Making a gradient follow a shape or curve?

[Brett_Ghost]

Hello. I'm new to Illustrator and have been coloring a comic in the software. I'm trying to make gradients but have been running into a lot of problems with it. I've attached an example picture where I'd like to get the current grey gradient to look like it's following the curve of the shape. The gradient that is on there now was made with the linear gradient tool. This is close to how I'd like it to look. It would be great if I could get the gradient to look like it's blending in with the light grey instead of just a line showing where it ends. However, the linear gradient is only making the gradient as the straight line. Is there a way to get a similar look but have the gradient form around the curve instead of as a line? I've tried all the other gradient tools and they haven't done what I'd like. I've tried making seperate colors and blending them to form a gradient. I tried bluring the seperate colors and that didn't work either. I also tried the mesh tool but that seemed complicated and for some reason was not showing the gradient at all. 

[Ton Frederiks]

You could try an Envelope Distort.

Here made with the Top Object and the option to distort Linear Gradients.

[Tina_Irvine]

Hi @Brett_Ghost,

If you sample the colour you'd like it to blend with, using the eyedropper tool, and then add it to the end of your gradient, it should blend, rather than create a line.

The gradient mesh tool is very useful. It takes a little practice, but you'll have more control with it. Here's a quick YouTube video. Basically, you'll start with a solid colour, and then just click where you want highlights/shadows/other colours. You can click on each node that you add, and adjust the colour and direction.

[Brett_Ghost]

Hello. I tried the Envelope Distort just now and it does not appear to change the gradient at all. I've tried the mesh tool on this curve as well and it just doesn't seem to do what I'd like.  

[Ton Frederiks]

Did you set the option to distort a linear gradient?

[Brett_Ghost]

In the Envelope Options? Yes, I had checked the distort linear gradient box. There was no change that appeared.

[Jacob Bugge]

Brett,

As I (mis)understand it, you may consider a blend between two paths, one strecthing from the boundary of the black path to the opposite curve where you wish the colour transition to start, and the other being a narrow path following the opposite curve on top of the former.

A safe way to make a consistent transition could be to add Anchor Points to the the opposite curve corresponding to those of the black path, and then use a(n adapted) copy as the opposite side of the narrow path.

You can make the transition smooth or in distinct steps with the Blend Options, and especially since you mention a comic, a suitable number of distinct steps can be more suitable, corresponding to the stepwise transitions elsewhere in the screenshot.

[Brett_Ghost]

I'm finding what you're explaining confusing. I'm fairly new to Illustrator. Can you provide a video or photos of what you're meaning?

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Go to YouTube and search for Adobe Illustrator Blends or Blend Tool. You will get LOTS of tutorials. 

[Brett_Ghost]

Unfortunately, none of the videos I have checked out and tried based off the instructions has helped achieve the gradient look I'm wanting. That's why I posted on the Adobe community; I thought I may have more luck here. 

[Monika Gause]

2 lines with different color and opacity:

Object > Blend > Make

Caution: Blends between differently shapes lines can get really tricky. This one worked on first try, but you never know.

[Brett_Ghost]

This is kind of close to the gradient look I'd like. How exactly do you go about doing this?

[Monika Gause]

I described the steps in the post. Exactly what is not clear?

[Bobby Henderson]

You could try applying a gradient to a line stroke and then experimenting with the stroke thickness using the Width tool. Gradients on line strokes can have varying levels of transparency for things like neon line effects. The combination of clipping masks and varying stroke widths can help with certain shape modeling effects.