Gradiant Guru - where r u?

[Graham_Newman@adobeforums.com]

I really don't know if this is possible in any version of Illustrator but I would like to keep this vector if possible. Checkout the logo my client has asked me to copy.

<http://www.jopah.com.au/re.jpg>

I have tried recreating this using a number of sectors like peices of a pie, but can't get a soft blend between the peices.

Would love to hear from u if u have solution or idea.

graham.

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

This has been discussed a lot from time to time, but here's the method I like, which makes half the circle. You can copy and rotate or reflect-copy to get the other half, or use the same method to make the other half with different colors/blends.

Draw a rectangle. Fill it with the gradient you would like for half your circle. Expand the gradient, using about 40 steps.

Go to Effects - Warp - Arc. Give it a Bend of 100%, and drag the Distortion - Vertical slider to the left until you get the diameter and hole you want.

Hope this helps.

[David_Sansom@adobeforums.com]

Another possibility is as follows,
Draw a 1pt coloured line the size of half of the CD, With the Rotate tool selected Option click on the inner end of the line and select 45°, 'Control D'
to duplicate this line 6 times so you have 8 lines rotated about a common centre.
Give each line a different colour and blend each adjacent line, you will end up with a colourful octagon shape. Draw a no-fill circle to act as a mask to cover
the straight outer blend lines. Draw a white filled circle for the middle hole.

[JasonSmith@adobeforums.com]

This could be done in Photoshop AND be vector.

[Scott_Weichert@adobeforums.com]

This could be done in Photoshop AND be vector.




Nope.

It could be done in Photoshop and have a VECTOR CLIPPING MASK. Big difference between a vector piece and a raster piece with a vector clipping mask.

[Graham_Newman@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Guys,
I think photoshop would definately help me out but I want a totally vector solution. I think the closest solution is from D. Sansom because the gradient must be circular. Not linear. At first attempt the transition from sector to sector was too pronounced so I will try 30 degree rotations. I will post a link to my next attempt. Thankx again.

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Gary's use of the Warp Effect AFTER Expanding the gradient will produce
a beautiful radial (aka "circular") gradient for each half of the disk.

[Mordy_Golding@adobeforums.com]

Here's the way a good friend of mine, Laurie Grace, once taught me...

Draw a rectangle and fill it with your gradient. Expand it (depending on how big you want to make your logo, use anywhere from 50 to 100 steps). Then release the clipping mask that's automatically created. Drag the expanded gradient into your Brushes palette and save it as an Art brush. Draw a circle and apply the Art Brush that you just defined. This will give you the entire full circle, not just half.

:) Mordy

[Gary_Newman@adobeforums.com]

When Sree Kotay developed Sree's Cool Tools, a full featured suite of filters for Illustrator, it included a circular gradient plug-in. I think it had color stops you could drag around just like in the regular gradient palette. But by the time he went into business with HSC Software, which eventually novaed as MetaCreations, his suite was renamed KPT Vector Effects and the circular gradient was bumped from the lineup. Where is Sree, anyway?

[Doug_Katz@adobeforums.com]

Great technique, Laurie Grace! Just great!

[JasonSmith@adobeforums.com]

Ok Scott - true.

But with the glow and inner shadows on the example provided, there is going to be pixel data in the file regardless of what program it's done in.

[Graham_Newman@adobeforums.com]

<http://www.jopah.com.au/re2.jpg>
This how i am progressing with the blend method. However I still want a softer transition between the colours (the green - blue one doesn't matter as it will be covered).

:::Newsflash:::

I just realized what 'expand the gradiant' means, sorry gang (and Gary in particular), the introduction of flash has taken me away from Illustrator over the last few years! Sheet! It works great - will post results tomorrow.

[Wade_Zimmerman@adobeforums.com]

Graham two things in making the original gradient where you want it look like a highlight fading into and out of white add a white gradient fill and begin and end the gradient strip with the same color so when the meet they will look seamless.