How to Create Symbols for Mapping Artwork to 3D Objects in Adobe Illustrator

There are different techniques for creating three-dimensional renderings of art work in Illustrator. This is particularly useful for packaging and environmental designers. In this tutorial, the Extrude & Bevel effect will be used.

While mapping art to the Bevel & Extrude effect is possible in previous versions, the technique detailed here for creating the symbols is specific to Illustrator CC 2017.

1. Here's the packaging layout:
2. The first step is to divide the artwork into individual panels and turn each panel into a symbol. There are different ways to do this. One easy way is to create new artboards sized to the dimensions of each panel and then export them. Select the Artboard Tool [ ]. Create a new artboard anywhere on the pasteboard outside the current artboard, then go to the Options Bar and set the Width and Height to the dimensions of a panel.
3. Position the artboard over the first panel in the layout.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you have six new artboards for the front, back, left, right, top and bottom panels. You may want to name your artboards as you create them, which can also be done in the Options Bar.
5. In the Layers Panel, turn off the visibility any non-art layers, such as dielines.
6. Go to File > Export > Export As.
7. In the dialog box, set Save as Type to JPEG. Check Use Artboards, then set the Range to2-7. Click Export.
8. In the next dialog box, set the Color Model to CMYK, the Quality to 10 (Maximum) and the Resolution to High (300 ppi).
9. Create a new document (File > New).
10. Go to File > Place. Select the six panel images and make sure none of the options are checked, then click Place.
11. Click to place each of the six images.
12. Now it's time to turn the images into symbols. Open the Symbols Panel (Window > Symbols) and click the menu to choose Select All Unused.
13. With the default symbols selected click the Delete button.
14. Drag each of the panel images into the Symbols Panel, naming them appropriately in the dialog box that opens.
15. Once all of the panel images have been turned into symbols, the images can be deleted from the artboard.
16. Select the Rectangle Tool and create a rectangle the same size as the front panel. Set the Fill to white and Stroke to none.
17. With the rectangle selected, open the Appearance Panel. Click the fx button and go to 3D > Extrude & Bevel.
18. Set the X, Y and Z Axes to the desired angles, then set the Extrude Depth to the width of the side panel. (Tip: You can enter the dimension in inches, just be sure to type the " at the end.) Check Preview to see it take effect in the art.
19. Uncheck Preview, then click Map Art. The Map Art dialog box maps symbols to surfaces.
20. Select the top symbol from the Symbol menu and turn on Preview.
21. Change the Surface to 2 of 6 and select the bottom symbol from the Symbol menu.
22. Change the Surface to 3 of 6 and select the right symbol from the Symbol. The previewed art will be upside-down. Hover outside one of the corners of the displayed symbol in the dialog box so that the cursor changes to the rotate icon. Click and drag to rotate the symbol. Holding down the Shift key will constrain the rotation to 22.5° angles.
23. Continue mapping the other three surfaces to the corresponding symbols, even the surfaces that won't be visible. Rotate symbols as needed.
24. Once the surfaces have been mapped, lighting effects can be added by turning on Shade Artwork.
25. Click OK to close the Map Art dialog box, then click OK again to finalize the 3D effect.