Gradation in Illustrator

[ericflash]

I'm trying to get the hang of gradients in Illustrator. I have always used flash for this and I guess it’s what I’m used.
Ok my question is when you have let’s say I have two color blocks in the gradient well one black at left one white at right. In flash you can highlight one of the color blocks and set it’s opacity down to 0% and leave the other up at 100% to give a fade out appearance. How can I achieve this in Illustrator? When I highlight or double click the blocks nothing happens. I also tried to highlight the block and then use the transparent palette to set the block to 0% but it set the overall gradient color to 0%. This is kind of driving me a little crazy.

Can anyone please help?
Thanks,

[Black_phoenix]

Hi, as far as I am aware it can't be done you cant set a zero transparency, if anyone does know how you can do it, please let us know.

bp

[Sasocki]

There is a way (and its on the tip of my toung ) I think if you just click the no color swatch it should set, other wise i'd say you had to double click it . I'll get back to you with an answer sooner or later

[Black_phoenix]

There is a way (and its on the tip of my toung ) I think if you just click the no color swatch it should set, other wise i'd say you had to double click it . I'll get back to you with an answer sooner or later

I look forward to your solution

bp

[happy20003]

i don't think i understand your question, you want to create a fade out appearance in illustrator. i would click on the item and go to the transparency pallet and click on the opacity to any kind of number you want. it should work

[Black_phoenix]

hi, happy20003 what version of Illustrator are you running ?

also where do you access the

transparency pallet

please post as it will be of interest not only to me but to future Illustrator users.

thx in advance

bp

[happy20003]

forgot to tell you that i am using illustrator 10

[ericflash]

I'm using illustrator 10 too.
Ok so you have two color blocks in the gradient pallet.
You want to set one color block lets say the left one to opacity 0% and the other color block to 100% on the right like you can do in flash.
This will allow one side of the gradient to have solid color and the other fading to clear no color opacity 0

I think that should make sense I hope.

[wouter999]

Best and most detailed manner would be creating an opacity mask. You duplicate the item you want partially or completely transparent, make pieces black and white, or a black to white gradient or mesh gradient. Then select both items (the original and the grayscale one, with the grayscale one on top) and you go to the transparency pallete and go to the little arrow on the right. Then select "Make Opacity Mask". In your mask, the blacker the portion, the more transparancy. For instance K:100% is fully transparent, K:0% is fully opaque.

[wouter999]

Here's a little step-by-step image:

[Black_phoenix]

Hi, thanks for that wouter999

bp

[Sasocki]

Ahh, here i've been spending all this time, still with no luck, and when i finaly think i might got something someone beet me to it .

[wouter999]

Tee hee... You're welcome.

[ericflash]

I have a question to add to this. How can I use the mesh gradient? IF I have my gradient selected and then try to use the mesh tool it goes back to a solid color and will not let me select a gradient from the gradient pallet?

Thanks for answering the opacity question and the great diagram showing it. Thane was amazing.
Thanks.

[wouter999]

What you need to do with Mesh gradients is not using the gradient tool. For instance, if you have a circle, just colour it fully black, then use the Gradient Mesh tool. You will now get a mesh. Select the point where it crosses, and give it a different colour, et voila.