Import gradients from Illustrator to AE without buying an $80 plugin?

[Dan27407918zbpm]

I have looked all over the place, and have not found a solution to this besides being the overlord plugin. 

[thepixelsmith]

You can import an illustrator layer with gradients into AE, and as long as you don't need to convert it to a live AE shape layer the appearance will be preserved. 

The overlord pluginis the only way I have ever seen to get a shape layer (with only linear or radial gradients) from Illustrator to a shape layer in AE.

You could always recreate the gradient in AE once the Convert to Shape Layer command has done the conversion.

This is one of the reasons most users only recommend converting an imported vector graphic into a live shape layer in AE if you have some compelling reason to do so.