create a flat-style bicycle in Adobe Illustrator using simple shapes. In Part 2, we will animate the bicycle.
![How to Animate a Flat Design Bicycle](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/bicycle.jpg)
Step 1: Set Up a New Document
- Width: 1920 px
- Height: 1080 px
![Setting up a New Document](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/artboard-01.jpg)
Step 2: Layer the Design
When importing files in After Effects we need to make sure our design is layered,otherwise we will end up with a flat image which we cannot animate. Every detail you want to add movement to later should be in a separate layer.
Let’s create layers for our bicycle. Name them! Name layers right away; you can also name them in AE.
![Layering our design](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/layers-e1439189030336.jpg)
Step 3: Create a Flat Design Bicycle
![Creating Flat Design Bicycle](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.1.jpg)
3.1 Start with the wheels. Create a circle 265×265 px, stroke – 20 pt, stroke color #676767. Fill the circle with green color #44B5A0. Create another small circle 24×24 px, stroke – 3pt, stroke color #676767, fill color a bit darker #575757, and align it to the center.
![Creating Flat Design](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.1_1.jpg)
Create another circle 181 x 181 px, align it to the center of wheel and using the stroke panel, click on round cup and round join (as shown in the picture).
![Circle](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.1_2.jpg)
Using the direct selection tool (A) delete the points shown.
![Circle](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.1_3.jpg)
Now create two circles. One – 267 x 267 px, color #D9D9D9, and one – 230×230 px. Put the smallest on in the middle and using the pathfinder panel; click on minus front, which will crop out the front circle, which is exactly what we need.
![Circle](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.1_4.jpg)
Put the cropped circle in the middle of the wheel.
![Wheel](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/wheel-1.jpg)
Group everything and put it in Wheel 1 layer.
3.2 For Wheel 2, create the same circle as first, but without the fill.
Copy the cropped circle from Wheel 1 and put it in the circle we just created.
![Circle 2](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.2.jpg)
Use the pen tool (P) to create a line from center to the top.
![Use Pen Tool](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.2_1.jpg)
Now with line selected, hold R+Alt and click on center of the circle. The rotate window will pop up.
![Rotate](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.2_2.jpg)
Fill in 45° and click Copy. Press Ctrl+D to make multiple copies.
![Expand](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.2_3.jpg)
Select the inside of the wheel and go to object – expand, check fill and stroke, click OK. With everything selected, use the pathfinder panel to unite.
![Unite](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.2_4.jpg)
Click on each corner of the triangles we created; click the little circles in the corners of the triangles and drag the mouse to create round corners. Do that to all of them. (I used 5px roundness.)
Finally create a 30 x 30 px circle and place it in the middle of Wheel 2. Group everything and place it in Wheel 2 layer.
![Wheel 2 layer](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/wheel-2.jpg)
3.3 Using the pen tool (P) draw a frame as shown. Color #90cec7
![Frame](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/frame.jpg)
Using the stroke panel make strokes rounded as before. Group everything as before and unite. Do the same as for the Wheel 2 triangles and make the corners round.
![Round corners frame](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/round-corners-frame.jpg)
Select the frame and put it into the frame layer.
3.4 To create a bicycle chair, create a rectangle 90 x 20 px, color #e0c968 and round the corners.
![Chair](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chair.jpg)
Hold the Alt key to duplicate the chair. Using the pen tool, create a shape ( #ceb755) like this:
![Down](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/3.4_2.jpg)
Use the pathfinder panel and click on intersect.
![Intersect](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/intersect.jpg)
Place the shape on the chair; this will be the shadow. Create a smaller rectangle under the chair. To create a light, create a small circle into chair shape, with stroke 3 pt and using the direct selection tool to delete unnecessary points.
Group everything and put it in the Chair layer.
![Chair fin](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/chair-fin.jpg)
3.5 For the handlebars, use the pen tool and the same color as for the frame, create a line holding the shift tool. Put it in the handlebars layer.
![Handlebar](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/handlebar.jpg)
3.6 Select the wire layer; use the pen tool to draw a stroke (2pt, #d3d2d2).
![Wire](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/wire.jpg)
Add small rectangle (#676767) where the wire begins.
3.7 To create the chain circuit layer, repeat the same steps as for Wheel 2, only make it around 90×90 px.
3.8 For Pedal 1 we will will make two parts to create animation for both shapes. Inpedal_01 layer use the pen tool to create a line 30 px long, with a round cup.
In pedal_02 layer use the pen tool create a shape like in picture below.
![Pedal](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/pedal-1.jpg)
3.9 Do the same for the pedal_03 layer.
You should have 10 layers.
And end result looking similar to this:
![Bike](http://designmodo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/bike.jpg)
Hope you did well and see you for the next tutorial!
- How to Animate a Flat Design Bicycle in After Effects (Part 2)
- How to Export an Animated GIF using Adobe Photoshop and After Effects (Part 3)