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Adobe Illustrator Tip - How to Interact with Gradients on the Object

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Published: 15Feb2010
Word count: 547
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Adobe Illustrator is an excellent product that has truly revolutionized the way that you can use the Gradient tool. Previous versions of this product have allowed you to interact with this tool, but the Gradient tools in Adobe Illustrator CS4 are easier to use than ever before because the amount of editing that can be done is greater and the controls are much more interactive.

The first thing that you will want to do is select the Gradient tool from the toolbox and click on the object on which you wish to apply the Gradient. At this point, a special bar will appear that will show you the direction of the gradient. Keep in mind that the direction and the color are dependent on the last gradient that was used, but you will be able to change this. In order to edit the gradient, you must go to this gradient bar and then hover the mouse over the item that you wish to change. An example of this is moving a couple of different points into new positions within the object, which will give the illustration an entirely different look. This is much easier than ever before because you will not have to redraw anything in order for this to work, as you can simply rotate these angles to change the look. Changing these angles is done by simply dragging the various points of the gradient either up or down, so there is very little work to do here whatsoever.

You can also use this tool to change the color of the gradient, which you do by double clicking the color button on the Gradient bar. This will open up a panel, which you can use to choose the color that you want. Once you have selected the color that you wish to use, you simply press Enter in order to apply the color. You can use the color as little or as much as you desire, as you can select where you want that particular color to end. You can then add additional colors by selecting the new color stop from the Gradient Color panel. This is a very easy way to alter the colors of your illustration because all it takes is a few clicks of your mouse in order to accomplish this.

If you wish to change the radial and elliptical gradients of your illustration, you simply click on the square shaped icon that is located on the right hand side of the window. This will open up a panel and you can then select either the Radial or Elliptical option. The Radial option will turn the gradient into a circular shape and the Elliptical option will turn it into an oval type of shape. Which one of these you use will depend on the portion of the illustration that you wish to offer.

Overall, this is a great way to perfect your illustrations or picture because it allows you to take small portions and change them with just a few clicks. Other programs do not allow you to go through your entire picture with a fine toothed comb the way that this one does, which is why Adobe Illustrator CS4 is one of a kind and is at the top of this industry.

Make your designs pop, and you don't have to take forever to create them when you know HOW to use the right tools effectively. Learn more about the Adobe CS4 Creative Suite through our Adobe Illustrator CS4 Training Classes.

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