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DrStrik9
DrStrik9
Inspiring
January 5, 2019
Answered

Freeform Gradient Problem

  • January 5, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 6854 views

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)

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer michelew83603738

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.

1 reply

Anna Lander
Anna Lander
Inspiring
January 5, 2019

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
DrStrik9Author
Inspiring
January 5, 2019

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
Community Expert
michelew83603738Community ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 5, 2019

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.

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