Baking a Scene

Would you believe this cake was baked in Adobe Illustrator rather than a commercial oven?

​

This gradient mesh started as a school assignment and became a personal challenge to see how far I could go with it. The initial goal was to recreate a portion of a photograph as photorealistically as possible. Once I began, however, I simply couldn't stop. Each piece of the cake decoration is lovingly recreated, including each individual ball bearing. The solution of doing only two or three of them and duplicating them as closely as lighting would allow was offered. I did not take that offer, and I think the results of that choice speak for themselves. 

​

Original Photograph by Linda Marklund