How to create translucent effect on a biology cell and nucleus in Illustrator?

[Chalmazers]

Hi all illustratorer (?),

I am very new to illustrator and have been learning by myself during my cell biology phd life, it always requires pretty illustration when it comes to presentation and stuff. I am wondering how to create this kind of fluidic feeling via illustrator, something similar to the banner here: https://www.philanthropy.cam.ac.uk/impact-of-giving/impact-stories/researchers-and-pharmaceutical-co...

I tried gradient mesh and stuffs it is just not as good as i want it to be, it is very 2D-ish flatten and lack of translucent feeling?

[Monika Gause]

First of all you will need to work in RGB color mode,because only then you can get colors to glow like that and blnd modes to produce this kind of effect.

But still it will be combination of different methods to achieve this. The example has most probably been made in some 3D application rather than Illustrator.

[Chalmazers]

Hi Monika.

Yes I assume they use some kind of 3D software to make this. I am just wondering how to get that kind of translucent effect in illustrator? It is almost like building a textured glass bead kind of thing?

[Monika Gause]

In Illustrator you will have to build every single glowing curve, while in 3D software you could apply material and lighting to get it.

You can achieve this kind of stuff in Illustrator, but it's a lot of work.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. Here is a small video tutorial which can give you a brief idea about creating a translucent effect in Illustrator: Light Effect, Pattern, Brush Vector| Adobe Illustrator Tutorial - YouTube.

Hope it helps!

Regards,

Srishti