Gradients have quickly become one of the most beloved design trends of modern times. Their distinctive hues add color and flair to vector shapes and text alike.
Gradients are made up of multiple hues that gradually merge over an object’s surface, and Illustrator offers tools for creating linear, radial and freeform gradients.
Reverse Gradient
Gradients are transitions between colors of different values or hues that are applied to vector shapes and text. Gradients have become ubiquitous in creative realms such as Instagram and Asana that use mesmerizing sunset gradients across their logos; Facebook features an eye-catching blue-to-pink gradient in its profile picture; while Google often updates search results pages with dynamic color combinations.
The Freeform Gradient tool gives you the power to craft custom gradients quickly and effortlessly with just one click of your mouse. Add as many colors you wish and arrange them in any order that suits you; changing how gradient stops interact will produce unique visual effects in your designs.
As part of your artwork or the Gradient panel, you can edit a gradient by using the Gradient Options button to access and change its parameters. Your gradient appears as a slider toward the bottom of the panel with color stops below which represent each color used in your gradient. By double-clicking any of these color stops you can access different options and modify its hue or move it by dragging.
For an easier way of changing the direction of a linear gradient, navigate to the angle dropdown above the gradient slider. Angles less than 100% create diagonal gradients while angles greater than 100% stretch radial gradients outward in either direction.
Change the direction of radial gradients by selecting “Elliptical Shape” above the gradient slider. 100 percent creates a circular gradient; values less than 100 percent create horizontal radial gradients; while values over 100 percent stretch these radial gradients right and/or leftwards. Adjust the color of a gradient by accessing its properties panel, using the Gradient Fill and Stroke options. You can duplicate an existing gradient by holding down the OPTION key while dragging its small appearance circle to another object in your artwork – this will replicate both its colors as well as any changes you have made to its shape or direction.
Right-to-Left Gradient
Illustrator allows you to apply left-to-left gradients on any object, which will seamlessly transition from one side of a shape to the other. Gradient bars or keyboard shortcuts can be used to change their direction, while you can edit gradients by dragging their center point; furthermore you can also add or delete Color Stops along their path.
For changing the direction of a linear gradient, click and drag on its gradient bar – this will bring up the gradient adjuster that allows you to drag it to where it belongs in your artwork. If there are multiple objects involved, group them first (ctrl/cmd+G). After doing that, use gradient adjuster on individual object to change gradient settings individually.
Use of Freeform gradient type allows you to manipulate colors for unique effects, for instance bringing closer blue color stops nearer yellow and pink ones for creating a light green effect. Furthermore, experimentation of length by dragging at different angles.
To create a radial gradient, select the rounded square icon on the Gradient bar and choose Radial Gradient from its list or press L on your keyboard. After making these adjustments, you can further fine-tune its effect.
Altering radial gradient angles is also possible by selecting “Angle Dropdown” on the Gradient bar and using its drop-down list for “Alter Gradient Angle.” By changing this parameter, your gradient will become more circular or elliptical in its shape.
Control the opacity of each Color stop by selecting and adjusting their opacity settings, or remove one by clicking on the Delete Stop button or dragging downwards until it dissappears. Use the Gradient Annotator if you need to make any directional or shape modifications within your gradient – for instance changing its direction or moving its center within it.
Left-to-Right Gradient
Gradients are an eye-catching design element used to add color and interest to vector shapes and text. Illustrator has several preset gradient options to meet all your gradient needs, from simple black-to-white linear gradients to eye-catching radial gradients, so that you can apply this gradient either as fills or strokes for any shape in your artwork.
For effortless gradient creation, use the Freeform Gradient tool. When selecting any shape, a gradient with four stops of color will appear automatically in your toolbar – click-and-drag any stop in this shape to change its hue; or adjust its location so as to alter how its hues blend together.
If you want to create a left-to-right gradient, click the Reverse Gradient button at the top of your toolbar. Or manually adjust its direction using the gradient slider; linear gradients can go in any direction while radial and freeform gradients always follow an upward sloping trajectory from their center towards their edges.
Modifying gradient color options is simple. Simply click on the Color Options button within either the Control or Gradient panel, which opens a dialog box allowing you to select any hue for your gradient and updates it in its gradient bar accordingly.
As soon as you click on a gradient slider, a plus (+) icon will appear next to it. Clicking this allows you to add a new color stop and choose one from the available list in the dialog that opens up. Alternatively, drag any of the existing color stops around to change how they blend or delete any unnecessary ones as necessary.
Adjust the gradient by selecting an Angle dropdown box above the gradient slider. A default value of 45 degrees produces a diagonal gradient effect, while lower values produce either horizontal elliptical gradients or higher ones that create vertical ones.
Up-to-Down Gradient
Illustrator offers the Gradient tool, enabling you to easily create linear, radial or freeform gradients in no time at all. Furthermore, these gradients can be modified directly in your artwork with real-time changes visible onscreen – linear gradients typically used on text while radial and freeform gradients more commonly found with shapes like rectangles, ovals or irregularly shaped objects.
To create a gradient, start by selecting the shape to which you would like it applied and clicking on the Gradient tool in either your toolbox or panel. From there you can change its appearance by selecting one of the color stops on your slider bar and modifying its hue; use your slider bar also to position these color stops further apart for even smoother and more varied gradients! The more stops there are in total, the smoother and more varied the gradient will become.
Color stops are points on a gradient slider where you can choose the starting and ending colors of a gradient gradient, indicated by small circles at either end of the slider. You can also set the midpoint between any two colors you select; their location affects how the gradient will appear on artwork but can be changed at any time.
As well as selecting the color of a gradient, you can move, delete or duplicate color stops by clicking and dragging either on the gradient slider or within the Gradient panel. Furthermore, additional stops can be added by clicking the plus icon within Gradient panel.
Use the drop-down menu above the Gradient slider bar to change the angle of a gradient, which will cause it to rotate to reflect your new selection – you can set it for vertical movement, downward flow or in any other desired direction.
To create gradients with particular colors, drag a color from the Swatches panel onto the gradient slider. This will add it as a new swatch that you can then apply to your artwork.
