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Creating gradient fills


    You use the Gradient palette to create your own gradients and--in combination with the Color palette and Swatches palette--to modify existing gradients. You can also add intermediate colors to a gradient to create a fill defined by multiple blends among colors.

To create a gradient:

  1. Select an object with a selection tool, and click the Fill box in the toolbox to select the object's fill.
  2. To apply a gradient, do one of the following:
    • Choose Window > Gradient, and click the Gradient Fill box at the upper left of the Gradient palette. (If the Gradient Fill box is not displayed, choose Show Options from the pop-up menu in the Gradient palette.)
    • Click the Gradient button in the toolbox.
    • Click a gradient swatch in the Swatches palette. To see only gradients in the palette, click the Show Gradient Swatches button The Show Gradient Swatches button .
  3. To define the starting color of a gradient, click the left square below the gradient slider in the Gradient palette, and then do one of the following:
    • Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) a color swatch in the Swatches palette.
    • Create a color using the sliders or the color slider in the Color palette.
    • Drag a color from the Color palette or the Swatches palette to the square below the gradient slider.

    Note: If you create a gradient between spot colors, you must deselect Convert to Process in the Separation Setup dialog box to print the gradient in individual spot color separations. (See Printing gradients as separations.)

  4. To define the ending color of the gradient, click the right square below the gradient slider. Then choose the color you want as described in step 3.
  5. Choose Linear or Radial from the pop-up menu to indicate the type of gradient you want. With a radial gradient, the beginning point of the gradient defines the center point of the fill, which radiates outward to the endpoint.
  6. To adjust the beginning point or endpoint of the gradient, drag the squares located below the slider. To adjust the midpoint of the gradient (the point at which the colors are at 50%), drag the diamond icon located above the slider.
  7. Enter the angle of direction for the gradient in the Angle text box. The angle can range from -180 to 180 degrees. (The angle option is not available when a radial gradient is chosen.)
  8. To save the gradient, do one of the following:
    • Drag the completed gradient from the Gradient palette to the Swatches palette.
    • Drag the gradient from the Fill box in the toolbox to the Swatches palette.
    • Click the New Swatch button in the Swatches palette.