Windows Market Logo

How would you draw the Market Place Logo in Illustrator

1. Draw out your square holding down Shift to constrain, no fill colour but line colour.
2. Next step there’re many ways to do it and it will depend on what version you’re using. I will describe using CS2 as this method will suit all users as we want to make duplications of the square along the horizontal, With the square selected hold down “Ctrl+Alt” and drag out leaving a gap between first and copy and repeat this process as many times as required. You can use the Blend Tool for this but I find using the Alt key just a quick. Now we want to get the spacing exactly right so use the “Align Palette”. In the top right corner of the palette click on the very small black triangle and select show options to show “Horizontal Distribute Space” and with all blocks selected click on that.
3. Group all horizontal squares, Ctrl+G. With squares still selected hold down Ctrl+Alt and drag down leaving a gap between each line of squares and do this twice to get the 3 rows that Rik as shown. Use the Align palette again but this time click on “Vertically Distribute Space”.
4. Select all of the squares and ungroup them by using “Shift+Ctrl+U”. Any missing squares in Rik’s drawing should now be deleted until you get the pattern right.
5. Now the slow bit of colouring the squares. In your top menu under “Windows” scroll down to “Swatch Libraries” and select “Tints” and use the lib. As your swatch to pick the colours to use. It nearly means starting from the left of your lines of square and picking the colours from the bottom up to fill.
6. Time to take the line colour off from all of the squares. Then group them and the drag the group onto the Symbols Palette.
7. Draw an elliptical shape longer in the X axis than in the Y axis. This is the mistake that I made as I just drew a circle. Now with this shape selected select the “Direct Selection Tool” use A for shortcut and marquee with left-hand anchor point and press delete. This will give you a half ellipse. Give it any colour fill with no line colour.
8. With the Ellipse still selected go up to the Effects menu, down to 3D, then out and down to “Revolve”. This open a new window, click on preview, then Map Art, a new window opens, on the top line you will see Symbols, scroll down till you see the squares and select that symbol (should be at the very bottom).
9. The next bit is up to you and you will need to experiment here. I had to reduce the size of the symbol and rotate it slightly. As you do this you should see your mapping change. Should add here that you should check the “Invisible Geometry” box and you can do the same to the to “Shade Artwork”. Once you’re happy with it click OK. You then might twist and rotate the Cube on your Effects menu till you have the right shape and orientation of your squares.
10. Add in the extra squares which are shown on the R/hand side of the ribbon of squares using the Pen Tool here.

Sorry I took so long answering Rik’s request here but the garden called for serious work with weeding and hedge trimming just to keep my wife happy.

Looks pretty good Peter, but I think Rik nailed it.

Cheers for the tutorial Peter. I don't have Illy so I couldn't follow the "... the Effects menu, down to 3D, then out and down to “Revolve”." However I found your explanation perfect.

Very Long explanations,but worth!Sounds good!