13 Replies Latest reply: Jan 23, 2011 7:46 AM by DocPixel-BMW RSS

    Gradient along a shape

    luckynorth Community Member

      Hi,

       

      i wanna apply a gradient along a path. I searched, but all solutions (gradient as a brush or stroke solutions) did not work for me. My shape is already finished and i wanna apply the gradient from the beginning to the end (the arrowhead) along that "line". How can i do that in AI CS5?

       

       

      Cheers from Germany

      Mario

       

      Screen shot 2011-01-18 at 11.55.17.png

        • 1. Re: Gradient along a shape
          Mylenium CommunityMVP

          i wanna apply a gradient along a path. I searched, but all solutions (gradient as a brush or stroke solutions) did not work for me.

           

          They will, once you adapt your thinking. You are too bound on applying the effect directly and that's why you hit the wall. Create the gradient as a brush stroke or blend, apply it to a suitable path, then use the arrow as a clipping path.

           

          Mylenium

          • 2. Re: Gradient along a shape
            luckynorth Community Member

            Hi Mylenium,

             

            thanks for your reply! I created already a brush with the gradient. But the brush works only for the stroke (like expected). I sit here since hours and i'm not moving just one little step ahead ... ;-(

             

             

            Screen shot 2011-01-18 at 18.28.56.png

            • 3. Re: Gradient along a shape
              Mike Gondek2 Community Member
              1. Draw some rectangles larger than your shape
              2. Fill them with progressing tints
              3. Object >> Blend >> Make
              4. Send gradient to back, then make mask

              Picture 1.png

              Apologies for quick sloppy tracing of your shape

              • 4. Re: Gradient along a shape
                luckynorth Community Member

                Thanks Mike!

                 

                I tried the stroke and brush version. I draw a new 8pt stroke inside the shape, applied the brush, send the stroke back and choose the clipping mask. Just one thing that i don't like. How can i avoid these fuzzy edges that appears now?

                 

                 

                Screen shot 2011-01-18 at 19.58.08.png

                • 5. Re: Gradient along a shape
                  Mike Gondek2 Community Member

                  Very Interesting, not sure why the fuzzy edges are there, must be a screen draw issue, and I doubt this will print. Do a print test to be sure, but I copied and pasted a quick test into photoshop @ 300 dpi and the fuzziness went away.

                   

                  Another way around the fuzziness, is you could grab your blend, and choose object >> rasterize. I have no problem with the gradient being bitmapped as the mask container is vector and you should get a hard edge from that when you print. I don't like doing that though, because you loose editability, and rotating and recoloring the inbetween steps is important to this technique.

                  • 6. Re: Gradient along a shape
                    tromboniator Community Member

                    Mario, I don't understand your jagged edges either. They don't appear in your grayscale objects, just the color ones. I'll keep digging at it if I have time.

                     

                    Peter

                     

                     

                    Screen shot 2011-01-18 at 10.32.29 PM.png

                    • 7. Re: Gradient along a shape
                      luckynorth Community Member

                      I don't know what to do. I tried also the blend method. The path with the arrow is sharp, but after the the clipping mask command it looks fuzzy:

                       

                      Screen shot 2011-01-19 at 10.21.15.png

                      Screen shot 2011-01-19 at 10.21.40.png

                      • 8. Re: Gradient along a shape
                        Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                        Mario,

                         

                        I would also suggest the Blend and Art Brush/Envelope Distort way(s) as described by Peter; you should be aware that Illy gets dizzy at sharp corners in Art Brushes, and then the colouring gets funny as you can see where it turns inward from the curved part in your post #7.

                         

                        I see no fuzzies making things that way. I believe it is a screen artifact as Mike says.

                         

                        Have you tried a Save As PDF or printing to see whether it is really there?

                         

                        In the end, you may not need to do anything.

                        • 9. Re: Gradient along a shape
                          luckynorth Community Member

                          You're right, the print is perfect. But i need the logo (the illustration is a part of) also for screen (website). What can i do to make it looks as "sharp" as when it's printed?

                          • 10. Re: Gradient along a shape
                            Jacob Bugge CommunityMVP

                            Mario,

                             

                            But i need the logo (the illustration is a part of) also for screen (website). What can i do to make it looks as "sharp" as when it's printed?

                             

                            What happens if you tick Anti-Alias in the Image Size window when you Save for Web (& Devices)?

                             

                             

                             

                            Edit: Just to give a new option before Mike repeats an earlier one:

                             

                            It may be worth ticking Anti-Aliased Artwork in Edit>Preferences>General (or wherever it is in your version) if it is not already.

                            • 11. Re: Gradient along a shape
                              Mike Gondek2 Community Member

                              I already gave you a solution how to make this look sharp on the screen, see post #5.

                              • 12. Re: Gradient along a shape
                                luckynorth Community Member

                                Hi Mike,

                                 

                                it worked! Thanks! It seems to be the only solution to avoid the fuzzyness. And like you said, it's not editable anymore. But when Illustrator is not able to do it in another way, i'll keep in mind this workaround for future works.

                                 

                                Every time i'm wondering how many tricks you have to know when working with Adobe products. I really searched in books and online for a way to solve the problem and i found nothing.

                                 

                                 

                                Cheers

                                Mario

                                • 13. Re: Gradient along a shape
                                  DocPixel-BMW Community Member

                                  I suggest this as a far better alternative then an Art Brush at least.

                                   

                                  In general for a blend that needs to go in a circle... well, use a circle in your blend. Else you'll get odd blending with squares, lines etc. without multiple rotated steps. Below is far easier to edit, and use again.

                                   

                                  Note: Jaggies are due to a simple Screen Cap. Use a Clipping Mask to fit within any other shape you want.

                                   

                                  Spline Blend-01.jpg