Gradient Meshes

• Open the gradient exercise document
• Select the butterfly
• Transform>Reflect Vertical 90 degrees and click Copy.
• Use the pen tool to connect the two open paths

  Components of a Gradient Mesh

1. Anchor points appear as square points. They are the standard anchor points associated with the pen tool. Edit them with the pen tool
2. Mesh points are diamond shaped ( called "anchor points" by Smart Guides) They are used for assigning colors and can be moved, added, or deleted.
3. Mesh lines crisscross the object and connect the mesh points. They act as guide for placing and moving points.
4. A mesh patch is an area that is defined by four mesh points.

  To convert an object into a gradient mesh using the gradient mesh tool
  (For more detailed information go to page 282 of the Illustrator book)

• Select the whole Butterfly and fill with a color. Choose None for stroke.
• Choose the Gradient Mesh tool
• Click on the butterfly to create a mesh point. Mesh lines will appear immediately with the minimum number of lines
• Click to create more mesh lines
• (If an alert dialogue box appears it means that you have to remove points from the path before you can convert it into a gradient mesh. You can do this with the Delete Anchor point tool or the Smooth tool.

  To convert an object into a gradient mesh using a command

1. Choose the Selection tool and choose an object that is not a type object, compound path or linked image., and apply a solid color.
2. Choose Object > Apply Gradient Mesh.
3. Check Preview.
4. Enter the desired number of rows and columns for the grid.
5. From the Appearance popup menu choose Flat, Center or Edge.
6. If you choose To Center or To Edge choose an intensity percentage for the white highlight.
7. Click OK.

Each Mesh POint and Mesh patch can be assigned a color and each color will blend into it's surrounding area. Click a mesh point or a mesh patch to add color.

  To recolor a gradient mesh

• Zoom in on the object and deselect it.
• Choose the Gradient Mesh tool (U) or the Direct-Selection tool (A), click a mesh point
• Choose a color from the Swatches palette.

You can use Smart Guides to help you find the mesh points. Choose View menu and turn on Smart Guides and check the Text Label Hints Box in Edit menu>Preferences> Smart Guides.

  or

• Choose the Direct-selection tool click the Mesh object then drag a color from the Color or Swatches palette over a mesh point or mesh patch.

  or

• Choose a fill color from the Color or Swatches palette . Choose the gradient Mesh tool, then click insider the mesh patch.

  or

• Choose the Direct-selection tool, click a mesh patch, then choose a fill color. The Direct-selection tool doesn't create a new point, but all four mesh points that surround the patch will be recolored.

  To add mesh points or lines

• Choose the Gradient Mesh tool (U)
• You can click anywhere on the mesh object and a new mesh point will appear
• Shift-click a mesh line to add a mesh point without adding the current fill color
• Optional To recolor the new mesh point with a color from another part of the object, keep the point selected, choose the Eyedropper tool (I), then Shift-click a color in the object.

  To add or remove square points

• Choose the Add anchor point toll (+), then click the outer edge of the mesh object or click a mesh line inside the object

  or

• To delete an anchor point, choose the Delete-anchor -point tool (-), then click the anchor point you want to delete.

  To delete a mesh point

• Choose the gradient tool (U)
• Option-click the point. The Gradient mesh tool will appear with a minus sign next to it. The mesh lines that go through that point will also be deleted

  To reshape mesh lines

• Choose the Direct-selection tool, then click the Gradient mesh object to select it
• Use the handles to reshape the mesh lines

  or

• Drag a mesh point. You can do this outside the mesh object.
• Drag a mesh patch. You can do this outside the mesh object.

  or

• With Gradient mesh tool, Shift-drag a mesh point to drag it along an existing mesh line

  To expand a standard gradient into a separate objects

• Select the object that contains a gradient ( not a mesh gradient)
• Choose the Object menu> Expand
• Click expand Gradient to: Specify. Enter the desired number of objects to be created.
• Click OK
• Use this technique to simplify a gradient that won't print