Freeform Gradient Problem

[DrStrik9]

Today, I'm trying to make freeform gradients for the first time. It's turning out to NOT be intuitive, to say the least!

To begin, I set up some swatches of the colors I might like to use.

As a TEST:

I made a square object, filled it with dark blue, and while the square is still selected, selected the gradient tool: chose freeform, point, added a gradient point into my blue box, and while that gradient point was still selected, chose a lighter blue swatch, expecting the gradient point to be the lighter blue inside the darker blue box.

But now the ENTIRE BOX is the lighter blue, and the former darker blue is GONE, as if I wasn't using the gradient tool at all! -- I've rebooted AI, and started over and tried the same thing, always with the same bad result.

Even if I double-click on the gradient point and select the lighter blue from the swatches that come up locally, once again, the ENTIRE OBJECT turns the lighter blue, and there is NO GRADIENT AT ALL.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for any intelligent help.

(AI 2019 23.0.1, MacOS 10.13.6, MacPro 32GB)

[Anna Lander]

this thing was always with gradient working: when you select a gradient point and choose a color in Swatches panel, you fill all the object.

Normally, to change the point color, you have to make double-click on the gradient point and chooe the color in the pop-up panel (you can use the internal Color, Swatches or Eyedropper)

if the tool's behaviour is still wrong, please, show the screenshot, it might help to suggest something more

[DrStrik9]

Anna,

Thank you for your kind reply.

However, as I noted in my original post, this does NOT WORK. (Quoting: "Even if I double-click on the gradient point and select the lighter blue from the swatches that come up locally, once again, the ENTIRE OBJECT turns the lighter blue, and there is NO GRADIENT AT ALL.")

So I'm still stuck.

I restarted the computer, but this did not fix the issue. So I totally uninstalled AI 2019, and am in the process of installing and setting it up again, so we'll see if that helps.

I'll report back when I get a chance to test freeform gradients again ...

[michelew83603738 · Accepted solution]

How many gradient points are in your object? Any chance that all the points are selected or that only one gradient point exists in your object? That could turn your entire object one color.

[DrStrik9]

michelew836...:

Sorry I didn't see your post until after I discovered the multi-point requirement on my own. I marked my answer as correct, but if possible, I will change it to mark yours as correct.  :+)

[DrStrik9]

I just want to THANK all of you who helped me figure this thing out with freeform gradients!  Sometimes, it can be the smallest thing apparently missing from the online docs that can waste the better part of a day ... either that, or after reinstalling AI 2019, the FOUR points finally came up in my test square, which made solving the problem I was experiencing OBVIOUS!  :+)

[michelew83603738]

Just glad that you found your answer and are able to work with the tool. I find them a lot of fun and very creative!

[DrStrik9]

OK, I reinstalled AI 2019, and the Freeform Gradient Problem PERSISTS.  😞

But ... I think I just discovered the problem ... there IS no "background color" in this freeform gradient mode. The freeform point gradient ONLY works if there is MORE THAN ONE GRADIENT POINT in the object.

DOH!

Wow, it sure would have been nice if the docs has SAID that!!!

[Monika Gause]

DrStrik9  schrieb

Wow, it sure would have been nice if the docs has SAID that!!!

I don't know which docs you read, but this doesn't have a hint to a "background color" (don't know where you got that from)

Create gradients in Illustrator

[DrStrik9]

Monika,

Good point. I didn't mean to cast doubt on the docs, which now seem adequate, once the apps worked properly; I think I just googled something about how to make freeform gradients work, and followed what it said. When that didn't work, I did the next natural steps: ask for help, reboot the app, reboot the computer, reinstall the app. After all these, the solution became obvious, because four points finally appeared in my test object, demonstrating the solution, making the "missing" doc info irrelevant (and not needed) -- so the docs are fine; reinstalling AI 2019 made the solution obvious.

Cheers

[Monika Gause]

The "initial gradient stops" appear when you have the preference "context sensitive options" turned on (it's in Preferences > General, the bottom right option)