When applying gradients to text, it turns it black

[abreanna]

When applying color to my type, color works just fine in the appearance panel however, when I go to add a gradient, it turns my text black. I also tried using the bottom panel, as seen in the photo and it still does the same thing. 

Please help 😞

Thank you

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

Don't select your text with the Type tool.

Use the Selection arrow to select the text object.

In the Appearance panel, add a new fill and change that fill to a gradient.

[katskillz]

Hey there, I just tried this and it didnt work - had the same issue where the text turned black whenever I tried to select a gradient in the Appearance panel. So in case it doesn't work for anyone else, my solve was putting my black text over a box of the gradient I want, and I just it ctrl+7 to mask it. Worked like a charm.

[pixxxelschubser · Accepted solution]

To do:

1. set the Fill in Appearance Panel to [None]
2. double click on [Type] in Appearance Panel
3. add a new Fill (Options in Appearance Panel in the top right corner)
4. set your gradient to that Fill

[Katie Houghton]

Type in Illustrator can not have a gradient unless you go to an outline. You can also just use a clipping path to apply the gradient. InDesign has less complex gradients so it can have gradient on type.

[Ton Frederiks]

Type in Illustrator can not have a gradient unless you go to an outline.

Not true. See the solutions above.

[pixxxelschubser]

@Katie_Houghton

Read my posting again.

😉

without any outline:

@Ton It's really better to remove the default black Fill from the characters before applying the gradient to the type. That is the clean solution. Otherwise you will get a tiny "shadow stroke" around the characters.

[Ton Frederiks]

You are absolutely correct, remove the fill from the characters and only apply it to the type object.

Otherwise you can get the top result when applying a transparent gradient.