A Tutorial on using the Gradient Mesh tool in Adobe Illustrator 10
One of the most unique and fun features in Adobe Illustrator is the Gradient Mesh. Curious to know what the gradient mesh can do? The image above was created using a gradient mesh. You can also click here to see a few other images created only with the gradient mesh tool and Illustrator 10.
If you’ve looked at this tool in Illustrator, I’m sure you felt as I did when I first looked at it – overwhelmed. The best way to think of the tool is like finger painting. You’re constantly pulling and pushing, adding and moving the color around to achieve the desired look.
Gradient meshes look confusing and complex, but in reality, they’re rather simple. A gradient mesh can be thought of as net placed over a solid filled object. Using the various “holes” in the net, and points where the mesh intersect, you can add color, highlights, and shadows. You can also maneuver this mesh and specific parts of it exactly where you want it to add color and shading to make an object look three-dimensional and realistic.
In this tutorial, together we will create part of the image shown above using the gradient mesh tool, then using the skills you learned, you will finish off the image yourself. What I will teach you is the technique that I personally use for creating gradient mesh images. Not everyone may not like to use this method and may have their own techniques. Also, as we progress throughout the tutorial, remember to save often and take breaks as necessary to rest your eyes. Working with gradient mesh can be tedious and hard on the eyes and body.
! Please note: This tutorial is written for Intermediate users of Adobe Illustrator who are familiar with the menus, tools, and features of Illustrator 10, especially the Pen Tool. Throughout the tutorial, there will be a number of images displayed. Just click on any of the images to open them in a new window and keep them open for reference while working on the tutorial.
If you're ready to begin, click the link below and let's get started!
The Basics I know you're anxious to jump right to the part where we actually make something using the mesh, but first it's important to recognize the various parts of the gradient mesh. As shown in the image below, the parts of the gradient mesh are:
Mesh Lines: These are straight (or curved) lines which can be used to change the shape of the object or the direction of the color. Mesh lines are added in a few different ways which we will learn about later. They are moved using their control points just like moving other lines in Illustrator.
Mesh Points: Mesh points are the basis of the mesh. They control where color is placed, what direction it goes in, and the overall shape of the mesh. Mesh points are also the place where the mesh lines intersect . At these points you can add color that will radiate out from the point to the surrounding parts of the mesh. You can select, move and delete these mesh points which will move the color around throughout the mesh or alter the shape of the mesh.
Mesh Patch: This is the section within the four mesh points. You can add color to the mesh patch that will radiate out from within to the surrounding areas.
Control Lines: These are the lines which control the curve of the mesh lines, and the amount of color applied to both a patch and a mesh point. These lines are selected and moved like all other curves and lines in Illustrator.
We will go into how color is added to the mesh, and moving the control points and lines later in the tutorial.
At this point, let's get started! We are going to be making the following image using only the gradient mesh:
(Click on the image below to open it in a new window if needed for reference throughout the tutorial)
Get comfortable at your computer and click the link below to begin when ready.
Creating the Shape for the Mesh 1. Open Illustrator and create a new document selecting the standard letter size document (8.5 x 11 inches) in landscape mode, with RGB Color.
! TIP: The first thing I like to do when working with an image is to hide the page tiling and art board. This eliminates confusion when you get into the thick of things with your image later on and are looking at multiple lines. If you find that you’ve created your image too big, or off the page, you can easily move it or resize it. If you prefer leaving the art board and page tiling visible, that is fine too.
2. Delete any unused swatches in your color palette. We will be building a palette of color swatches as we go along. There should be no color swatches left except for black and white. Be sure your color picker palette is visible, along with your layers palette. We will be using those often, in addition to the swatches palette.
3. Chose a base color for your first shape that will be the basis for the colors in that part of your image. For the drape we are making I selected a baby pink color (RGB 242, 183, 208). Add it to your swatches palette since we will be using it often once we start adding the mesh.
4. With your newly created color selected as the foreground color, begin drawing the basic shapes of the drape as shown in the image below. I made a few Bézier curves and straight lines to create the left drape then copied and reflected the left drape to make the right drape. I decided I would make a window type scene, so I added a drape across the top for aesthetics and placement.
You can create the drapes using whatever tool and method works well for you. However, if a shape is going to be turned into a gradient mesh, I found that the pen tool works best because of the smooth lines and simple points it creates. (Click the image below for a larger version that will open in a new window)
Each of the parts of the image above are separate shapes. I've outlined them with a 1 point stroke of black to make it easier to see, but for your image, do not use a stroke.
! TIP: In my image of "Ghost Dancer" (final image shown here ), I created the foot, ankle, and laces as separate images. This made it easier to "mesh" each section without worrying about overly complex shapes and colors. How many shapes you use to make up your image depends on how complex the shape and color of your final image will be. When working with detailed, complex images, it is sometimes better to use separate shapes that you can layer then to try to fit everything into one big mesh. Using various smaller shapes results in a more controlled environment that you can create your image out of.
At this point, we're not concerned with the finer details of the image, various shades of colors or the exact shape. We just want to get the basic shape, layout and idea of the image down.
5. This step is one of the most important steps in working with gradient meshes.
Select your entire image (using the Select all option from the menu), and make a duplicate of it. Copy it to a new layer, name the layer “backup” (or something similar) and hide and lock the layer. This is your backup should you need to revert to it. You could save it to a new file, but I like to save the shapes to the same file and then hide them so it is handy if I need it later.
Once you create the gradient mesh, you will not be able to go back to the “unmeshed” version of your image. Sometimes you may find that you need to abandon the mesh and start over with your basic shape. If your shape is a difficult one to make, or an odd shape, this could be very discouraging. Creating a backup of your "raw" shapes and image before starting to add the mesh will save you countless hours of work and frustration in the long run.
! TIP: At this point, it's helpful to select what section of your image you want to mesh first, then select the remaining shapes in your image and lock and hide them in the layers palette. This eliminates the amount of artwork on your screen (which can speed up redrawing if you need to zoom in and out), and will eliminate accidentally clicking on the wrong shape when working with the mesh.
Now, the moment you've been waiting for...adding the mesh!
Adding the Gradient Mesh to your Shape
I know you're anxious to start adding that mesh to your image. And we will! First, there are three rules that I like to keep in mind when working with gradient meshes.
1. It’s easier to ADD then delete. This is important when making your mesh so that you don’t overdo it at first and drop in too many mesh points which can later be a confusing, jumbled mess to try to work with.
2. Take your time! Stop and look at your image after each mesh point is added. See how it’s developing. Sometimes you will find that the last point you added was perfect in color and placement and nothing more needs to be done. If you keep adding points without looking after each one, you may overdo it, or miss the perfect point and end up with a muddled mess of color and mesh.
3. The undo key is your friend. When meshing, I have one hand on my mouse, and the other on my undo key. Often times I’ll drop in a mesh point, or have it be a color that is all wrong and have to undo it. Sometimes, I’ll drop in multiple mesh lines, only to find that they’re all wrong, and so I just undo back.
Now there are a few different ways of creating mesh objects. You could:
OR
! TIP: Contrary to the image shown above, I have found that using the create gradient mesh option tends to put the mesh points in places I don't want it to go, which then becomes difficult later on to manipulate and move. Manually adding mesh points gives you more control over where the points go, and the colors of each point. Plus, it’s fun to watch the image start to “come alive” as you add a few points. Also, by adding the mesh points one by one, you can start small, with only the minimum lines you need to get the coloring and shading down, then add additional mesh points and lines as needed.
So...here we go!!
1. First, make a few more color swatches that will be the highlights and shadows in our image. We will be using these as we lay down some of the mesh. I made the following swatches using the color picker and RGB Color mode: (from Left to Right) 242, 183, 208 (baby pink), 242, 227, 233 (light pink), 175, 47, 121 (dark pink), 221, 76, 138 (medium pink).
2. Look at your image and visually decide where the highlights and shadows fall. These will be the places where we will add our mesh points and colors that will make our image "come to life".
3. Take your mouse, click on the mesh button (circled in red in the image above the swatches) in your toolbar (or press the letter "U" on your keyboard) and hover your curser over the left drape. You'll notice your cursor change into a plus (+) sign indicating that you're ready to place a mesh point where your cursor is.
4. Select the medium pink color as your foreground and click along the horizontal line at the top of the drape towards the right (as shown in the animated image below). This will add a vertical mesh line that follows the natural curve of the shape (in this case, the drape) and extends the length of the drape. Deselect the image.
5. Next, select the light pink swatch as your foreground color and add a second mesh point. Click on the same horizontal line at the top of the drape, but a bit to the left of the first line. You will see a second vertical line created.
6. Repeat this process, alternating medium and light pink swatches until you have a total of four vertical mesh lines. If you place a mesh point in the wrong place, you can use the Undo command, or click on the point you just placed using the direct selection tool and delete it.
|  |  |
| Where to click to place the mesh points. | The image after points have been placed. |
Notice how as we add the mesh lines, the image is starting to look a bit like a pleated drape. Since drapes gather towards the middle when pulled back, we will need some coloring there as well. So let's add a few mesh lines horizontally this time instead of vertically which will allow us to add color to that spot.
7. With the medium pink color selected as your foreground color, click just below the middle point on the right side of the image where the drape is pulled in. Be sure to click on the outline of the drape. This will add a horizontal mesh line that will extend the width of the image and follow the angle of the area where we are placing the point.
8. Click a second time just a bit above the first mesh point you added (above the center point of the drape), thereby placing a mesh line towards the top half. Click one more time in the middle of the drape and add a third mesh line in the middle. Notice how the horizontal lines extend at a slight angle down instead of straight across. The lines are following the angle of the curves of the shape.
! TIP: When adding mesh points, keep in mind the location of the point, what is around it and the direction you want the color to go in. If you click on an empty area of a shape, the mesh line will extend horizontally and vertically. If you click on an existing point (either on a mesh line or an anchor point), the mesh line will extend perpendicular to the existing line. The lines will follow the general direction of the shape, and the angles of the curves. Although sometimes they will seem to do rather crazy things and go in the opposite direction of where you want it to (or expect it to go).
As shown in the image on the right, the color mostly extends through the top half of the drape. Given that the color is a gradient, it is strong at one part (in this case, the mesh point, and gradually lightens as it extends out. Since the shape is quite long, and the start of the color is at the top, it doesn't extend as far down as the bottom. If we want the color to appear in the bottom half of the drape, we need to add color to the mesh points along the bottom. There are a few different ways to add color to a mesh that has already been placed.
One way is to click on a mesh point with the direct selection tool and then click the color you want that mesh point to be. You can also add color as we did above, by selecting the color before placing the mesh point. Another way to add color is to select a color swatch and drag and drop it to the mesh patch (the space between the lines). This will add the color in the patch and it will radiate out. We will now colorize the bottom half of the drape now so it matches the top half.
8. Locate the two mesh points at the top of the drape that are light pink. Follow the lines visually to the bottom of the drape and select them. To select both points, first click one, then shift + click the second one. With the two mesh points selected, click the light pink color swatch in your palette. The lines will change to light pink. Repeat this same procedure with the medium pink color and the other two mesh points. The end result should look similar to the image below.
![]()
! TIP: There are a few different ways to select mesh points. You can click on them with the direct select tool, and use the Shift + Click option to select more then one. You can also use the direct select tool to draw a box around a bunch of mesh points to select them all. Lastly, you can use the lasso tool to draw a custom "lasso" around mesh points. The Lasso tool is useful when you are working with a mesh that has a lot of tightly packed mesh points.
Congratulations! You have completed the first half of creating an image using the gradient mesh. Though our image doesn't look finished yet, it will as soon as we add more color, and shading. Before we continue, let's review a few important points to know when working with the gradient mesh.
1. Clicking on an empty area of a shape will add a mesh point with lines that extend horizontally and vertically, following the general shape of the image.
2. Clicking on an existing point will add a line that extends perpendicular (either horizontally OR vertically) to the existing line.
3. When placing mesh points, keep in mind the general location where you want to add the highlights or shadows, and using the colors (light or dark), place the mesh points accordingly.
Now we are ready to add some shadows to make our image come to life, and really get our hands dirty with the mesh. When you're ready to proceed, click the link below to go to the next step.
Bringing the Image to Life
Now we are going to be adding some highlights and shadows to bring out the "folds" of the drape.
The first thing to do is add another color to our swatch palette. Using the color picker, create a burgundy pink color. I used RGB 114, 0, 5. That may be a bit too dark for your tastes, so feel free to adjust it as you see fit. Once you've mixed this color, drag it to your swatch palette for handy use.
Click the upper right point of the drape with the direct selection tool (shown in the red circle below) to select that mesh point then click the swatch of the new color we just created (burgundy color). As you can see from the image on the right, the edge of the drape was accentuated with the very dark pink color. However, it does not extend the length of the drape, or even to the middle. As mentioned earlier, this is due to the placement of the point. The way to fix this is to add more points along the edge of the drape that you can add color to.
With the mesh tool selected, and the very dark pink selected as the foreground color, click on the right edge of the drape to add the dark color and mesh points the length of the drape. You will notice that this places horizontal lines across the drape, and that it also extends the dark color down the edge of the drape as well. This is exactly what we want.
 |  |
| Placing the mesh points | After the mesh points are placed |
Drapes normally have dark areas where the folds (or pleats are). We added dark color to the inside edge of the drape, but now we need to add some to the rest of the drape to bring out the folds. To do this, add more vertical mesh points by clicking on the top and bottom of the drape, as shown below. Using the base pink that you originally created your drape with, add the additional mesh points.
Click to view the image in a separate window
In the image above, I've added quite a lot of vertical mesh points, about three times then what I originally placed. The reason for this is I knew, as I started adding vertical mesh lines, that not only would I need a dark color, I would need a midtone as well. Therefore, I added enough lines to allow me to add the very dark color, and the dark pink that we have in our swatch palette. Don't worry if you didn't add the exact amount of mesh points that I did, or in the exact same spot, the main thing here is to add enough lines to be able to add the proper coloring and shading that we need.
! TIP Don't be afraid to experiment with placing mesh points in various places, or using various colors on different mesh points. Sometimes the best results come from accidents and trial and error.
Next, we will adjust the colors of the vertical lines by adding the burgundy, dark pink, and light pink to shape the pleats. Using the direct select tool, click on all the mesh points in a single vertical line on the top half only of the drape. Then click on the colors in your color palette accordingly to add light, medium and dark shades to the drape as shown below. Be sure to select the intersecting points on each vertical path so that the color doesn't stop halfway down the image. You can use the direct selection tool and the Shift + Click option to select multiple mesh points or use the Lasso Tool to "collect" the mesh points.
Click to view the image in a separate window
Keep working in this manner adding color until the top half of the drape is done. Just be sure to add color to the mesh points on the vertical lines, not the horizontal lines. You can add color to the horizontal lines, if you like, but what will happen is the color will start at the point you add the color, and radiate out from there and may not give you the look you want.
Next, we will add detail to the drape and shading and highlights to the bottom half. We will also prepare for the final step - moving the mesh to give the drape some finishing touches. When you are ready to proceed, click the link below.
Adding Details
At this point, I usually like to add some details to the image I'm working on. It gives me a break from the repetitive nature of working with gradient mesh, and sets the tone for how I'll complete the image. Plus, it really makes me feel like I'm making progress when I add that one detail that just makes you say "WOW"!
I've completed the shading and highlights on the top half of my drape, and so far, it's coming along nicely, just as I expected. However, drapes that are drawn usually have something holding them back - either a ribbon, tieback, or tack. Let's add a solid satin ribbon to our drape. It's not much, but does add a nice finished look.
To do this, draw a rectangle using the pen tool, since there should be a slight curve to it following the general flow of the drape. Apply a linear gradient to it using similar colors as in your drape. I used the following settings:
Click to open in a new window
The pink on either side of the gradient is RGB 217, 42, 116, and the white in the middle is at a 60.67% angle (to follow the lighting of the drape). You can leave the sash as is, but it may appear a bit bright. What I did was duplicated the sash, applied a solid fill of pink from our swatch palette (RGB 242, 183, 208), and overlayed that on the gradient sash. I applied a 57% transparency using the multiply blending mode. This toned down the brightness of the sash while bringing out the colors some.
Once you have the satin sash created, move it over the gradient mesh into position in the middle of the drape.
! TIP: You may want to lock your mesh so you don't accidentally click on it while placing the satin sash.
Now let's go back and finish adding the colors to the bottom half of the drape like the top half. Following the same procedure we did on Page 4, add the dark and light colors to the bottom half of the drape as shown below:
Let's add a some shadows under the satin sash tieback at the middle of the drape as well. Using the direct select tool, or the lasso tool, select the horizontal row of mesh points in the middle of the drape (the row that the sash is covering) apply the very dark pink color to them. By adding the dark color to that particular row, it will gradually radiate out from under the sash and give a nice subtle dark look of a shadow.
! TIP: Hide the satin sash in your layers palette so you can see the mesh points easier. Also, zoom in if you are having trouble selecting the row of mesh points.
As you can see from the images above, our drape is almost finished, but lacks the few final touches to call it done. We will add those next.
For the next part, we will be working with the bottom row of our drape moving the mesh and mesh points to create the actual ruffle of the drape. However, moving mesh is sometimes a precise task, and to do so at the normal zoom level may not give the fine control needed to accurately move the mesh where it should go.
Therefore, let's set up a custom view of our image with a zoomed in version and a full-view version. Depending on the size of your image, the size of your mesh, and the complexity of your mesh, you may be zoomed in on your image sometimes as much as 600% and more (usually this is the case with complex, heavy meshes). It is more efficient to have a side-by-side view of your image zoomed in and out so you can see the changes real time, without having to constantly zoom in and out. Shown below, is the layout I use:
To create the view shown above, do the following:
1. With your image at 100% normal view, select view --> new view. Name it something you’ll remember. I named mine “Zoomed Out”.
2. Zoom in quite a bit on the area where you'll be working, to about 500% or 600%.
3. Create a new view of the zoomed in version. Go to view --> new view then name it different then the one you just made. I called this one “Zoomed In”.
4. Save your file with the new views. This way when you open your image again, the views will be already created, and all you will have to do is arrange the windows.
5. Click on Window then New Window. This will put the New View (Zoomed in) into a new window. You can tell the difference between the two windows by looking at the file name at the top of each window. They will be named filename.ai:1 or filename.ai:2. (Where filename is the actual name of your saved image).
6. Switch back to the first window (filename.ai:1) by going to Window and selecting the other window from the list on the bottom. Make sure this window is in the First (Zoomed Out) View. If not, switch it to the zoomed out view by going to View and selecting "Zoomed Out" (Or whatever you named it).
7. Click on Window again, then Tile. This will tile the windows side by side. You can arrange the windows how you like them (vertically or horizontally). I prefer vertically, side by side with the full view on the left side. Now, when you’re working with the mesh, and adding points with color, you don’t have to zoom out to see how the recent change looks, you can see the changes instantly in the other window.
We are ready to move onto the final step in this tutorial. Once you have the custom views set up to your preference, and are ready to proceed, click the link below.
Finishing Up
Our drape is looking really good, but it lacks the few final touches to make it shine. In this step, we are going to move the mesh at the bottom of the drape to follow the natural pleats of a drape. The first thing you want to do is ensure that you are zoomed in on the very bottom part of the drape. We created a custom view in the last step which you may want to set up again now before proceeding.
Like with adding color, or mesh points to an image, there are various ways to move the mesh and adjust the shape of the image. One way is to click on the entire patch within a mesh using the direct selection tool and move it where you want, as shown below:
However, when you move the mesh this way, you will not only move the patch you selected with your cursor, you will also move the adjoining patches in conjunction with that patch. If you look at the image above, though the patch at the bottom is being moved, the patch immediately above it and the mesh lines to either said of the patch moves along with it.
You can also move the mesh by selecting a mesh point, then dragging the control lines in the direction you want the lines to go. Moving the mesh this way will define what direction the color that is on that mesh point will go. Using this method of moving mesh, you can also alter the angle of the lines and therefore, adjust the angle of the color of that particular line.
Another way to move the mesh is to select on a single or multiple mesh point(s) with the direct selection tool and move them that way. This is the way we will be moving the mesh to create the ruffles at the bottom of our drape.
We will now move the mesh to create the curves of the drape that naturally occur when a drape is pulled back. Following the dark lines in our drape, which indicate the shadows, we will push that section of mesh up to give the appearance of the fold in the drape (as shown above). Using the direct selection tool, select the mesh points at the very bottom of the drape only that surround the very dark pink color and move them up. When you first click and move them, you will see only the wireframe move, but when you release the mouse button you will see the color of the mesh snap into the new position. Continue this procedure to make a total of three upward curves. You may need to adjust the curves or add a few more then three depending on where your vertical mesh lines are, and the placement of colors.
Play around with the mesh points at the bottom, and the control lines until you have the bottom of the drape the way you like it. Be careful though, you may become addicted to moving the mesh!
The Completed Drape
Congratulations! You have now used the gradient mesh tool to create a realistic looking image. To finish off the image so it looks like the one on the first page, just duplicate and reflect the drape and place it next to the one above. Add a top drape of your choice using the techniques you just learned to finish off your image of the Window Treatment.
Step 1: Open up a stock image in Photoshop of any size and/or format. The best results for this tutorial usually involve large images with a definitive horizon or absolutely straight edge (such as the brickwork of a building, if you wish to correct the skew in an image of a building, etc).
Step 2: Select the Measure Tool from the tools palette. If you are having trouble finding it, its underneath the EyeDropper Tool.
Step 3: To perform the rotation, simply select Image > Rotate Canvas > Arbitrary from the main menu. The Measure Tool will have already entered in the correct angle of rotation for us. Just make sure that the direction of rotation is set correctly (i.e. either clockwise or counter-clockwise), and press OK to rotate your image.
Step 4: Now that you have the results of your rotation, complete with corrected horizon, all you need to do is knock out the black areas with the Crop Tool, a skilfully-used border, or even the Clone Stamp Tool. Have fun!
