This new design style called Web 2.0 is becoming very popular these days, and it is actually very easy to do in Illustrator and only requires 3 simple steps. Hope this will help some new designers.


First create a rounded rectangle and fill it with either a linear gradient, or a solid fill.
(I used a gradient on this example)


Next create another rounded rectangle and place it above the first rectangle, apply a black to white gradient with the black above and white below. It should be about half the height and just a little bit smaller in width. Place it almost at the top of the first rectangle, but so there is a border aroung the top and sides.


Final step, while both rectangles are selected go to the transparency pallet, and click on "Make Opacity Mask".
Heres the finished product:


Experiment with different shapes and colors and you could come out with some pretty cool buttons.

Heres some examples of the same shape but with different colors: