Hello Monika,

thank you for your contribution!

Referring to your post, I did 2 things:

STEP_1: I increased the document’s resolution | Despite that, the fill do not really become sharp. That’s the point where I tried to save and restart Illustrator.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/79604662/2012-06-06_ILLUSTRATOR_GRADIENT-BUG_ 30.1.png

STEP_2: Restarting Illustrator | Once done, this is how the fill still looks like – it remains pixelized. The little caution-icon is still there. The pixels too.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/79604662/2012-06-06_ILLUSTRATOR_GRADIENT-BUG_ 30.2.png

The two little converging arrows and the small block (both of them magenta) show the space resulting of applying the bevel/classic function to the vector-path (red).

The-not-so-clear-thing-for-me | positioning: as I select the little icon on the left (the one supposed to make the bevel grow outside of the vector-path), why does the expansion not happen in a symetric-centered way? – …instead of being pushed to the right, as we can see here.

Thank you for any hints!

Hello Wade,

I went from 25 steps to 256, but did not really see any difference. Am I missing something?

What do you mean with mapping?

Thank you for your hints!

Hello Wade,

thanks a lot for this really great demo!

If I start working from a path instead of an editable font as you do, (for I only received the already-to-outlines-converted-version of the logotype) …do you think this would make a major difference in the behaviour of the bevel?

I’m just wondering why the bevel generates this swap, as, compared to using the font itself, I though a vector would be the much cleaner basis to start working from.

I made a test with starting also from an editable font as you do. Two major symptoms occur:

- no shade really appears

- it seem the shift appears as soon as I press-apply the bevel effect

For both cases above, I’m really able to find any explanation.

#1 / This screenshot shows the vectorized structure of the font – here, the bevel grows outside from the path, correct:

#3 / When it comes to apply the symbol, a new Shift appears. - ?? -

#5 / This is my lowcontrast-result. I took care of erasing the outlines in order to avoid interferences.

I believe there are some pre-settings producing this Shift, but I cannot find out where they are coming from:

Hello Monika,

a) 3D-effect: I’m wondering that Adobe publishes a not-working-tool.

The tool-behaviour is strange, as I’m not using any distortion, just a frontal perspective on a simple path. Is it a specific issue or reproduceable? I mean, does the rest of the world also get the same shift by that simple set?

I thought working with a simple path with no extra-border-widths would avoid artefacts – and this would be the safest way to get a precise result. Now, it’s shifting and there is no apparent reason for that. That makes me perplexed.

b) Offset the path + draw lines at the edges + fill with gradient: I agree. Now how would you proceed in order to get the 3D-shades-effect applied correctly on the  border? …Highlights coming from above, shades beneath, so it looks like the 3D-function.

Hello Monika,

This is done by offsetting a copy of the path underneath the original. Is that what you mean by “Drawing the gradient like the template”?

Using the real Extrude and Bevel functionality, produces an effect similar to the way light would behave on a real 3D-border. Which is quite more truthful and sophisticated than this try here above.

Especially on the S curves borders, they would look like that:

- horizontal sections showing to the light (upwards) would be highlighted.

- horizontal sections showing opposite to the light (downwards) would be shaded.

- vertical sections would be something inbetween and join the gap.

If I only apply a gradient on a flat surface beneath the main surface, like this is done in this screenshot here, this will produce quite a different result from the original – supposed we talk about serious design but remaining at the possibilities of Illustrator (not jumping over to Rhino or that kind real 3D applications).