New Illustrator Gradient Type: Freeform Gradient (Adobe Help Page)

Sample File
This type of gradient was really hard to do before!

Added in Illustrator CC 2019, Freeform Gradients use points and/or lines to allow customization of a gradient within a shape.

To apply a freeform gradient to a shape:

Select the shape, then choose Menu > Window > Gradient to open the Gradient panel.
Click icon for Freeform Gradient next to "Type:"

Gradient panel with Freeform set as Type

The Gradient tool will be selected and points will appear on the shape icon for Freeform Gradient Color Steps (the number of default points varies by shape). Each point represents a color stop in the gradient. The colors will automatically blend from point to point, point to line, and or line to line within the shape.

To move a point within the shape, drag it.
To set a point's color, double click it.
To add additional points, click anywhere on the shape where there isn't currently a point.
To remove a point, click it then press Delete on a Mac or Backspace in Windows.
To expand or reduce the spread of the color from a point, click the point, then drag icon for Freeform Gradient Color Spread at the bottom of the dashed ring that appears around the point. The bigger the ring, the more the color spreads and vice versa.
To make the color from a point more or less transparent, click the point then set the number by OPACITY in the Gradient panel.

Freeform gradients can also be set using lines.

Click LINES in the Gradient panel.
Click in the shape to set the starting point for the line.
Click again to create another point and a line will automatically connect it to the previous point. Repeat until the line is complete. The line will automatically curve through the points.

The points in a line can be moved, added, deleted, and have their color and opacity set using the same steps as above.

Freeform gradients can be made using a combination of points and lines. Just click POINT or LINE in the gradient panel to switch between them. When finished, switch to another tool to set the gradient. To edit the gradient later, select the shape then either switch to the Gradient tool or click EDIT GRADIENT in the Gradient panel.

Cool Gradient S

Based on Satori Graphics YouTube Video

cool_gradient_S.ai

1. Draw a 2" circle (which is 144pts)

2. Give the circle a 144pt stroke. (Same as width of circle. You can also enter "2 in" and Illustrator will convert it)

3. Apply a linear black to white gradient with the Stroke set to "Apply Gradient Along Stroke"

4. Change the color from black/white to something pleasing

5. Rotate the circle by draging on the corner. Hold shift key to lock it into 45°

6. This bit is tricky. Duplicate the circle by option-shift clicking it and pull it down...

6a. ...until the edge of the gradient is tangent to the upper right edge

7. Rotate the bottom circle 90°

8. Another hard to see bit. You can faintly see the circle at the bottom in the previous image...

8a. ...edit the gradient so the start point of the gradient is at 25%

9. Finally, if you want to play around with different colors top and bottom, place a square at 45° at the intersection of the two circles...

10. ...then you can mess with different colors

If 2pm, jump to here

Working With The Paint Brush Tool

Makes editable paths similar to the Pen tool (demo)

The Paint Brush Vs The Pen Tool

vs.

Brushes

The Brushes Panel

Same path, different brush

Load brushes from the popup menu in the lower left of the brushes panel

Click on the above to see at full size.

Brush Categories

Illustrator has five categories of brushes, which you'll see when you choose Create New Brush from the brush panel. Each brush category has its own dialog to control its behavior.

Brush Options by Brush Type

Brush Options: Calligraphic

Calligraphic brushes are based on elliptical shapes of various sizes. You can use a graphics tablet to vary the Angle, Roundness, and/or Size of the brush based on the pressure applied to the stylus (but don't forget to set the variability or it won't work).

Brush Options: Art Brushes

Art brushes are made from existing vector graphics. Setup is fairly complicated, we'll look at some examples later in the semester.

In fact, brush design is hard. We'll cover more on custom brushes later...

Painting With Illustrator

Modifying Strokes

With the Width tool

Expanding The Paint Brush Stroke

Since the Paint Brush tool makes only strokes/paths without fills, it's often useful to turn it into an object whose outer visual boundary is a stroke and interior is a fill.