I'm using Illustrator CC (on a Win7 Pro machine) at a beginner level, probably halfway to intermediate. I'm trying to learn how to blend colors together for highlights of various types (skin tones, clothing, light on objects, etc.) so that when I'm making a graphic for a project I'll have a decent idea of which tool/technique is best for the specific effect I need.
I'm trying to use the Smooth Color option in the blend tool. Late yesterday afternoon I recall creating two ellipses (one of which was a solid fill and one of which was a gradient going from black to transparent) and getting a smooth color transition between the two. It was a much harsher effect than I was looking for so I didn't keep it. This morning, while trying to replicate the same thing, I seem to be unable to use smooth color between two objects if one or more of them has a gradient applied. I only get what you see below, which is a step between the two objects.
I've done searches and found multiple references to blending gradients in this way and have followed those instructions (create the shapes, fill with the gradients, then either click on the Blend tool and click on the center of each shape, or click on Object -> Blend -> Make) but I can't seem to get a Smooth Color blend if either object has a gradient applied. Am I missing an important step somewhere? I'm 95% sure I accomplished it yesterday and nothing has been changed since then.
I realize the blend tool might not be the best option in this particular instance but this is just a learning exercise for me. I could as easily have chosen a metal or plastic object (and I'm sure I will do some of each to practice) but I would probably still be here asking the same question.
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Yesterday's test involved default rectangle and ellipse shapes with fills applied. Hardly a complex scenario.
You wanted to see it:
Expand appearance not available:
This is the result of the blend:
You will always have to check the blend steps so that there are neither too many nor too few.
@KarynRH
This issue has plagued me for years!
Today I was having this problem again and I found this thread as a means to see if there was a solution. It basically told me what I do already - manually define steps.
However it got me thinking that there must be a reason why it works sometimes and not others.
The answer is - the tool needs data from which its calculations can derive the proper outcome.
What data does it need?
If you have a square with the colour R0 G0 B0 and another square of R255 G255 B255 and a Smooth Colour Blend is applied, then the tool's coding will get the larger of the value sets and minus the lesser of the value sets. In this case, 255 - 0 = 255. It then gets the distance between the two objects and divides this distance into value sets which define the best transition between the objects, perhaps R5 G5 B5 > R10, G10, B10 > R15 G15 B15, etc.
If both of the colours present in the squares were R255 G255 B255, then 255 - 255 = 0. Now you can't divide 0 with anything, or divide by 0 itself, so to stop Illustrator crashing, there would likely be some coding to the effect of "if X = 0 then X = 1". This is why you would be presented with 1 step when Smooth Colour Blend is used.
This can be made apparent when you create two squares with both R0 G0 B0, create a smooth blend, then change one of the squares to R2 G0 B0. 2 steps are created. Change this to R1 G0 B0 and you get 1 step. Change it to R0 G0 B0 and you are left with 1 step.
The Smooth Colour option for the Blend tool doesn't make a smooth colour based on visual aesthetics of a continual non-stepping graduation, but rather a calculated and approximated representation that does the thinking for you.
Why do some objects not blend correctly or despite ample colour value variation, still step incorrectly?
Perhaps you have some text "Smooth Blend" on two lines. These were create using the type tool, they were then expanded into shapes. You then copy it and change its colour. You create the blend and it steps badly. Why, if I have the required amount of variation in the colour values, does it still step badly?
Part of the Blend tool is not just about colour but also shape. So if the tool can't calculate a smooth transition between the shapes, it likely still has the clause "if X = 0 then X = 1". While I can't expand on how it would calculate this (I would assume it is based on X,Y coords for each node assigned on a path with some other algorithms to approximate transition shapes), but that's beyond me 
; there is a way to fix it and make it work.
If you delete the copied expanded text, leaving the original in place, you can copy and paste it directly on top of the original. Selecting the two expanded text objects directly over eachother, you then use pathfinder (I like pressing alt here while clicking the Unite button then click "Expand" to ensure the operation has worked the way I want it). Now you have effectively made a new object with no "history". This object no longer holds the seperate node groupings of the expanded text object since it is likely that the expand command runs left to right, top down in creating the objects.
Now when you create your objects to blend, it will smoothly blend the shape and the colour.
Note: This "fresh object creation" trick can be used in any instance where an object isn't behaving properly.
@Cydward: With your example showing the stepping, you might need to apply this "fresh object creation" to overcome this fault in your transition.
Hi. I am having the same issue,in CS6. I have a tutorial where a blend is working as desired, then I am changing the two strokes defining the extents of the blend. When I change the opacity from 100% the blend has problems generating smooth colour. In fact when I change the opacity of one stroke, the blend degrades to a number of individual strokes. It appears that with the smooth colour setting, internally, Illustrator is creating discrete steps - just enough of them to give the illusion of a smooth colour blend. Here I duplicated the blend and changed the lowest path to 10% opacity. I then changed it to a different solid colour and this now clearly seems to be using steps. Answer - not 1005 reliable...
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