Basics of Adobe Illustrator

06

Gradients
Solid fills
Gradients fills
Pattern fills

Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Solid fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Arbitrary color allocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Swatches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Local and global swatches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Swatch libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Color groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Color groups editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Repainting of images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Reassignment of color groups . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
The example of artwork recoloring . . . . . . . . . . 31
Gradient fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Pattern fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Transformation of pattern fills . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Creating a customized pattern swatch . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Self-test questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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INTERACTIVE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE

USED WITHIN THIS LESSON
Each time you see an illustration with the
switch on the right of it, you can use it to
preview various images or their various
variants.

Introduction
In the course of this lesson we will talk
about fills of Adobe Illustrator, consider program
handling tools and application of solid, gradient
and pattern fills.
Generally, we have considered both of these
themes in the course Basics of Adobe Photoshop.
So, it is not necessary to talk again about the
concept of gradient fill, its purpose, problems,
which are solved by it, and its application. It will
be sufficient to consider the working technique
only. Formally, it is the difference of use of these
fillings in vector graphics, and peculiarities of
their handling in Adobe Illustrator.

Introduction
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Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Solid fills
Todays lesson is a very special one.
It is unique, because we will put a lot of time
into consideration of the simplest type of fills that
is a solid fill.
At first glance it may seem that it is not
difficult to use this type of fills, since we have
learned how to use them in the course of the first
lesson. However, now we are going to learn this
topic deeper. You will see that we can do a lot of
interesting and amazing things by means of fills.
However, lets relate the facts as they actually
happened. We will start from continuing the
conversation about the way of selection and
allocation of colors for the object fill and stroke.

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Arbitrary color allocation

In the course of the first lesson we have studied
the easiest way to select a color. It is performed by
means of the fields in the toolbar. There are other
ways, such as using a special Color panel.
We know many items of this panel. We can
select the color of fill or stroke in order to define
a color that is to be configured. We can relocate
them or go back to the default colors (black stroke,
white fill). You should know these items very well,
as they are used in Adobe Photoshop too.
There are three buttons at the bottom of the
panel. They allow us to allocate none (transparency
or invisibility), black or white color for the fill or
stroke in a quick and easy manner.
There is a spectrum line at the bottom of the
panel. It allows us select the desired hue in a quick,
but rough way.

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Method of color calibration

changes when using the Color
panel. Here we use the numeric
fields and sliders in order to select
the desired color. Please note that
in Adobe Illustrator you can set
a color in a much more accurate
manner than in Adobe Photoshop.
We can use the fractional values of
colors applying the CMYK or HSB
Color panel
coordinates.
By means of the panel menu we
can switch to different modes of color selection
using the coordinates of different color models:
Grayscale, RGB, HSB, CMYK or Web Safe RGB*.
* The concept of web safe colors is quite outdated. We will learn it in general in the
course of the third semester, when studying the web design. However, it is not
used in practice any more.

There are two more features, which are also

very interesting. In the Color panel menu you can
see the Invert and Complement commands, which
allow us to select a color that is opposite to the
current one.
You will learn the concept of complementary
colors in the course Design Theory in the section
devoted to coloristics. Nevertheless, now we will
talk a little about it. Complementary color is a color
that emphasizes and complements any other color.
In contrast to the invert color, complementary
color will have the same brightness as the original
one. It is easy to guess that it is impossible to create
a complementary color to black, gray or white.
The last command in the Color panel menu
is Create New Swatch. We will consider swatches
together with it.

Color panel menu

Original colors of objects

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The color of bottom object was inverted

The color of bottom object was changed

to the complementary one

Swatches
You know the Swatches panel and the concept of
swatches, because they have been also discussed
in the course of Adobe Photoshop. It was another
way to select a color. When working in Adobe
Photoshop, there was no difference in the way of
allocation of the working color. It did not affect
the result of work. There are some details in Adobe
Illustrator, which should be learnt. They also are
related to work with the Swatches panel.
Lets consider a few major features of the
Swatches panel in Adobe Illustrator:
1. Actually, the Swatches panel stores not color
samples, but the samples of fills. Therefore, it
is possible to see not only the samples of solid
color fills, but also the samples of gradient and
pattern fills.

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2. Each document may have its

own panel contents. There
is a certain basic set of hues
displayed by default. However,
we can add, modify and cut it,
and these changes will be saved
for this particular document
only. Therefore, when working
with a document we have more
colors, than when working
with other documents. It is
absolutely normal.

Swatches panel

Lets look at what we can see in the Swatches

panel by default without changing it.
The first option of the panel is None. It is
depicted as a white square crossed with a red line.
By means of this swatch you can cancel the object

Registration color

fill or stroke, i.e. to allocate no color for them.

This swatch cannot be removed from the panel
anyway (however, you can move it into another
location within the panel)..
The second option is Registration. It is a
special color with the following values C: 100%
M: 100% Y: 100% K: 100%. This color is used in
the printing industry for solving some technical
problems. Youll learn more about it in the second
semester, in the course Prepress. Till then it is
not necessary to use it.
After this, we can see usual swatches, samples
of gradient and pattern fills.
In some cases, we can also see swatches with
a white triangle with a point located in the lower
right corner. They are so-called SPOT COLORS,
which are also used in the printing industry. Youll
learn more about them in the course Prepress
too. You should not use them now, because their
use without understanding the purpose can cause
some troubles with printing and exporting your
document later.
In the bottom of the panel you can see the
control buttons, which allow us to perform
different actions to the swatches available within
the panel.

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Black and white

Panel menu

None (fill or stroke

cancellation)

Regular hues of colors

Main spectrum colors

(including RGB + CMY)

Main spectrum colors

(including RGB + CMY)

Pattern fill swatches

Spot colors

Open swatch library

Selection of displayed swatches

Swatch adjustment (In some
cases, this button is replaced with
another one)

Delete swatch

Create new swatch

Create color group

Lets consider the panel menu contents.

We can easily guess what they are doing by
name of many commands. For example, it is clear
that the New Swatch command is used in order to
create a new color swatch and add it to the panel.
Later well learn how to do that and which settings
are necessary for this.
The Duplicate Swatch command allows us to
create a copy of some hue in order to change it
in future. Merge Swatches allows us to deal with
randomly created copies of swatches if one hue
was entered into the panel for several times and
with different names. The Delete Swatch command
allows us to delete unwanted swatches from the
panel.
The New Color Group and Ungroup Color Group
commands are designed to deal with color groups.
We will consider this process later.
The Select All Unused command makes it easy
to find all of the swatches, which were not applied
while working with a document. For example, in
such a way we can remove them safely. On the
contrary, the Add Used Colors command allows us
to create swatches according to colors of objects
within the document.

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The Sort by Name and Sort by Kind

commands are designed to control
the order of swatches displayed in
the panel. (Names of swatches will
be visible only if you display the
swatches as a list in the panel. If
they are displayed as small squares,
you can see the name by holding the
cursor over the swatch and waiting
for the screen tip.)

The Show Find Field command allows us

to display the field in order to find a hue by its
name. This is necessary if you use a color library
including hundreds or thousands of different hues
and need to find a certain color. However, it is
required to solve some problems in the printing
area only, and this is a rarity.

The Small Thumbnail View, Medium Thumbnail View,

Large Thumbnail View, Small List View and Large List
View commands allow us to adjust the way of
displaying the swatches within the panel. Thumbnail

modes will display swatches in the form of colored

squares of different size. List modes will display
the swatches by means of the list lines, marked
with the swatch icon and the color name written
nearby.
The Swatch Options command allows us to open
a dialog box, where you may change the swatch
name or its hue, color model, etc.
The Spot Colors command allows us to call a
dialog box with options for operating the spot
colors, i.e. with special printing inks. Again,
we should note that it is an unknown material
for us. We will consider this topic in the course
Prepress in the second semester. So, we have to
leave these settings for now.

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The Open Swatch Library submenu allows us to

open additional panels with various collections
of hues, and even with pattern and gradient fills.
Later well talk about them in detail.
Save Swatch Library as ASE and Save Swatch
Library as AI commands allow us to save a current
library of swatches (that you might complemented,
configured and changed) to a file in order to
download and use it in other documents. You
can save a library in an ASE file format (standard
format of the libraries of hues in Adobe Illustrator),
or as an AI file that is a document format. If you
save the library in the AI format, it will be a fullfeatured document. You will be able to open it, but
there will be no content except for the Swatches
panel options.

Lets consider how to create a new swatch and

add it to the Swatches panel. This can be performed
in several ways. For example, just drag and drop
the color field from the Color panel or from the
toolbar to the Swatches panel. It is not difficult
at all. However, it would be more correct to use a
special command in order to create a new swatch,
as it allows us to set all the necessary options.
In the New Swatch dialog box we may specify
the name of swatch using the Swatch Name field.
The Color Type dropdown list allows us to select
Process Color and Spot Color. It is worth reiterating
that spot colors are used in special works made for
printing establishments only, so as long as you do
not know what it is and why it is needed, all your
colors should be Process.
The Color Mode dropdown list and related
settings allow us to select colors using different
color models and systems of color components.
Thus, a real appearance of color is additionally
restricted by the selected color model of the
document. In other words, if you set the CMYK
mode for your document, then no matter what
color model you would select for the creation of
swatch, you still would not be able to get a deep
blue or bright harsh green.

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Dialog box of options used in order to create a new swatch

Selection of color model in order to create a new swatch

Local and global swatches

There is still one option in the menu of a new
swatch creation that we have not considered yet.
It is the Global check box. What is its purpose?
There are two types of swatches in Adobe
Illustrator: LOCAL SWATCHES and GLOBAL SWATCHES.
Global swatches are marked in the Swatches panel
with white triangle located in the lower right
corner. It is similar to the one corresponding to
the spot colors, but without a point in the triangle.
If we set the Global check box when creating
or editing a swatch, then we create a global swatch,
of course. However, what will it mean for us?
Global swatches differ from the local ones
in the fact that a continuous connection is
maintained between the swatches and the objects
painted with these colors. If you have used a global
swatch in order to paint an object in green color,
Adobe Illustrator retains the object color and also

remembers that it was made by means of a certain

swatch.
It turns out that if you will decide to change the
global color later, for example, edit and change its
color so that it will become orange, all the objects
painted with it will change their color into orange too.
This is a very important idea that is to be
understood. It differs from the things we used to
see studying Adobe Photoshop. It turns out that
while working with different objects (or objects

Two objects in the document have been painted with two

swatches.
The green object was painted using a global swatch and the lilac
one was painted using a traditional swatch.

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After editing the global swatch, the color of object painted with
it was also changed into orange.
Change of the original swatch has not changed lilac color of
the object.

and some elements of the program) there may be

hidden connections, which we can use!
In this particular case we have an opportunity
to put a possibility to change the document
later. Lets consider such a scheme in order to
understand how it may be applied.
Lets assume that you create a corporate design
project for some company. You came up with a
logo, designed some elements for production and
selected corporate colors. Now youre going to
show them to the customer. It is not difficult to
imagine that he/she will not like all of them. He/
She may not like a logo or a chosen font. Well,
there is nothing to be done. It happens.
He/She may not like the selected color of
corporate identity. Here you can secure yourself
in advance by processing the objects within the
document using the global swatches. Then, if
the client will want to look at your work in other
colors, you will not have to seek and highlight
the design elements manually throughout the
document in order to repaint them. It is enough to
change the global swatch and all objects processed
by means of it will be repainted in a similar color.

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Of course, it is just one example of use of

global swatches. However, we hope it is able to
give an idea of how much time you can save
while working, if you know program features and
different tiny options, which can be used for
your own good.

Swatch libraries
Adobe Illustrator is able to save some options
in the LIBRARIES including sets of swatches, as well
as Adobe Photoshop.
Adobe Illustrator operates a huge amount of
color libraries, which can be downloaded using
the Swatches panel menu.
Since there are a lot of color libraries, they
are divided by themes and specifics of their use.
For example, Ancient, Baroque, Impressionism, etc.
are joined into the Art History group. Every library
offers a topical collection of the swatches (well,
from the point of view of the authors of these
libraries) reflecting the color palette used in the
art works of a given period. If we load one of these
libraries, for example, Ancient, we see that it has an
internal division. It includes the following color
groups: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, etc. Through
such an elaborate system of categories you can

deal with a variety of libraries of swatches and

numerous swatches, which are included into them.

Adobe Illustrator includes a large number of libraries of swatches, which are divided in the boot menu by different characteristics

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The most of libraries are topic-based, where

the colors are collected by some stylistic, narrative
and genre characteristics. However, some libraries
have their own features, which are necessary to
know:
Color Books is a group of libraries designed to
work with special inks (spot colors). Perhaps
they should not be used in most cases, since
for now you do not understand why they are
needed.
Default Swatches is a group of libraries
containing the libraries of regular set of
colors used for solving the different tasks: in
the area of web design, graphic arts, video
and so on. Most of the colors are similar
in all these libraries, but they use different
additional colors (in a single color group) and
different color models.
Gradients and Patterns are groups of libraries
containing libraries of swatches of pattern and
gradient fills.
System (Macintosh), System (Windows) and
Web are libraries, which became outdated
fifteen years ago. They relate to the time
when computers were large, and screens

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were small. Currently, there is no reason to

use any of these colors in web or interface
design. They are stored in many programs as
a matter of convention only and for backward
compatibility with old documents.

Swatch library is divided into several color groups displayed in

the icon mode

The same library is displayed in the list mode. You can see the
names of colors and color groups.

When you call the libraries through the

Swatches panel menu, it opens in a separate panel.
Swatches may be dragged from this library into
the Swatches panel or used directly. There is no
difference between these methods. You can also
select multiple swatches or an entire color group
and use a command of the Add to Swatches panel
menu in order to copy the selected swatches into
the Swatches panel.
In the same menu you can sort the hues and
manage the way they are displayed in the panel.
These extra panels of swatches will not be
displayed if you close Adobe Illustrator and then
start it again. In contrast to all other elements of the
interface, the program does not remember what
additional panels of swatches you have opened
and where they have been located. However, the
Persistent command is available in the panel menu.
When this command is enabled, Illustrator will
also memorize the position and options of the
panel. It is convenient, for example, if you are
going to work with the same set of additional
swatches for several days.

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Options of the swatch library panel

Color groups
We have already mentioned the color groups
located in the Swatches panel and in the additional
panels of the libraries.
First of all, color group is a way to organize
swatches and group them together somehow. We
can create color groups ourselves (its not a rocket
science) and then add, remove and rearrange
hues within a group or between several groups,
etc. The first problem solved by the color groups
is organization of large number of color hues,
which can be stored in libraries or loaded into the
Swatches panel.
But there are some other things you can do
using the color groups. They may be applied to
work with the grouped hues of color like with a
system of hues, which were selected not by chance,
but according to some principles. Also you can
see the relation of colors between each other and

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change them depending on such

relations.
We l l , p r o b a b l y t h e l a s t
paragraph is not clear at all, is it?
Lets just see how it works.
Creation of color group

Color group in the Swatches panel

Color groups editing

In order to understand general concept of
the subject of this section, we should consider
some theoretical problems of working with
color. Particularly, we will address some terms
of coloristics. Soon you will start studying the
course Design Theory, where you will talk
about coloristics in detail. However, now we need
to understand some of the basic laws of color,
because the color groups editing assumes the use
of certain regularities of color combinations and
ratios.
In general, we will consider the coloristics
in order to understand how to work with color
groups and how to use them. Later you will study
it in detail in the course Design theory.
So, selecting a group of colors in the Swatches
panel, we can use the Edit Color Group button in
order to enter the mode of editing the color group.

This button is displayed if you have selected a

color group only. If you will select one or several
swatches, then the Swatch Options button will be
displayed instead of the Edit Color Group button.

Selecting one of the swatches, we can edit it using the Swatch

Options button that is the third in a row of buttons at the bottom
of the panel

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When you select a whole color group, we also select all of its
swatches. The Swatch Options button is replaced with the Edit
Color Group button

By clicking the Edit Color Group button, we will

open a large Edit Colors dialog box. At the right
side of it we will see all the color groups available
within the Swatches panel. At the left side there is
a large beautiful multi-colored circle that is called
a color wheel. All artists and designers know what
it is and often use it in their work.
What is a color wheel? It is a way to show a
whole variety of possible colors and hues in the
form of a specific system. Color wheel includes
certain regularities. For example, warm colors are
located on one side and cold ones on the other
side, etc.
When we edit a color group in the Edit Colors
dialog box we can see all the colors of this group
located in the color wheel at the same time. Well
see how they are placed in the wheel and how they
are positioned in relation to each other.
In coloristics, there are a lot of rules on the
selection of color combinations, which allow us to
determine how the colors work with each other
just considering the way they are arranged within
the color wheel.

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Dialog box of the color group editing

For exa mple, t here is t he concept of

COMPLEMENT COLORS. They are the colors, which are
highly contrasting by definition They emphasize,
reinforce and complement each other. In the color
wheel, such colors are positioned opposite to each
other. For example, red is opposite to green, and a
pair of red and green is complementary *.
Also there are other schemes. For example,
colors may be analogous; they are placed next
to each other on the color wheel. These color
combinations are restrained and harmonious.
There may be color systems consisting of two,
three, four or more different hues, and all of them
will be placed in the color wheel in a deliberate
manner. They will have some kind of relationships
and they are able to work together.
When editing a color group, we can see all
its colors in the color wheel at once. If they were
* Considering previous sections we have talked about the fact that a
complementary color can be obtained using a special command of the
Color panel. So, if you use this command with the red color, you will get not
green, but blue.
Why is that? Because (as you will learn from the lessons of the course Design
Theory) there are a few color wheels and their different options. In one case
Adobe Illustrator uses one option, where red and green are complementary colors.
And in another case Adobe Illustrator uses another option, where red and blue
are complementary colors.
Well, it just happened. In this case, particularly. :)

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created in a thoughtful manner by using the

color schemes, we will probably see it just by their
location in the wheel. If they were not, it did not a
big point. You should not always create something
following the rules.
Similarly, we can edit hues in a color group.
We may edit all the hues at once, maintaining
the relationships between them; we also may edit
them individually, creating a new relationship or

The selected hue of color

Switching the display modes of

the color wheel
Editing the selected hue

Adding a new color into the color

group.
Deletion of the selected color
from the color group.
Enabling or disabling the
connection between the hues
Artificial restriction of hues
according to another color panel

destroying the old ones. In this case color wheel

is just a tool, and we can use it in quite different
ways.
For convenience, color wheel may be displayed
in the Edit Colors dialog box in different ways.
Despite the fact that we can control any color of
the color group using the sliders located at the
bottom of the screen, often we will do it right in
the color wheel (if we do not need a high accuracy),
because this way is more compelling. We need to
be able to adjust the wheel display in order to
execute a specific task.
The color hues (red, green, blue, etc.) are
always circumferentially-spaced within the color
wheel. It seems that they go around the wheels
center. Additionally, we can display another
color peculiarity. For example, we can make the
colors located closer to the edge of the wheel more
saturated, and those in the center will be more
faded. We can also display brightness, making the
colors darker to the center, where they will become
black-colored. In the Edit Colors dialog box, it is
possible to enable both display modes of color
wheel. You can manage the third color coordinate
with a special slider located under the color wheel.

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In addition, you can make the

color wheel to be displayed smoother
(without visible transitions between
hues) or segmented (with clearly
distinguished individual tones). The
last wheel may be familiar to artists
and everyone who was trained at
the art school. Students have to
draw the color wheels by themselves
there, mixing inks in different
proportions. They are generally
drawn separated into segments, so
this option may be more familiar
for you.
As has been said, we can edit
the colors included into the color
group we work with. We should just
start to drag them along the color
wheel surface. It is also possible
to change the values of the color
components using the sliders and
numeric fields at the bottom of the
dialog box.
At that all or individual colors
may be changed. When we change
all the colors at the same time, we

maintain relations between them. For example,

complement colors will be changed so that they
will remain complement, and so on. Usually
it allows us to change the colors by means of a
deliberately harmonious color combination, but
not to lose the harmony between them.
At the same time there is a mode, when
every color is changed independently. It may be
necessary to clarify the relationship between the
colors of the color group. Or maybe you do not
use color combinations at all, but do everything
by sight? Of course, you can work using this
method; however, in this case it is easier to edit
each color separately.
Using one of the right bottom buttons located
in the color wheel, you can switch the editing
modes.
Also we can delete individual colors from the
color group in this dialog box or add new hues
into it. Special right bottom buttons located on the
color wheel are used for this purpose.

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Repainting of images
When we had considered the concept of color
groups in one of the previous sections for the
first time, we thought that it was a very simple
function of the program. It seemed to be just a way
to organize samples of hues in the Swatches panel.
Then we have learned that it is possible to
edit the color groups. Here we considered new
mechanisms, which allow us to use the color wheel
in order to create and edit hues of colors within
the color group according to their relationships.
Now we are going to learn two additional
possibilities of color groups. You will be surprised
how interesting and useful can be a function that
seemed to be so simple from the very beginning..
First of all, color groups are used to add
multiple hues to the Swatches panel at one action.
At that we do not create them manually, but use
the objects in Adobe Illustrator document. This

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is especially useful if we work with an image that

was not created independently. For example, we
can find such an image in the library of vector
images (i.e. clipart). In this case an image is already
painted with some colors, and we may want to add
them to the Swatches panel for the convenience of
further work. We will not do it manually, but use
the capabilities of color groups in order to solve
this problem.
How to do that? In fact, it is very simple. Just
select an object or a few objects (it may be a group
or just separate objects, which you have selected
in some way), and then create a new color group
in the Swatches panel. A new color group will be
automatically filled with swatches. It will include
all the colors of the selected objects.

When creating a color group, a dialog box will

be opened. There we must set the Selected Artwork
switch or to make sure that it was automatically
installed by the program. Also, you may set the
Convert Process to Global check box. This will allow
us not only to create new swatches in the panel, but
also make them global immediately or to connect
them to the objects painted with this color. The
next step is to change the color of objects of the
artwork by editing the swatches. It would be useful
if you need to change the color of many objects.
But wait there is more!

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

We can proceed and use this created color

group in order to change the color of objects in the
artwork. Lets select the needed objects or a whole
artwork and a color group in the Swatches panel,
and click the Edit or Apply Color Group button. Make
sure that the switch is located at the top of the Edit
position in the dialog box. Then we just edit the
colors of the group using the known methods.
This will lead to the fact that the colors used in
the artwork will be changed together with the
colors of the group. In this way you can quickly
and easily change the color of the image, with
which you are working now.

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Reassignment of
color groups
One of the most interesting features of color
groups is the possibility of their reassignment. We
can take an object or a piece of artwork painted
with the swatches of color group and reassign its
colors using the colors of another color group. This
is another way of repainting the objects within a
document. It is quite powerful and interesting, but
difficult.
In order to repaint the objects using this
method, you need to perform similar actions
and previously set the upper switch to the Assign
position in the Recolor Artwork dialog box. Now
we are going not to change the swatches in the
color group, but to reassign them. For example, if
there are two or more color groups in the Swatches
panel, we can simply choose a different color
group. It will differ from the one that was used

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

for coloring the objects. Colors will be replaced

with the new ones.
How does this happen?
The list of hues presented in the image is
displayed in the dialog box. To the right of it there
is a narrow column showing the color with which

these hues will be replaced. It is possible to manage

this process in a flexible manner: you can select a
color in the right (narrow) column and configure
it manually; colors may be dragged from place to
place within the list. You can also control their
order and select a hue that will match them.
We can also place two or more colors into
one line. In this case, each of these hues will be
replaced with a new color. (Sometimes, it will
happen automatically if we have chosen a new
color group containing a number of colors that
is smaller than the one used in the artwork.) At
the same time, some lines may be left empty.
It will often happen, if we will create new lines
containing two or more colors, because their
original positions will not be used.
If the Recolor Art check box is selected in the
dialog box, youll be able to see how each of your
actions affects the color of the artwork, and it will
be much easier to understand how new colors
match the old ones.
When you put a few hues of color into one
line and assign them a new color, you can use
another interesting technique. In such cases it
is not necessary for each of these hues to look

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

perfectly alike. We can assign them a new color

using slightly different options of it
In order to do this you need to open the dropdown list located next to the new color field and
select one of five options for recoloring*:
* Not all of them will be available all the time. It depends on the color model and
the fact whether you are going to use the spot colors or not. You will not use them
until you will learn what they are in the course of second semester.

In this example, five colors of the artwork correspond to five new

colors, with which the first ones will be replaced. We can see that
the colors are replaced by exactly the same ones, i.e. there is no
visible recoloring

We can manually select new colors, which will replace the current
ones, by means of the color selection options available in the
bottom of the dialog box.
We can also drag and drop colors within the list: change their
arrangement, leave some lines empty and put several hues into
the other lines.
In the figure you can see that the 1st line contains one hue that
is not changed, the 2nd and the 4th lines are empty, and both the
3rd and the 5th lines contain two hues, which will be replaced
with different hues of green.

 Exact. New color will correspond to all the

hues within the line.
Preserve Tints. The hues of brightness of the
original colors will be preserved. New color
will be assigned, but different hues will be
replaced with different options of it and they
will have different brightness.
Scale Tints is a similar mode. Different types
of brightness will be appointed so that they
will use the available range of brightness to
the full extent.
Tints and Shades is another option of toning the
images using the colors of different brightness
and saturation.
Hue Shift preserves the difference in color hues
after recoloring.

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

The example of
artwork recoloring
There are too many options, which make it
difficult to understand them. Lets see how they
can be used in practice. Take the artwork shown
in the illustration and use the possibilities of color
groups in order to change its color.
In this example, we are not going to create a
group of colors, which are currently used in the
artwork. Lets assume that we are not interested
in them at all. We do not like them, so it makes
no sense to keep them within the color group.
Lets start with adding a new color group to the
Swatches panel. We like colors of this group and
we are going to use them in order to recolor the
image.

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Original image.
Source: http://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-go-round-greeting-card_761129.htm

Lets take the Desaturated 13 color group from

the Desaturated library as an example. This group,
as well as the whole library, contains the hues of
low saturation, which are obscure and restrained.
Lets select this color group and add it to the
Swatches panel.
Now we are going to select the artwork and
the Desaturated 13 color group, and apply the
Edit or Apply Color Group command. Then we shall
make sure that the Assign mode is selected in the
dialog box. It will allow us to reassign colors for
the selected objects.
If the Recolor Art check box has been selected,
we will immediately see the result of recoloring. It
is possible that it is suitable for us. However, if not,
we are going to edit the field containing colors. We
will change the position of colors or some of the
hues within the color group, and so on.
One of the most important stages of the
process of recoloring the artworks is a reduction
of number of colors being in use. The Preset
dropdown list, the advanced options available
next to it and the Colors field that is set to Auto
by default ensure the performance of this stage. In
this field you can set different colors, which we are

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

going to obtain at the end of work. Their number

is from 1 to 5, but there is also another option
All. It will not provide the reduction of colors at all
(but it can make the work more complex, because
you will need to add colors manually if they are in
deficiency within the new color group).

Lets open the advanced settings and consider

what actions it is possible to perform with the
Color Reduction Options dialog box. Here we are able
to select one of the standard methods or edit the
options manually via the Preset drop-down list.
Again, we can see the Colors option, with which
we can control the number of different colors
occurring after recoloring the final option of the
artwork.
More interesting options are available below.
For example, the Sort drop-down list allows us
to put in order the original colors of the artwork
within the view field. It is very convenient. We can
use the Hue-forward and Hue-backward modes to sort
the colors by their hue in direct or reverted order
with regard to the spectrum. The Lightness -dark to
light and Lightness-light to dark modes are also useful.
The Colorize method drop-down list allows us
to select one of the already known algorithms,
which allow us to perform recoloring or keep the
difference in brightness, saturation and hue of
colors.
The Preserve check boxes located at the bottom
of the dialog box are also very useful. They allow
us to protect significant parts of the artwork
against recoloring: White, Black and Grays. It is very

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

important in order to preserve

the natural and meaningful view
of your artwork after recoloring,
because without these options you
may find out that the shadows
became green, and the contours,
which were black, turned to yellow.
Of course, it would be inappropriate.
There is another option that has
not been mentioned: Limit to Library.
It is available in the main dialog
box. What is its purpose?
Color Limitation Options
This option allows us to choose
another library of hues that will
additionally affect the image coloring by changing
the chosen hues.
Now we have a very complex algorithm of
artwork recoloring:

1. Original colors are limited in quantity and

some of them are put into one line. Thus
they are not assigned as independent colors,
but the options of one color, which differ in
brightness, saturation or hue.
2. We select a color group replacing the original
colors of image with it.
3. In addition, each color of the group can be
assigned to multiple colors available in one
line in a hard or flexible manner with
variations of brightness, saturation and hue.
4. All these hues are additionally adjusted
to some chosen color library defining the
common characteristics of all the new colors
in the artwork.

Selection of palette for the additional correction of hues

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

It is really complicated, but very flexible. The

more options, the more opportunities to influence
the outcome. Of course, at first it may be difficult
to understand them, but in this case you just
need to apply them in practice and understand
how every option and stage of the processing of
original colors of the image affect the final result.
There is another way. You may not go deeply
into this process, but just experiment with the
options and look for the option that will be suitable
for you. Finally, you can always modify a recolored
image by hand.
Now we are going to finish the consideration
of solid fills and amazing features of the Swatches
panel, and proceed with more complex issues,
which are pattern and gradient fills.

Solid fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Original artwork with original colors

Gradient fills
You have considered the concept of gradient
fills in the course Basics of Adobe Photoshop.
So we do not need to learn them from the very
beginning. Now we are going to talk about the
difference between working with gradient fills in
Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
In Illustrator, just as in Photoshop, there is a
special tool named Gradient. Using it we can create
and edit gradient fills of objects. Fill options are
available in the Gradient panel, where we can
choose the type of gradient fill, manage the used
colors, etc.
Lets consider some important differences,
which occur while working with gradient fills in
Adobe Illustrator and in Adobe Photoshop:

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

1. There are only t wo t y pes

of gradient f ills in Adobe
Illustrator: linear and radial.
2. In Adobe Illustator gradient
f ill remains editable af ter
application: we can select an
object filled with a gradient,
see the options of its fill, and
change them during operation
at any time.
3. In Adobe Illustrator gradient
may be applied not only to the
fill, but also to the stroke.
4. Adobe Illustrator Gradients
may i nc lude t r a n spa rent
areas. However, we will not be
able to find certain markers
of tra nsparenc y w it hin

Gradient panel in a reduced and expanded view

the gradient options, as it was in Adobe

Photoshop. Instead, we can set an additional
Opacity for each of the color markers by
means of a special field.
The most important difference is the ability
to edit a vector fill after its application to objects.
The Gradient tool is used for this purpose (as well as
for creation of fill). It allows us to display a special
control line by means of which we can see how
gradient fill is located in the object, where the
reference colors are placed, and so on. Later we
will talk about this in detail.
There is another important difference between
Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. It relates
to the radial fill only. When using it, the Aspect
Ratio field becomes available within the Gradient
panel. If we set a value that differs from 100%,
it is possible to make a radial fill not round, but
elliptical by means of this ratio. It is an interesting
feature that was absent in gradient fills in Adobe
Photoshop, although a similar effect could be
achieved with transformation of area or layer,
filled with a gradient.

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Since the radial fill may be not

circular, the Angle field remains
active when using it. It can be used
to turn a fill inside the object. Of
course, this does not make sense in
case of round radial fill, but if the
fill has an elliptical shape (i.e. when
the proportions differ from 100%),
this would be a meaningful action
and a definitely useful feature for
some tasks.
As it has been said, we can apply
a gradient fill both to the object fill
and stroke that will allow us to get
a stroke with a smoothly varying
color and more complex objects.

There are only two types of gradient fills in Adobe Illustrator:

linear and radial

Colors of the gradient fill are adjusted in the Gradient panel in

a usual way, but there is a significant difference: there are no
specific markers for the transparency setting; instead, each of the
color markers may have its own value of transparency

In order to choose whether a gradient will be

applied to the fill of object or its stroke, we can use
the fill and stroke icons within the Gradient panel.
They are exactly the same as in the Color panel or
in the toolbar.
Applying a gradient fill to the stroke of object,
we will see that the Stroke switch became active.
It is available under the drop-down menu with
the fill selection. By means of three buttons we
can choose three options of the stroke fill with
gradient:
Apply gradient within a stroke. A stroke of object is
filled with gradient transition of colors.
Apply gradient along a stroke. A gradient transition
goes along the stroke repeating the shape of
the object outline.
Apply gradient across a stroke. Gradient transition
of colors goes across the stroke in the outward
direction.

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Different options of application of a

gradient fill to the stroke.
Linear gradient fill (from left to right) is
in the first line: within a stroke, along a
stroke and across a stroke.
Radial gradient fill (from left to right)
is in the second line: within a stroke,
along a stroke and across a stroke.

The type of gradient applied to the stroke is

also very important. It may be radial or linear. The
final result also depends on this condition.
You can apply gradient to an object selecting
it and choosing one of the types of gradient
fill within the Gradient panel, using a sample of
gradient fill within the Swatches panel or by means
of the Gradient tool, immediately specifying the
size and position of the gradient fill in the object.
After application of a gradient we can edit it
as often and long as we wish. In order to do this
you can use options of the Gradient panel or select
the Gradient tool and use a control line that is
displayed on the top of object with a gradient fill.

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Using the color markers displayed on

the control line we can change the position of
individual colors in the gradient transition. We
can change the color of one of the markers by
double clicking on it and thus opening the dropdown menu with a selection of colors.
We can remove one of the color markers just
dragging it with the mouse down from the control
line. We can also select a marker and use a special
delete button available on the Gradient panel.
Double-clicking on an empty area of the
control line we can add a new color marker. In
this case it will have a color that is similar to the
one of gradient transition at this point. You can
also drag a swatch from the Swatches panel to the
control line.
The control line can be used in order to
manage the size and position of gradient fill in the
object. One of the ends of the control line (marked
with a larger marker) is used for its movement in
relation to the object; the second one (a smaller
marker) serves to change the size of gradient
transition. The same marker can be used to rotate
a gradient fill in relation to the object.

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

When working with radial gradients, a dashed

round (or elliptical) area is displayed in addition
to the control line. It shows the end of gradient
transition and the start of coloring the object with
a solid color. Also there are two markers on this
line. They can be used to adjust the size and shape
of gradient fill. One of them is used to adjust the
size and the second to control the gradient
proportions. Via this second marker we can create
not round, but elliptical fills.
Adjustment of the gradient rotation makes no
sense for a round radial fill. Nothing will change if
a circle will be rotated. However, as radial fill may
also be elliptical, adjustment of the rotation angle
of gradient is still applicable for radial gradients.
It can be used to rotate the ellipse of gradient
transition with respect to the object to which the
fill was applied.

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Just as in case of solid color fills, we can use

the Swatches panel in order to store the swatches of
gradient fills as well as for quick their assignment
to objects. There are special libraries of gradient
fills, which are available through the menu of the
Swatches panel. They are collected in the Gradients
submenu and additionally sorted by topics and
character of use.

Download of the libraries of gradient fills using the menu of Swatches panel

Examples of libraries of gradient fills.

Gradient fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Pattern fills
The last section of this lesson is devoted to
consideration of pattern fills. These fills form a
repeating pattern in the object.
You have already learned the concept of pattern
fill in the course Basics of Adobe Photoshop.
However, in this case we will deal with vector
graphics. Vector patterns are used in these fills. It
means that we will get additional features for the
transformation and change of pattern fills, because
they are fully editable. Moreover, they will not
deteriorate because of operations, which can be
applied to them.
In Adobe Illustrator pattern fills, as well
as the solid and gradient ones, are assigned by
the Swatches panel. The program is supplied
with a lot of swatches of fills, which can be used
immediately. They are collected in libraries, which
can be downloaded by means of the menu of the

Pattern fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Swatches panel. They are grouped into three

broad categories there: Basic Graphics, Decorative and
Nature. Each of the groups includes a number of
libraries. Each of the libraries incorporates dozens
of individual patterns. So, in general, it turns out
that we have a lot of patterns to choose.

Downloading the libraries from the pattern fills via the menu of Swatches panel.

Of course, this does not mean that absolutely

all our needs arising when working with different
tasks can be achieved by means of these patterns
applied to the program. That is why we are going
to consider a very important issue how to create
pattern fills independently.

Pattern fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Examples of libraries of pattern fills.

Transformation of
pattern fills
Considering the transformation tools, we have
drawn attention to the possibility of transformation
of objects together with the fill. There are special
options in the dialog box of transformation tools
and in the menu of Transform panel. This is an
important part of working with the pattern fills.
Now we would like to remind you that it is possible
to scale, rotate and distort the pattern fills.

Pattern fills
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Creating a customized
pattern swatch
So, how to create a new or edit an actual pattern in
order to use it together with a pattern fill?
The latest versions of Adobe Illustrator allow
us to do it in a very simple way: in order to create
a new pattern just turn to the Object menu, find the
Pattern submenu in it and use the Make command.
In order to edit an actual pattern click the Edit
Pattern command.
We can create a new pattern without creating
or selecting something. It is possible to create a
pattern separately from objects and add it in the
process of editing these objects. In order to edit
an actual pattern, it is necessary to select either
a pattern in the Swatches panel or an object filled
with a pattern that is to be changed.

Creating a customized pattern swatch

Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

Why it is so easy to create and edit patterns in

the latest versions of Adobe Illustrator? Are there
some complex procedures? Seamless pattern must
be seamlessly joined with its copies when using
it as a fill, so that there were no noticeable joints
or seams. For any pattern it is important that its
constituent objects were correctly positioned and
had a regular shape. They should look beautiful
and prompt both as a single pattern swatch and
as a finished pattern containing a lot of repeatedly
duplicated swatches. Fortunately, Adobe Illustrator
provides us with a special mechanism that enables

Creation of new pattern fills

us to ensure that a pattern was created in a correct

way and appeared good as a whole. If necessary,
we should be able to easily correct the original
objects and to ensure that the pattern was goodlooking and qualitative.
It is very simple to create a pattern. You just
need to use the command Object> Pattern> Make. We
will immediately get a message that our pattern
has been created and added to the Swatches panel.
Now you need to make sure that it was made in a
proper way.
Once a pattern has been created, we
immediately go to the edit mode displaying the
Pattern Options panel. The objects included in
a pattern and their reiterated copies are seen
in the document. It allows us to evaluate if the
individual elements of the pattern were properly
linked up with each other. In the edit mode, we
can work with all the elements used in the pattern
or separately with each of the objects, remove
the extra objects or add the new ones. It is
important: we will immediately see the changes
of the entire pattern. Every action will affect all the
pattern copies displayed next to the changed one.

Creating a customized pattern swatch

Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

If we are sure that the pattern is fine, it is

necessary to find a light gray line located under
the tab with a name of our document. It will
display the following commands: Save a Copy, Done
and Cancel. By means of these commands we can
finish editing the pattern, cancel all the editing
actions or save a modified pattern as a copy. For
example, it is useful when we are going to use both
the previous and new copies.

That is all. The pattern is ready and we can use

it to fill objects.
As you can see, it is not difficult to create a
pattern, at least technically. It is more difficult to
create a beautiful and useful pattern: it requires
not only the features of Adobe Illustrator, but also
the understanding of its purpose and what it is
necessary to do for that and how to take advantage
of pattern fills available in Illustrator.
Lets consider the Pattern Options panel and its
settings, which will allow us to better understand
the possibilities and useful features of the pattern
fills.
At the top of the panel there is the Pattern Tile
Tool button. It is used in order to identify an area
in the document occupied by a single element
of pattern. This area is created by the program
automatically. It is usually based on the objects
selected before the pattern creation. However, it is
possible to designate an area manually using this
tool. You just need to set its positioning, size and
proportions.

Creating a customized pattern swatch

Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

We can finish the creation of swatch using the Done link button available under the tab containing the name of document. It also helps
us to come out of the mode of the swatch editing and return to the normal operation mode

A created fill pattern is applied to the

object

The Name field allows us to give a name to the

pattern or change the current one.
The Tile Type drop-down list allows us to choose
one of five types of the repeating patterns, i.e. to
determine how the individual pattern swatches
will be repeated in order to create a continuous,
infinitely repeating pattern:
Grid is the simplest method of repetition. It
includes elements repeated on the left, right,
above and below each other.
Brick by Row is a more sophisticated method.
Repeated lines of pattern tiles will be offset.
They look like bricks in a wall, which will
never lay exactly one above another: one row
is offset in relation to another one.
Brick by Column is a similar method, but here
the columns of pattern tiles are offset instead
of the rows.
Hex by Column is a more complex method.
A pattern swatch has a hexagonal shape.
Hexagons are arranged in columns and the
columns are offset with respect to each other.
Hex by Row is a similar mode, but the pattern
tiles are arranged by rows, and the rows are
offset with respect to each other.

Creating a customized pattern swatch

Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

When using such pattern types

as Brick by Row and Brick by Column,
the Brick Offset option is available.
It allows us to specify how each of
the rows with pattern tiles (or each
of the columns) will be shifted with
respect to each other. The values in
this drop-down list are displayed
by means of common fractions.
For example, if we set the value
of 1/3, we point out that each of
the following rows of pattern tiles
should be shifted to the right by 1/3
of the width of the pattern swatch.
The Width and Height fields allow
us to set the size of field defining the
pattern boundaries or change them
if they have been already installed.
The Size Tile to Art check box
a l lows us to set t he pat tern
Pattern Options panel
boundaries automatically according
to the limits of objects used for its
creation. In this case, the width and height options
will not be available, because the width and the
height will be determined automatically.

When moving the pattern objects, the Move Tile

with Art check box allows us to shift the boundaries
of the objects automatically in order to prevent the
objects going beyond the pattern tile.
The H Spacing and V Spacing fields allow us to
specify the distance between individual pattern
tiles, i.e. to arrange them back to back, or with a
certain gap. These options are active if the Size Tile
to Art check box has been selected only, because
there is no way to manipulate the distance between
the individual pattern swatches by changing the
size of its boundaries and preserving the small
white gaps on the edges, which would not be filled
with objects. These fields may have negative values.
In this case the individual pattern tiles will be
overlapped with each other.
The Overlap button allows us to select what will
happen if one pattern tile will overlap another
one and how they will overlap each other: whether
the left copies will overlap the right ones, or not,
and whether the top rows will overlap the bottom
ones, or not.
The Copies field controls the number of
displayed copies in order to evaluate the whole
appearance of pattern.

Creating a customized pattern swatch

Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

The Dim Copies to field allows us to discolor

copies to a certain degree in order to make them
visually distinguishable by color from objects of
the pattern swatch being edited.
The Show Tile Edge check box allows us to show
or hide the edges of the swatch being edited..
The Show Swatch Bounds check box shows a
dashed border. Pattern objects should not cross
this border. Objects can go beyond the tile bounds
in order to make individual pattern elements to be
overlapped with each other, but they still must not
go beyond the bounds. It is not allowed to remove
objects from the pattern boundaries to the infinite
distance. This box lets us to understand how far
the elements of pattern swatch may be removed
out of its borders.

Self-test questions
1. What types of samples, which can be found in
the Swatches panel, do you know?
2. What is the difference between local and
global swatches?
3. What are the color groups?
4. How can we edit colors in the color group
using a color wheel?
5. How can we recolor an artwork by means of
the color groups?
6. What are the ways of adjustment of transparency
within the gradient fills of Adobe Illustrator?
7. What are the additional features of radial
fill in Adobe Illustrator compared to Adobe
Photoshop?
8. How can we use a gradient fill in order to
change the appearance of object stroke?

Self-test questions
Gradients
Basics of Adobe Illustrator

9. How can we transform a pattern f ill

independently from the object that is colored
with it?
10. How to create a new pattern for a pattern fill?
11. Which mechanisms of Adobe Illustrator
allows us to control the way of construction
of a uniform pattern by means of individual
copies of the pattern swatch in an easier
manner? For instance, how can we know
that they are joined at the edges in a proper
manner, or there are no seams between them?
12. What types (forms) of the fill swatches can be
used in Adobe Illustrator?

Vladimir Zavgorodniy
Elena Ukrainskaya
BASICS OF ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
LESSON 6 GRADIENTS

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fragments cannot be replaced by alternative, non-copyrighted counterparts, and as such,
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Vladimir Zavgorodniy, 2015

Elena Ukrainskaya, 2015
STEP Computer Academy, 2011
www.itstep.org