Creating and adjusting gradients


    You can modify a gradient by adding colors to make blends from multiple colors or by adjusting the endpoints and midpoints of the gradient.

    Gradient colors are defined by a series of stops in the gradient slider. A stop is the point at which a gradient changes from one color to the next and is identified by a square below the gradient slider. The squares in the Gradient palette display the color currently assigned to each gradient stop.

    It's a good idea to fill an object with the gradient you plan to adjust so that you can preview the effect on the artwork as you adjust the gradient.

    Once you have filled an object with a gradient, the Gradient tool lets you modify the gradient by "repainting" the fill along an imaginary line you drag. This tool lets you change the direction of a gradient, change the beginning point and endpoint of a gradient, and apply a gradient across multiple objects.

To create or modify a color gradient:

  1. Do one of the following:
    • To modify an object's gradient, select the object.
    • To modify a preset gradient, click a gradient swatch in the Swatches palette. (To display only gradients in the palette, click the Show Gradient Swatches button Show Gradient Swatches button .)
    • To create a new gradient, click the gradient box at the bottom of the toolbox.
  2. To indicate the type of gradient you want, choose Linear or Radial from the Type menu in the Gradient palette. With a radial gradient, the leftmost gradient slider defines the center point's color fill, which radiates outward to the color of the rightmost gradient slider.
  3. To define the starting and ending colors of a gradient, do any of the following:
    • Click the leftmost (starting color) or rightmost (ending color) gradient stop below the gradient slider in the Gradient palette, and create a color in the Color palette.
    • Click the leftmost or rightmost gradient stop below the gradient slider in the Gradient palette, and Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) a color swatch in the Swatches palette.
    • Drag a color from the Color palette or the Swatches palette to the leftmost or rightmost gradient stop 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 deselect a selected gradient stop, open the Color palette, choose Show Options from the Color palette menu, and then click the gradient stop icon Gradient stop icon which displays underneath the color fill in the Color palette. (Selecting a different gradient stop also deselects the active gradient stop.)
  5. To adjust the midpoints of the gradient's color stops (the point at which two color stops are 50%), drag a diamond icon located above the slider or select the icon and enter a value between 0 and 100 in the Location text box.
  6. To adjust the endpoints of the gradient's color stops, drag the leftmost or rightmost gradient stop below the gradient slider.
  7. To set the gradient angle, do one of the following:
    • In the Gradient palette, enter the angle of direction for the gradient in the Angle text box. (The angle option is available only for linear gradients.)
    • With the object selected, select the Gradient tool Gradient tool and position the pointer where you want to define the beginning point of the gradient. Then drag across the object in the direction you want the gradient to be painted. (Hold down Shift to constrain the tool to multiples of 45°.) Release the mouse button where you want to define the endpoint of the gradient.

To add intermediate colors to a gradient:

    Do one of the following:

    • Drag and drop a color from the Swatches palette or the Color palette onto the gradient slider in the Gradient palette.
    • Click anywhere below the gradient slider to define another color square. You can then select a color and adjust the square as you would the starting or ending color. To delete an intermediate color, drag the square off the gradient slider.