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Z
Zero S1gnol
Participant
October 27, 2023
Question

Gradient to black hard edge issue

  • October 27, 2023
  • 3 replies
  • 284 views

Hi,

Perhaps this is a bug in the latest version of Illustrator, or a settings issue on my part. Whenever I apply a gradient from whatever colour to black, the black side will generate a hard edge well before its endpoint, making it impossible to transition any colour into black in my designs. Yikes! I can transition into any other colour though, as long as it's not near black values. Issue also stays visible when I export to other file types.

 

Any ideas?

 

See screenshot, this is a RGB file, black taken from regular swatches.

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 30, 2023

Can you share an I llustrator example file with such a gradient example?

Dropbox, CC file sharing, Google, WeTransfer

Z
Zero S1gnolAuthor
Participant
November 4, 2023

Of course,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lCRQPWBPNK-2Lnh3DXNAHlJ6mUOuvkvy/view?usp=sharing

Ton Frederiks
Community Expert
Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 4, 2023

Looks correct to me. In your top middle example, the gradient does transition to a full black.

You can check that by choosing Object > Expand 

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 27, 2023

You have moved the center point of the gradient way to the yellow side. 

Does this look the same when you export it or print it? 

Z
Zero S1gnolAuthor
Participant
October 30, 2023

I did move the center to the yellow side, correct. When the the gradient center is actually 'centered' the black side isn't really black at all. The yellow side does line up seamlessly with a solid yellow block though. I illustrate this is the screenshot below, where there are three rectangles, yellow solid, yellow to black gradient and black solid, next to eachother.

 



I don't have a printer, but that is irrelevant; I am designing for screens.

B
Community Expert
Bobby HendersonCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 27, 2023

Are both the black and yellow color values in your gradient using the same color model? An RGB yellow mixed with a CMYK black can yield strange results. The same goes for mixing a spot color (such as a Pantone spot color) into a gradient.

Z
Zero S1gnolAuthor
Participant
October 30, 2023

100% both RGB colours.

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