugge]

toolman,

Using rotation and Live Paint as suggested by Monika can be an easy native solution, if you know the angle (such as 45 degrees), or the basis of one depending on the actual case/your wishes.

You can avoid relying on establishing the outermost points within the corners by eye if you create longer vertical lines and then align them horizontally with the rounded rectangles.

If you do not know the angle, you can establish it with the Line Segment Tool by snapping to corresponding corners, and transfer it to the rotation Tool.

And then there is the free Common Tangents script in this free set of scripts by 佐藤浩之 (Satō Hiroyuki),

https://shanfan.github.io/Illustrator-Scripts-Archive/

[toolman123]

I've just created a box with CSS with a border-radius and box shadow and it comes out like this:

[Jacob Bugge]

toolman,

The CSS way shown actually gives the same as your very first top left image: just two rounded rectangles.

[toolman123]

It does, it was just for reference. It looks like the bottom one starts more inwards rather than having a staight line.

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

So here's the process with Live Paint.

Smart Guides can be turned on in the View menu

You might needt to go into the Preferences > Smart guides and turn on all the options.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZDcgBCN-XeM?feature=share 

[toolman123]

@Monika Gause Many thanks! I've now managed to create the square 🙂

[Monika Gause]

Glad you could solve it.