08. Next, add in secondary elements such as buildings, trees, and an underground train using bright colours and subtle glows. Create everything starting from the objects that are closest to the background (walls, floors) to those that are closest to the foreground (desktop objects, people); this will keep the layer stacking order easier. Add details to the buildings and callouts to make everything more interesting and to encourage a Where’s Wally? effect.
09. The key to making 3D images pop is using three main tones for objects: a base colour (main colour of object), a light area (the side that is brightest and facing the light source) and a darker shadow area. This can be seen in objects such as the car and buildings. Further details like the drop shadows to the sides of the land also add more depth.
10. Convert repeating elements to Symbols to reduce the overall file size: here, we’d want to do this for the trees, girls in skirts and some office furniture. To create a symbol, select the objects then drag them into the Symbols panel. Then, drag and place each Symbol onto the artboard (the work area). A drop shadow was applied to the girls in skirts to give them depth and visibility.