How to Create a 3D round button in Adobe Illustrator

Step 1

We start with a New letter or A4 sized document in Adobe Illustrator, make sure to set it to RGB colors. The orientation of the page is not an issue for us so choose what works best for you.

Step 2

Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool, click anywhere on the page. In the dialogue box that opens fill in the values that appear in the image below.

Step 3

Next, bring up the Swatches panel (Window>Swatches). From the menu at the top left corner of the Swatches panel choose Select All Unused and delete them by clicking on the trash can icon at the bottom right-hand corner of the panel.

Step 4

After you got rid of the colors you did not need/want  click on the new color icon at the bottom of the Swatches panel.
In the dialogue box that opens fill in values to your liking (no White please), and make sure the Global option is checked. Finally, click OK to close the dialogue box, click on the shape and replace its fill color with the one you just made. Before you’re done, make sure that the shape has no stoke color selected.

Step 5

We next go to the Effect Menu and choose Document Raster Effect Settings. We do this as a set up for the creation of the beveled 3D  button. Use the settings that appear in the images below and click OK once done.

Step 6

We next use the Appearance Window and add a new Fill (you’ll find that option in the menu at the top right corner of the Appearance Window. Next select only the new fill (remember there are two now) and choose the color White for it.

We next go to the Effect Menu and choose Effect>Distort & Transform>Transform. In the dialogue box that opens enter the values at they appear in the image below.

Step 7

In the Effect menu still, choose Effect>Stylize>Feather and set the Feather value at 2mm. Now, set the transparency window to Screen blending mode with a 75% opacity.

Just to check yourself, your Appearance window should look like this:

Step 8

We’re almost there… next in the Appearance Window add a Black to White gradient. Use the values in the image below.

Make sure that only the shape that holds the new gradient is selected (the shape you created in step #8). Now again, choose Effect>Distort & Transform>Transform and fill in the values that appear in the image below:

Really, we’re almost there… choose Effect>Stylize>Feather and set the Feather value at 0.25 mm. With that change the settings in the Transparency window to Screen at 100%. Your Appearence window should look like this:

That’s it!! your done. Keep in mind that if you want to change the color of the button you just created, you need to de-select all itmes and chage the global color you set at the beginning of this tutorial. Enjoy! and if you like, please post a comment, we really like that!
Your final product should look something like this: