Swatches manual

Introduction
The swatches are for Illustrator , they include gradient and pattern swatches. The documentation gives details on the installation and use of the swatches in Adobe Illustrator . The swatches are generally known as Illustrator pattern swatches, Illustrator gradients swatches, Illustrator CS3 colors, etc, I will be using the term swatches throughout. Illustrator is registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated Andrew

Installation of swatches (gradients or patterns)

Please place the GX*.AI files into the presets 'gradients' folder or in the 'patterns' or with the latest version, swatches (the swatches folder might be below an additional folder of 'en_US' or 'en_GB' depending on your set language i.e c:\program files\adobe\adobe illustrator CS2\presets\patterns (PC) HD:applications:adobe illustrator CS2:patterns (OS X) You can always place them in a user folder as well (requiring no permissions) but then you will always have to search for the files using the 'other library' option on the swatches palette If you place them in the applications or program files folders using a basic account, the OS will ask for permission and you will have to enter your admin and password. This is nothing to do with the swatches, it is purely the permission system of the OS

New install location (alternative one for CS4)

Please place the patterns swatches in the <user>: library : ApplicationSupport : Adobe : Adobe Illustrator CS4 : en_US : swatches folder. Again, depends on the username (Andrew, Maggie, Steve or whatever your current username is) and the en_US depends on the language so it could be en_GB etc en_JP etc Please place the Illustrator gradient swatches files in your user folder [user] \ appData \ roaming \ Adobe \ AdobeIllustrator CS4 settings \ en_US \ swatches changing theen_US to en_GB etc as required and the [user] toyour username. Youwill then see the gradient files appear in the preset browser dropdown for the swatches panel.

For versions of Illustrator

PC C:\program C:\program C:\program C:\program C:\program files\Adobe\Adobe files\Adobe\Adobe files\Adobe\Adobe files\Adobe\Adobe files\Adobe\Adobe

CS4\presets\en_US\swatches CS3\presets\gradients (or patterns, if patterns) CS2\presets\gradients (or patterns, if patterns) CS\presets\gradients (or patterns, if patterns) 10\presets\gradients (or patterns, if patterns or swatches)

Illustrator Illustrator Illustrator Illustrator Illustrator

MAC HD:applications:Adobe HD:applications:Adobe HD:applications:Adobe HD:applications:Adobe HD:applications:Adobe

Illustrator Illustrator Illustrator Illustrator Illustrator

CS4:Presets:en_US:Swatches CS3:Presets:Gradients (or patterns, if patterns) CS2:Presets:Gradients (or patterns, if patterns) CS:Presets:Gradients (or patterns, if patterns) 10:Presets:Gradients (or patterns, if patterns or swatches)

Initial use of swatches

Access the swatches via the load libraries functionality of the swatches palette. 1) Open the zip file 2) Expand contents 3) Go to the swatches for Illustrator folder within expand folder files 4) Select the *.AI files 5) Copy 6) Go to the Adobe Illustrator presets folder and then paste the files into either gradients or patterns (depending on the file set) 7) Open Illustrator 8) Go to to the window menu and select swatches to display the swatches palette 9) Go to top right of palette and display menu and select open swatch library option and then select an item from menu list 10) Select swatch (this will place the item in the document swatch library) 11) Apply to path etc

fig. Swatches palette

Opening the actual swatches folder / editing source swatches

Depending on the swatches set, some of the swatches file display the swatches in the document space / artpad. If there is nothing displayed, the swatches are only visible in the swatches palette (display via the window command swatches). If you wish to modify the swatches at source, modify them via the actual swatches file and then re-save the file.Make a backup before editing the file as you may corrupt the filestopping any further access to the file Editing the swatches, change the swatch in the swatches palette(if you change the design displayed in the document space, the swatch is not updated) 0) Backup Backup Backup the documentbefore editing !! 1) Open document 2) Display swatch palette via windows command 3) Drag swatch from the swatches palette 4) Edit the swatch (retain the surrounding non fill non stroke bounding box) 5) Drag back into the swatches palette (this won't replace the existing but will create a new swatch, you may wish to delete the existing one via the delete / bin command) 6) Save document to Illustrator 10 format (or even earlierif you wish)

Applying swatches to a path

1) Windows menu 2) Swatches 3) Display swatches palette 4) Go to the right menu and select a swatches library (via other library command or list) 5) Select path 6) Go to opened swatch library 7) Select swatch (swatch is now added to the swatches palette for the document) and applied to path If the swatch is a gradient, modify the gradient further by using the gradient tool such as changing the angle or length or type or aspect of the gradient. If the swatch is a pattern, there is little you can do but you can re-scale etc the pattern

fig. Gradient applied to path

Scaling and rotating and shearing patterns

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Select path containing swatch fill Object > transform Shear etc Set the object to not checked, leave the pattern as checked OK

Use the scale etc to re-scale a small or big pattern.

fig. Original pattern swatch

fig. Pattern with 45 degree shear

fig. Pattern with 45 degree rotate

fig. 20% scaling

fig. Pattern moved

fig. Pattern reflected

Applying swatches to text (pattern)

1) Windows menu 2) Swatches 3) Display swatches palette 4) Go to the right menu and select a swatches library (via other library command or list) 5) Select text 6) Go to opened swatch library 7) Select swatch (swatch is now added to the swatches palette for the document) and applied to text Re-scale the pattern etc

text text
fig. Pattern applied to text fig. Pattern applied to text and then re-scaled via object > transformation scale (pattern is enabled, object is not)

Applying swatches to text (gradients)

1) Windows menu 2) Swatches 3) Display swatches palette 4) Go to the right menu and select a swatches library (via other library command or list) 5) Select text 6) Object > expand 7) Go to opened swatch library 8) Select swatch (swatch is now added to the swatches palette for the document) Manipulate gradient via the gradient tool etc

fig. Expanded text with gradient fill

fig. Expanded text with gradient fill with gradient applied across whole group

Applying swatches to text (gradients) via appearance palette

1) Windows menu 2) Swatches 3) Display swatches palette 4) Go to the right menu and select a swatches library (via other library command or list) 5) Select text 6) Go to the appearance palette 7) Add a new fill to the text 8) Go to opened swatch library 9) Select swatch (swatch is now added to the swatches palette for the document)

text text
Manipulate gradient via the gradient tool etc. The advantage of this approach is that the gradient and the text are still editable as text fig. Single fill applied via apperance palette fig. Two fills applied via appearance palette + change of angle and blending mode

Apply swatches to path's stroke

1) Select path 2) Set stroke width to greater than 0 3) Select swatch from swatch library or document's swatches palette - select pattern

fig. Original path fig. Path with pattern applied to stroke and the pattern has been rescaled to 20% via object > transformation

fig. Path with pattern applied to stroke

fig. Two pattern strokes applied via the appearance palette

Appearance and multiple swatch fills

1) Select a path 2) Go to the appearance palette 3) Go to the fill of the path 4) Select a gradient or pattern from the swatch dropdown in the fill entry 5) Go to the right of the appearance palette and select menu 6) Add new fill or duplicate item / entry 7) Select first entry in the list 8) window > transparency 9) Change blending mode etc perhaps to difference 10) Change the gradient or pattern using gradient tool etc (one or both) 11) Repeat for additional fills as required

fig. Original path with one fill

fig. Two fills via appearance and blending multiply

fig. Different angles and two fills

Serial Number
Please store the serial number for future reference, updates, replacements etc (if this is the purchased edition of the swatches)

Support
If you have any questions about the Illustrator gradient or pattern swatches, please let me know, please contact support at graphicxtras.com

Requirements
Adobe Illustrator 10 CS1 CS2 CS3 CS4. Mac OS X 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 ME, XP, 98, 2000, and NT and Vista (and also Windows 7)

Minimum Requirements
At least 64MB of memory, though some operations might require a lot more.

Trademarks
Illustrator and Photoshop and InDesign are registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated

Screenshots
Adobe product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Copyright
All the gradients / patterns are copyright Andrew Buckle 2004-2009, but they are royaltyfree... Documentation is (c) 2009 Andrew Buckle / Abneil Software Ltd

Company Address
Telephone UK 01622 688 375 http://www.graphicxtras.com support@graphicxtras.com

Additional Items on the graphicxtras.com site

We have a number of sets of plugins for Illustrator 10 and CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 (as well as 8/9, and also for mac.. please contact us about that); and also brushes for Illustrator 8/910/CS/CS2/CS3/CS4 as well as plugins for Photoshop and other applications

Scripts
The set comes with bonus scripts for Illustrator CS2 and CS3 CS4. The scripts need to be placed in the scripts folder of Illustrator. They do things such as create a thumbnail gallery (basic) from the swatches in the current file; and other path options. They are not a required feature of the pack and can be ignored if you wish

Combine swatches
The gradients can be combined by combining multiple paths overlapping (and setting the blending mode to difference etc or changing the opacity) You can also use the appearance palette and multiple fills

fig. A basic single swatch

fig. Two gradients - difference but with same angle fig. Two gradients - difference but with 45 and 135 angles

fig. Two gradients - difference but with one angle at 0 and another at 90

fig. Two gradients - multiply mode but with same angle

fig. Two gradients - difference but with same angle but different lengths

Expanding gradients to mesh

The path / gradient can be expanded (in most cases) to a mesh via the expand command The mesh can be manipulated as a normal gradient mesh (or use the mesh plug-in volume 16 from the graphicxtras.com plugins) 1) Select path 2) Apply gradient swatch 3) Object > expand 4) Select gradient mesh option 5) Use the gradient mesh tools to further manipulate the design via edit contents There is a gradient mesh manipulation plug-in available on the graphicxtras.com site

fig. Original gradient

fig. Mesh

fig. Editing the contents of mesh

Expand gradients to paths

Expand into x number of objects. Ungroup and release clipping mask. The individual paths can then be moved / scaled etc 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Select path with gradient Object > expand Set steps Expand Double click path to isolate Object > ungroup (drag apart parts)

fig. Original gradient

fig Expanded gradient

fig. After isolating the path and ungrouping, the parts can be pulled apart

Rasterize gradient
The gradient swatch can be rasterized (via the object menu) - or use an effect to keep the path live. Once rasterized, apply a blur etc or color effect or stained glass effect Or apply a live trace to the rasterized gradient fig. Original gradient

fig. Object > rasterized

fig. Rasterized but then live trace applied using a color setting

fig. Sumi effect applied to rasterized path

Distort paths with gradients

Gradient fill paths can be distorted, effects applied such as wave effects other ripples 1) Select path with gradient swatch 2) Object > expand 3) Set steps etc 4) Apply effect on expanded path

fig. Original gradient swatch

fig. Expanded path with swatch and zigzag applied

fig. Expanded path with swatch and twist applied

fig. Expanded path and roughen applied

Symbols and swatches

Drag a path / gradient into the symbol palette and create a symbol. The symbol can then be used with the symbol spray tool, animations, layer effects, and more

fig. Original gradient

fig. After being added to the symbols palette and applied using the symbol sprayer tool. Further modify via the symbol sprayer sizer, scruncher etc tools

Gradient as a line
The gradient can be used as an underline or border in linear mode

fig. Linear gradient 0 angle

fig. Linear gradient 90 angle

fig. Linear gradient 90 angle - 3 lines

fig. Combining the same gradient but reversed in the centre

fig. Combining using two different gradients

fig. Linear gradient 0 angle - two different gradient lines

Gradient as a frame
The gradient can be used as a basic frame either in linear or radial

fig. Offset and linear gradient applied

fig. Expanded stroke with a radial gradient

fig. Two paths, outer path with a gradient

fig. Brush stroke, expanded and radial gradient applied

fig. Offset path, punk and bloat, linear gradient applied and a basic drop shadow added

Colorization of pattern
Fill a path with the pattern, expand, pathfinder->trim, ungroup to remove the pattern background defining box, delete defining box, select all the 'elements' of the pattern and apply a fill color or gradient color or stroke or an effect Apply a gradient to the path elements, use the gradient tool to manipulate the direction etc of the gradient Another approach, simply select the pattern in the palette, drag from the palette to the document, and expand, ungroup, select items and re-color etc as required, and with the defining box, drag to the swatches palette to re-save as a pattern Or use an overlay of another path with color and set the blending mode (though this depends on the pattern)

fig. Original pattern

fig. Added color via appearance palette using an add fill and blending mode of overlay fig. Pattern expanded and trimmed via pathfinder and parts then ungrouped and re-colored

Transparency of patterns
The patterns can be overlaid, they are just paths with gaps, other paths can be arranged beneath or above the patterns. The pattern path can also have an opacity of less than 100%. Some patterns, especially those supplied in the theme packs, have transparency and can be overlaid over a color shape and other designs and gradient background etc.

fig. Faded pattern with opacity at 30% fig. Polka dot patterns with inbuilt transparency

fig. Repeated paths with 30% overlaid to create a blurry painted effect

fig. Pattern with opacity set to 50%

Patterns as a graphic styles

Select a path with a pattern and then go to the graphic styles palette and save the pattern as a new style. Using the appearance palette, multiple pattern fills can be added the same path with different scaling, rotation, etc This can be saved as a style as well. Color can also be added to the appearance (again, depending on the pattern) Fairly complex pattern graphic styles can be created. These can be used in any future projects. Additional effects can be added such as 3D / bevel etc

fig. Original pattern

fig. As a style, the pattern has been transformed / scaled by 400% and then a live effect of extrude applied

Patterns as symbols
Add a pattern to a path, scale etc, expand path / pattern, trim, remove defining box, fill with color if required, drag the expanded pattern to the symbols palette. Use the symbol in symbols sprayer etc The symbols can also be used in 3D live effects. Select a path, go to the effects menu, 3D, use the bevel tool and map art option, select the pattern based symbol.

fig. Single pattern (from the graphicxtras.com polka dots swatches set saved to the symbols palette

fig. The pattern swatch applied as a symbol via the symbol sprayer tool

Gradient stops
A gradient is made up of multiple gradient stops (either RGB CMYK ..) These can be moved or removed or added to via the gradient palette, subtly changing a gradient Changing a gradient does not lose or modify the original gradient stored in the gradients palette file (unless you edit the original file) The gradient stop color can also be changed via the color palette The midpoint of the gradient stops can be changed via the top row of the gradient palette, creating a blurry or really sharp setting (low or high settings for sharp) Modifying the gradient does not modify the swatch either, you will have to create a new swatch and then save the swatch file to permanently save any changes to the gradient (though the path stores the gradient changes) fig. Original gradient swatch

fig. One of the gradient stops changed (yellow one)

fig. Some of the gradient stops are dragged (removed) from the gradient bar

fig. Opacity of a couple of the stops has been changed

fig. Midpoints changed, set to low value to create sharp gradient

fig. Additional gradient stops added

fig. Same stops, just squeezed together

Length / origin of Gradient - Radial

The gradient length and origin can be modified via the gradient tool. Use the tool to create close lines / stops or wider lines, or position in the top left or the middle etc of the path 1) Select path 2) Goto swatches palette 3) Select a radial gradient (or set the gradient type to radial via the gradient palette) 4) Go to the gradient tool 5) Modify length etc using the gradient tool

fig. Original gradient swatch

fig. Length increased

fig. Change of original by shifting gradient bar / slider

fig. Aspect ratio changed

fig. Gradient length decreased

Re-color pattern
The patterns can be re-colored via the recolor artwork palette also 1) Select path with pattern swatch 2) Click recolor artwork 3) Modify color (generates new swatch)

fig. Recolored swatch (generates new swatch)

fig. Original swatch

fig. Recolored swatch (generates new swatch)

fig. Recolored swatch (generates new swatch)

fig. Recolored swatch (generates new swatch)

Recolor gradient
The gradient swatch can be re-colored via the recolor artwork command. The individual stop colors can be changed 1) Select path with gradient swatch applied 2) Click recolor artwork icon (top bar) 3) Apply color changes 4) OK.

fig. Original gradient

fig. Recolored artwork fig. Recolored artwork

fig. Recolored artwork Saturation randomized

fig. Recolored artwork using medieval

Opacity mask
The patterns can be used as an opacity mask. 1) Select path 2) Transaprency palette 3) Make Opacity Mask (menu) 4) Select mask area 5) Draw path with selected pattern 6) Exit out of mask mode

fig. Pattern used as an opacity mask with the original pattern behind as well as plain blue background path

Export to other applications

The patterns and gradient filled paths can be exported to other applications, simply select the path with the fill and then copy to the pasteboard and paste into the other application. Apply effects etc as required

fig. Patterns from pack 5 from graphicxtras.com

Scribble applied to pattern

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Select path with pattern Effects Stylize Scribble Set as required

fig. Original pattern fig. Swash scribble

fig. Pattern expanded via object > expand and then trimmed via pathfinder and then the effect > stylize > scribble swash applied fig. Child like scibble applied

Additional examples of the swatches

The examples of the gradients and patterns on the next few pages are from the Illustrator swatches packs from graphicxtras.com. The swatches packs are for commercial and personal use. Many different designs included

fig. Polka dots pack 9 from graphicxtras.com

fig. Polka dots pack

fig. Gradient swatch (pack 7)

fig. Gradient double fill (using gradients from pack 7)

fig. Pack 2 gradient

fig. Star with pack 1 gradient

fig. Pack 1 gradient

fig. Selection of gradients from pack 1 Linear designs but can be quickly set to radial Length changed, angle changed etc

fig. Pack 3 gradient with aspect ratio of 50% applied

fig. Pack 10 X patterns

fig. Arrow patterns (pack 11 from graphicxtras.com)

fig. Pack 5 patterns from graphicxtras.com