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A
Anonymous
May 14, 2009
Question

Angle Gradient Effect in Illustrator

  • May 14, 2009
  • 7 replies
  • 52319 views

Hi,

I am trying to acheive the same angle gradient effect that can be done in Photoshop but in Illustrator. The actual thing I want to be able to create as a vector is the graphic attached...

Can this be done by somehow using the blend tool and replacing the spline with a circle?  Can someone walk me through the process?

Many thanks in advance.

Kit

      7 replies

      Z
      zachubb89
      Participant
      September 5, 2014

      Here is how to make this particular example using a 100 pt circle and a 100 pt stroke.

        B
        branka_bluedot
        Participant
        July 25, 2025

        Thank youuuuuuu

        T
        travisschau
        Participant
        August 27, 2014

        Just wanted to note for future reference that this feature has been added (and buried) in Illustrator CC.

        First, apply the gradient to a stroke instead of a fill. Because you can do that now

        In the gradient panel, there's a sub-option for "stroke", and the middle option is "apply gradient along stroke."

        If you make the stroke width the same as the diameter of the circle, this will achieve the desired result.

        Here's a screenshot of what I came up with. Obviously the reds on my gradient need to match.

          B
          Boomstation
          Participating Frequently
          December 21, 2015

          You awesome dude, you - thanks so much for this. I saw the convoluted 9-step method and died inside.

          S
          Scottie D
          Participant
          October 30, 2013

          This thread is 4 years old but here is a solution to make angle gradients in Illustrator CS6 and CC, which now have the capability to apply gradients on strokes.

          1. Make a circle and give it a stroke equal to half its size and align stroke to center.

          Example: 100px circle with  a 50px stroke.

          2. Apply a linear gradient that has the same color on the starting and ending stops (if you want a seamless gradient) and apply gradient along stroke.

          3. Apply Path > Effect > Offset Path half the amount of the stroke size and make it a negative value  so the path offsets inward.

          4. Done!

            KDS4444
            KDS4444
            Inspiring
            March 15, 2014

            Scottie-- this seems to work very well in Ill. CC, but when I convert the image to an SVG file, my strokes get converted to rasters because (apparently) the current consortuim for SVG files does not include the ability to handle gradients placed along or across strokes-- so Illustrator makes these into rasters when the imaged is converted to an SVG file.  I am looking to achieve the same effect you demonstrate here in a format that will hold up in SVG.  Is there such a beast?

            Monika Gause
            Community Expert
            Monika GauseCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            March 15, 2014

            A blend should be able to do that as well as a brush.

            Both might produce a somewhat heavy file because of the amount of objects.

            A
            Anonymous
            August 29, 2011

            I want to do this as well - but can't follow the instructions? I am relatively new to illustrator.

            I don't understand how to use a 'gradient mesh'.
            I find this under object>create gradient mesh - but it makes a funny box grid. Or am I don't something wrong?

            E
            emil emil
            Inspiring
            August 29, 2011

            Select the object and go to Object menu > Expand. In the box that opens check Gradient Mesh.

            H
            Harron_K_Appleman
            Inspiring
            May 14, 2009

            This question comes up from time to time.

            Can this be done by somehow using the blend tool and replacing the spline with a circle?

            Yes, you can. However, I think it's easier to create a linear blend, make an art brush out of it, and apply the brush to a circular path. See this previous discussion.

            (Since links seem to have been destroyed when old posts were imported to the new forum, I'll repost the image I created back then using this method. The sequence of posts in that thread is also now out of whack, but you'll get the drift.)

            http://xrl.us/bhxep

            frax_-L75d7K
            frax_-L75d7K
            Known Participant
            May 14, 2009

            If you can tolerate a raster image in Illy (depending on output etc) - you can do it P-shop and place in Illy.

            JETalmage
            JETalmage
            Inspiring
            May 14, 2009

            Given that radar or sweep grads are common in other drawing programs, it's silly to have to resort to this, but...

            JET

            A
            Anonymous
            May 14, 2009

            Thanks Jet. While this is close to the angle gradient in Photoshop it isnt quite the same. The gradient on yours has an outer to inner perimeter glow to it.  Do you know of a way to exactly imitate the photoshop effect?

            Thanks

            W
            Wade_Zimmerman1
            Inspiring
            May 14, 2009

            take a look at this thread in a different forum

            http://www.graphic-forums.com/showthread.php?p=247312

            If you carry it to an extreme you can go as far as this but you can also give it multiple sweeps with different color

            and do things like this but take a look at the thread as it shows you how to do exactly what you want to do.

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