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Question

Old gradient mesh in illustrator

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
July 7, 2022
6 replies
4465 views

Two years ago I created a beautiful hummingbird using gradient mesh and the mesh tool and I shocked myself on the finished project. Now I am trying to create another work of art using the gradient mesh again, but now it automatically fills in when created. Before it never did that. Is this ability to have a clear gradient mesh gone for good or is there a setting I need to utilize in order to get my clear mesh back?

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Egor Chistyakov

Inspiring

Mesh objects can’t have 'no fill' — technically.

I am afraid Bill Silbert made an incorrect assumption.

No 'clear mesh' is possible, in whatever version of Illustrator (I tested it in 10, CS6, just to be sure). Perhaps you are confusing it with the Outline technique, as many here suggested.

You can change the opacity of a node though, but it does not fit your story.

Freeform gradients can’t have 'no fill' for stops also, so it’s not the case also.

Kurt Gold

Community Expert

Very nice images, Virginia, but none of them show a selected gradient mesh and the raster image underneath.

Any chance that you can provide the original Illustrator file? Did you perhaps use the meshes in Outline view?

In case you can't, let's see if someone else may confirm your findings about different mesh mechanisms that were supposed to be there two years ago.

VirginiakayAuthor

Participating Frequently

For some reason everytime I try to send you the copy of the Illustrator version of the hummingbird and liscence plate I get the error...

"Correct the highlited errors and try again.

The attachment's liscence plate ai content type (application/postscript) does not match its file extension and has been removed. "

The message is for both files, so I am not able to send them to you. If you have an e-mail address or some other way for me to send it to you I will.

Jeff Witchel, ACI

Community Expert

Also I checked the time stamp on the original Illustrator applications of the hummingbird and liscence plate are September 27, 2019. I looked it up and that should be Illustrator 2019.

Not sure if you saw my answer above, but you should really give it a try. It works!

I'll paste my answer below.

"This is probably the technique you're looking for: http://www.jeffwitchel.net/2012/01/gradient-mesh-magic/

What makes the Mesh "clear" is going into Outline Mode in just the Mesh Layer. (Mac: Command/ Windows: Control + Click on the Visibility Eye in the Mesh Layer).

Thank you Todd Ferris for teaching me this tool."

Kurt Gold

Community Expert

Virginia,

no offense, but I doubt that you were able to create a gradient mesh without any fill colour two years ago.

As long as I can remember gradient mesh objects that have been converted from unfilled paths always got a white fill colour by default. Just did a quick test in Illustrator CS 5 and it applies there as well.

So, you may have taken some completely different routes and it would certainly be interesting to know how you did it with your hummingbird.

VirginiakayAuthor

Participating Frequently

Actually I did create it using a clear mesh. I created that as well as a rainbow trout. I have included the pictures and their originals.

Jeff Witchel, ACI

Community Expert

This is probably the technique you're looking for: http://www.jeffwitchel.net/2012/01/gradient-mesh-magic/

What makes the Mesh "clear" is going into Outline Mode in just the Mesh Layer. (Mac: Command/ Windows: Control + Click on the Visibility Eye in the Mesh Layer).

Thank you Todd Ferris for teaching me this tool.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

Please describe exactly how you create the mesh (step by step) and show us screenshots of what is happening and also tell us what you expect to happen instead.

VirginiakayAuthor

Participating Frequently

Ok two years ago I created a beautiful hummingbird using gradient mesh over a photo of a real humming bird (included). the mesh was clear and I was able to color as I went. Please don't ask me the steps I went through back then. I think I just created the mesh over the picture and I bagan to work. Now when I try the mesh it auto fills. So as I stated in my previouse post. I create a file I place my photo that I am trying to recreate into the file. I adjust the artboard accordingly then I create a new layer. I lock the original layer then I make sure that my fills are disabled. I then create a empty shape that I want to use for my gradient mesh then go to object then create gradient mesh and it auto fills. very frustrating.

Bill Silbert

Community Expert

If the object that you want to make into a gradient mesh has a fill of None and then you apply Object>Create Gradient Mesh the resulting mesh should remain clear. You can then select individual anchor points within the mesh with either the gradient mesh tool or the direct selection tool (white arrow). Whatever anchor points you select will then have colors you choose radiating from them. If you want the mesh you create to have a gradient fill to start with rather than a flat background then choose "To Center" or "To Edge" from the Appearance pull-down that is within the Create Gradient Mesh dialog window that pops up when you first create the mesh. For more details see: https://www.webucator.com/article/how-to-use-the-gradient-mesh-tool-in-adobe-illustr/

VirginiakayAuthor

Participating Frequently

Hey Mr Silbert

Thank you for responding. I do everything I am supposed to. I create a new document, I place my photo in the document. I create a new layer. I lock the original layer and then I turn off the fills then I create a clear oval over the part I wish to recreate and I go to object then hit create gradient mesh and it automatically fills. I am very frustrated. I cant turn off the fill. 2 years ago it never did that. It was always clear to where I could see my picture and then I could color over it. Am I missing a setting somewhere? All the videos and research I have found shows to click the eye on the layer of the mesh to put it on outline then use the navigator to show where I am coloring in. I dont want to do that nor did I have to do that 2 years ago. I just created the mesh over my picture and began coloring. This is very frustrating.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

How do you create the Gradient Mesh? Select an object and choose Object > Create Gradient Mesh?

VirginiakayAuthor

Participating Frequently

Im sorry Mr. Fredriks... Did you even read my post? I know how to create a gradient mesh. My problem is that it automatically fills when created. It never used to do that. Am I missing a setting somewhere?

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Of course I read your post., Vrginiakay. But after doing something 2 years ago you may not remember now all the steps you took.

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