Color, Strokes, and Fills > Applying fills > Applying gradient fills |
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Applying gradient fills
Freehand provides three types of gradient fills:
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Graduated fills apply color in a straight, graduated transition. |
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Radial fills apply color in circular gradations, regardless of the fill shape. |
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Contour fills apply gradations based on the shape of the selected object.
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Left to right, graduated fill, radial fill, and contour fill |
You can set preferences to control the number of colors displayed in gradient and radial fills to speed redrawing of the screen.
To set display preferences for gradient fills:
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Choose Edit > Preferences. Click Redraw. |
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Choose a Better (But Slower) Display option: |
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Select the option to display as many colors as possible for gradient fills. |
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Deselect the option to limit the number of colors displayed and speed redrawing the document. |
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Click OK. |
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To apply a gradient fill to a selected object with the Fill inspector:
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In the Fill inspector, choose Gradient from the pop-up menu.
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Select the type of gradient by clicking the Graduated, Radial, or Contour button.
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Graduated, Radial, and Contour buttons |
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Click the color swatch at either end of the color ramp, and then choose a color from the pop-up color menu. The left swatch sets the color for the top of a graduated gradient and the outside of a radial or contour gradient. |
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To adjust the fill, do any of the following: |
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To add a color, drag a color swatch onto the color ramp. |
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To change a color, click any swatch on the color ramp and choose a new color from the pop-up color palette. |
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To reposition a color within the fill, drag its swatch to a new position. If you drag an end swatch, a new one appears in its place. |
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To copy an existing color on the ramp to a new location, hold down Alt (Windows) or Command (Macintosh) and drag. |
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To remove a color from the color ramp, drag its swatch off the color ramp. |
Note: Changing the fill from Gradient to Basic fills the object with the color displayed in the left color box. |
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For a graduated fill, set the following options: |
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Choose an option from the taper list. Linear tapers the color in equal increments. Logarithmic tapers the color in increasingly wide bands.
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Linear (top) and Logarithmic taper |
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Set the taper angle using the dial or by entering a value. Hold down Shift to constrain the angle to 45° increments. |
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For a radial fill, drag the knob in the preview to set the center point.
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Shift-click anywhere in the preview to reset the radial fill's center. |
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Note: To simultaneously set a radial fill's center position and center color, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) as you drag a color swatch onto the object. |
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For a contour fill, set the following options: |
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Drag the knob in the preview to set the center point. |
Shift-click anywhere in the preview to reset the contour fill's center. |
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Set the taper by entering a value or using the slider control. Lower numbers widen the area of the center color. and sharpen the transition to the edge color. |
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To apply a gradient fill to a selected object by dragging a color swatch, do one of the following:
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To apply a color as a graduated fill, hold down Control as you drag a color swatch onto an object. Where you drop the color sets the angle of the gradient fill. |
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To apply a color as a radial fill, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh) as you drag a color swatch onto an object. Where you drop the color sets the fill's center. |
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To apply a color as a contour fill, hold down Alt+Control (Windows) or Command+Option (Macintosh) as you drag a color swatch onto an object. Where you drop the color sets the fill's center. |
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