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Matt Engdall
Matt Engdall
Participant
May 31, 2022
Answered

Strange stars in vector graphics in Illustrator CC

  • May 31, 2022
  • 1 reply
  • 982 views

I cannot figure out for the life of me what these BIZARRE and OBNOXIOUS stars in my design are. It's like they're cuts into the different layers on my design, but they don't show up with paths selected and it's not an appearance panel pattern or selection.  I can't figure out how to get rid of them either.  I'm trying to work on a logo for a client, but when I go to save the graphic, they appear there too and look WORSE! I need help. I've tried quitting Illustrator, I've tried saving the file locally, I've even tried copying the work into another file and it's still there.  This is really messing with my workflow and I can't move forward because I'm constantly having to deal with this!! The only other discussion post I found was 5 years ago and there was no solution posted.  PLEASE HELP!

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Correct answer Matt Engdall

Fixed my own problem. If you're experiencing this, it's because you creating a swatch sample (shape other than a square with a color) and dragged it into your color swatch panel.  This turns it into a pattern swatch and therefore causes confusing chaos.  Instead, select your colors, select "new color group" in the swatch panel, and add the colors that way.  Apparently Illustrator CC 2022 is buggy like this as I've never seen this issue before and clearly (from the very little I found on the issue) it's a unknown phenomenae.  So therein lies the solution.... I hope.

1 reply

Matt Engdall
Matt EngdallAuthorCorrect answer
Participant
May 31, 2022

Fixed my own problem. If you're experiencing this, it's because you creating a swatch sample (shape other than a square with a color) and dragged it into your color swatch panel.  This turns it into a pattern swatch and therefore causes confusing chaos.  Instead, select your colors, select "new color group" in the swatch panel, and add the colors that way.  Apparently Illustrator CC 2022 is buggy like this as I've never seen this issue before and clearly (from the very little I found on the issue) it's a unknown phenomenae.  So therein lies the solution.... I hope.

Doug A Roberts
Community Expert
Doug A RobertsCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 31, 2022

Does it behave differently in Illustrator 2021? As far as I know, dragging an object to Swatches has always created a pattern swatch.

    Matt Engdall
    Matt EngdallAuthor
    Participant
    May 31, 2022

    If it did in the past, it never caused an effect for me like the one I experienced last night. Either way, solved and thank goodness it is. 

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