How to Use the Gradient Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator
See Adobe Illustrator: Tips and Tricks for similar articles.Gradient Meshes allow for very flexible and detailed application of color to objects. A Gradient Mesh creates a grid inside the object that follows the contour. Color can then be applied to grid points, and different colors between grid points feather into each other.
This function is found in Illustrator CS5, CS6, and CC.
- Select the object, then go to Object > Create Gradient Mesh.
- Set the number of Rows and Columns. Check Preview, if necessary, so you can see the grid, then click OK.
- The grid has anchor points at the ends and intersections of the grid lines. Choose the Direct Selection Tool and click one of the anchor points and you'll that they are Connector Points with Bezier handles. This means you can adjust the contour of the grid lines, if necessary.
- Select the Gradient Mesh Tool and make sure that Fill is active. Click on one of the grid points in the object, then click a color in the Swatches Panel.
- Continue selecting different grid points and applying color. Be careful around the edges. If you click the path where there is no grid point, you'll add another grid line.
- Note that the Gradient Mesh Tool only allows one grid point at a time to be selected. If you want to apply the same color to more than one grid point, use the Direct Selection Tool instead. After clicking the first grid point, hold down the Shift key to select additional ones.
Related Articles
- Creating an SVG logo
- How to Use the Gradient Tool in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use the Gradient Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator (this article)
- How to Use a Photoshop File in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Live Paint to Color and Paint Artwork in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Put Type in Perspective in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create Variable-width Stroke Profiles in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create a Line Graph in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create a Pattern Brush in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Isolation Mode in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Add Spot Color in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Draw Inside Mode in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Find and Replace in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Divide Basic Shapes into Component Pieces in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Work with Bezier Curves in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create a Brochure in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use the Shape Builder Tool in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use the Group Selection Tool in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Check Spelling in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Image Trace in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Global Color Swatches in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Manage Artwork with Sublayers in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Import Illustrator Files Into Adobe Animate
- How to Create Shapes from Multiple Paths in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Adjust the Default Artboard in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create a New Document in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use a Color Group to Change Multiple Swatches in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create a Package File from a Template in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Work with Hidden Characters in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Work with Template Layers in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create Symbols for Mapping Artwork to 3D Objects in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Work with Threaded Text in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Convert Type to Outlines in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Draw Behind Mode in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Adobe Illustrator to Create Website Graphics
- How to Create a Custom Pattern in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Use Warp Design Elements in Adobe Illustrator
- How to Create Custom Graphics from Letter Shapes in Adobe Illustrator