6 Replies Latest reply: Oct 20, 2010 1:48 PM by Mike Gondek2 RSS

    Any way to fade a patterned object?

    horrordolle Community Member

      Hi,

       

      I have a question regarding objects that are filled with a pattern swatch. I want this object to gradually fade into the background color. I want it to go from 100% opacity to 0%. I have tried a number of methods to achieve this end. Creating an opacity mask did not work. I also tried to "break apart" the pattern by expanding it, with the intention of changing the opacity of each row of shapes manually. However, I was not able to change the opacity of the shapes afterward. So I guess I have two questions: 1) Is there any way to create a transparency gradient with a patterned object? And 2) Is there any way to break apart a pattern into simple vector shapes? (I created the pattern in Illustrator originally, so there is no reason I shouldn't be able to, right?)

        • 1. Re: Any way to fade a patterned object?
          Kurt Gold Community Member

          > "Creating an opacity mask did not work."

           

          What exactly did not work? What did you do in detail?

           

          > "I also tried to "break apart" the pattern by expanding it, with the  intention of changing the opacity of each row of shapes manually.  However, I was not able to change the opacity of the shapes afterward."

           

          How did you expand them. Describe in detail.

           

          Also, which version of Illustrator are you using?

          • 2. Re: Any way to fade a patterned object?
            horrordolle Community Member

            I made a gradient and put it on the patterned object, then selected both and hit "Create opacity mask" and it just converted the patterned shape to a solid color gradient-- the pattern disappeared.

             

            I undid everything, then I selected the patterned object and hit Object > Expand. After that I could select parts of the pattern with the white arrow but was not able to use the transparency controls.

             

            I am using CS5.

            • 3. Re: Any way to fade a patterned object?
              Doug Katz Community Member

              What Kurt is saying in his characteristically dignified Socratic way is that an opacity mask will work just fine. Unless we're both misunderstanding what you've described in your post, you probably meant to say that you couldn't get it to work, not that it doesn't work. So let's hear the specific steps you took to get it to not work. Or straighten us out on what you're trying to do. As it stands, we think you have an object, it's filled with a pattern that you applied by making a pattern swatch and then assigning it to your object, and now you want some portion of it to fade into whatever you have in the background.

              • 4. Re: Any way to fade a patterned object?
                Doug Katz Community Member

                This is why clarity and detail are important.

                 

                How did you "make a gradient"? Do you mean you created a second object and applied a gradient fill to it? If so, what's the shape of that second object? And what does it mean to "put it on the patterned object"?

                • 5. Re: Any way to fade a patterned object?
                  Mike Gondek2 Community Member

                  Try to create one from scratch to see if it works.

                   

                  Look in the appearance palette while  you have your pattern selected, incase you notice anything that does not belong there.

                   

                  Here is a screenshot incase you notice anything  different.

                  Picture 2.png

                  • 6. Re: Any way to fade a patterned object?
                    horrordolle Community Member

                    Nevermind, I got the opacity mask to work! I'm not sure what I was doing wrong the first time, since I thought I retraced my steps just now. Must have been something dumb/silly that was my fault. Thanks for your help!