Expert: Amy - 2/13/2004

Question
Amy,  Whenever I try to fill my objects with the gradient tool I can't seem to select the colors they change from.  They seem to default to black and white in the gradient box.  Is there a way to change this so that I could have a blue box or sphere that fades from light blue to black?

Thanks again Amy!

Best wishes,

Mark  

Answer
HI,

The way the gradient works is a little frustrating.  I've used AI for, well, longer than I care to admit and it still seems klutzy.

It helps to have the Color Window (F6) and the Gradient Window (F9) both displayed close to each other and close to your object... just makes it easier.

Click on the little arrow in the Color Window's top right corner (this is called a flyout menu) and choose Show Options. Click on the flyout menu for the Gradient Window and do the same.

Then select your object.

Now click on the gradated square in the Gradient Window and your object fills with the default gray gradient.

**Keep object selected throughout this whole procedure.**

At the bottom of the gradient Window, you'll see the gradient slider bar and two default tabs. Click once on the tiny tab on the left.

In the Color Window, click on the flyout menu and choose RGB or CMYK and adjust the color slider bars to whatever you like.  You should see your gradient and the selected object change.  Now click on the gradient slider bar tab on the right.  Go to the color window and adjust again.
You'll need to use the flyout menu to get to the CMYK or the RGB menus.

Now you can also drag swatches of color onto those slider bar tabs.  But you can't click a slider bar tab and then select a swatch.  At least not in the version I work in, they might have improved that.  Doubt it, though.

You can also make more complicated gradients by clicking in various locations on the slider bar.

And here's a hint.  When you get a gradient you like, drag it over to the swatches window by dragging that square in the gradient window and dropping it into the swatches window.

Good luck,
Amy