Creating Multicolored Objects With The Mesh Tool

The mesh tool, the Create Mesh command, and the Expand command can all be used to transform an object into a mesh object. A mesh object is a single, multicolored object on which colors can flow in different directions, and transition smoothly from one point to another. By creating a fine mesh on an object and manipulating the color characteristics at each point in the mesh, you can precisely manipulate the coloring of the mesh object. You can also apply color to four mesh points at the same time by clicking the patch between them, to create broad color changes on part of the object.
About meshes
When you create a mesh object, multiple lines called mesh lines crisscross the object and provide a way to easily manipulate color transitions on the object. By moving and editing points on the mesh lines, you can change the intensity of a color shift, or change the extent of a colored area on the object.
At the intersection of two mesh lines is a special kind of anchor point called a mesh point. Mesh points appear as diamonds and have all of the same properties as anchor points but with the added capability of accepting color. You can add and delete mesh points, edit the mesh points, or change the color associated with each mesh point.

Diagram of a mesh object
A. Mesh line B. Anchor point C. Mesh patch D. Mesh point
Anchor points also appear in the mesh (differentiated by their square rather than diamond shape), and can be added, deleted, edited, and moved as with any anchor points in Illustrator. Anchor points can be placed on any mesh line; you can click an anchor point and drag its direction lines to modify it.
The area between any four mesh points is called the mesh patch. You can also change the color of the mesh patch using the same techniques as changing colors on a mesh point.
Tips for creating mesh objects
You can create a mesh object out of any path object, or any bitmap image (such as a photographic image imported from Adobe Photoshop).

There are a few important guidelines to keep in mind when creating mesh objects:
• You cannot create mesh objects from compound paths, text objects, or linked EPS files.
• Once a mesh object has been created, it cannot be converted back to a path object.
• When converting complex objects, use the Create Mesh command for the best results.
• When converting simple objects, use either the mesh tool or the Create Mesh command. However, if you want to add a highlight to a particular spot, use the mesh tool and click at the point you want the highlight to appear.
• To create a mesh object with a regular pattern of mesh points and mesh lines, use the Create Mesh command.
• When converting complex objects, Illustrator can add hidden anchor points to maintain the shape of a line. If you want to edit, add, or delete one or more of these anchor points, use the add-anchor-point tool or the delete-anchor-point tool.
• To improve performance and speed of redrawing, keep the size of mesh objects to a minimum. Complex mesh objects can greatly reduce performance. Therefore, it is better to create a few small, simple mesh objects than to create a single, complex mesh object.

Creating a mesh object
Use the mesh tool or the Create Gradient Mesh command to convert objects to mesh objects. You can also use the Expand command to convert radial or linear gradient path objects into mesh objects.
To create a mesh object with the mesh tool:
Choose the mesh tool and click a filled object. The object is converted to a mesh object with the minimum number of mesh lines.
To create a mesh object with the Create Mesh command:
1 Select a filled object.
2 Choose Object > Create Gradient Mesh.
3 Enter the number of horizontal rows of mesh lines to create on the object in the Rows text box.
4 Enter the number of vertical columns of mesh lines to create on the object in the Columns text box.
5 Select the direction of the highlight from the Appearance pop-up menu:
• To Center creates a highlight in the center of the object.
• To Edge creates a highlight on the edges of the object.
• Flat applies the object’s original color evenly across the surface, resulting in no highlight.
6 Enter a percentage of white highlight to apply to the mesh object. A value of 100% applies maximum white highlight to the object; a value of 0% applies no white highlight to the object.
Creating a mesh object using the Expand command:
1 Select an object containing a radial or linear gradient fill.
2 Choose Object > Expand.
3 Select the Gradient Mesh option in the Expand dialog box and click OK. The selected object is converted to a mesh object that takes the shape of the gradient, either circular (radial) or rectangular (linear).
Editing mesh objects
Once you have created a mesh object, you can adjust or edit its mesh points, anchor points, and mesh lines. Anchor points can be added with the add-anchor-point tool or deleted with the delete-anchor-point tool on any mesh line.
To add or delete mesh points and mesh lines:
1 Select the mesh tool .
2 Do one of the following:
• To add a mesh point colored with the current fill color, click anywhere in the mesh object. The corresponding mesh lines extend from the new mesh point to the edges of the object. Clicking on an existing mesh line adds a single intersecting mesh line.
• To add a mesh point without changing to the current fill color, press Shift and click.
• To delete a mesh point and the corresponding mesh lines, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) directly on the mesh point.
To edit a mesh point:
1 Select the mesh tool and click directly on a mesh point. Direction lines appear on the mesh point.
2 Do one of the following:
• Drag the direction points on the direction lines to edit the mesh point as you would any anchor point. For more information about editing anchor points,
• Shift-drag a direction point to move all direction lines from the mesh point at once.
• Use the direct-selection tool, the convert-selection-point tool, or the transformation tools to edit mesh points.
To move a mesh point:
1 Select the mesh tool.
2 Do one of the following:
• Click a mesh point and drag to freely move the point and the connecting mesh lines.
• Press Shift and drag the mesh point to constrain the movement to follow a mesh line. This is a convenient way to move a mesh point along a curved mesh line without distorting the mesh line.

Dragging to move mesh point (left) and Shift-dragging with the mesh tool to constrain to mesh line
(right)

What is Blending Mode and How it Works?

To specify the blending mode of an object:
1 Target the desired object, group, layer, or sublayer.
2 In the Transparency palette, choose one of the following blending modes from the menu:
Normal Paints the selection with the blend color, without interaction with the base color. This is the default mode.
Multiply. Multiplies the base color by the blend color. The resulting color is always a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black. Multiplying any color with white leaves the color unchanged. The effect is similar to drawing on the page with multiple magic markers.
Screen. Multiplies the inverse of the blend and base colors. The resulting color is always a lighter color. Screening with black leaves the color unchanged. Screening with white produces white. The effect is similar to projecting multiple slide images on top of each other.
Overlay. Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the base color. Patterns or colors overlay the existing artwork, preserving the highlights and shadows of the base color while mixing in the blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color.
Soft Light. Darkens or lightens the colors, depending on the blend color. The effect is similar to shining a diffused spotlight on the artwork.
If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the artwork is lightened, as if it were dodged. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the artwork is darkened, as if it were burned in. Painting with pure black or white produces a distinctly darker or lighter area but does not result in pure black or white.
Hard Light. Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the blend color. The effect is similar to shining a harsh spotlight on the artwork.
If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the artwork is lightened, as if it were screened. This is useful for adding highlights to artwork. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the artwork is darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to artwork. Painting with pure black or white results in pure black or white.
Color Dodge. Brightens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with black produces no change.
Color Burn. Darkens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with white produces no change.
Darken. Selects the base or blend color—whichever is darker—as the resulting color. Areas lighter than the blend color are replaced, and areas darker than the blend color do not change.
Lighten. Selects the base or blend color—whichever is lighter—as the resulting color. Areas darker than the blend color are replaced, and areas lighter than the blend color do not change.
Difference. Subtracts either the blend color from the base color or the base color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Blending with white inverts the base color values; blending with black produces no change.
Exclusion. Creates an effect similar to but lower in contrast than the Difference mode. Blending with white inverts the base color components. Blending with black produces no change.
Hue. Creates a resulting color with the luminance and saturation of the base color and he hue of the blend color.
Saturation. Creates a resulting color with the luminance and hue of the base color and the saturation of the blend color. Painting with this mode in an area with no saturation (gray) causes no change.
Color Creates a resulting color with the luminance of the base color and the hue and saturation of the blend color. This preserves the gray levels in the artwork and is useful for coloring monochrome artwork and for tinting color artwork.
Luminosity. Creates a resulting color with the hue and saturation of the base color and the luminance of the blend color. This mode creates an inverse effect from that of the Color mode.
Note: The Difference, Exclusion, Hue, Saturation, Color, and Luminosity modes do not blend spot colors—and with most blending modes, a black designated as 100% K nocks out the color on the underlying layer. Instead of 100% black, specify a rich black using CMYK values.

What is Color Management in Illustrator

About color management
Because color-matching problems result from various devices and software using different color spaces, one solution is to have a system that interprets and translates color accurately between devices. A color management system (CMS) compares the color space in which a color was created to the color space in which the same color will be output, and makes the necessary adjustments to represent the color as consistently as possible among different devices.
The following components are integral to a color-managed workflow:
Device-independent color space. To successfully compare different device gamuts and make adjustments, a color management system must use a reference color space—an objective way of defining color. Most CMSs use the internal CIE (Commission International ed’ Eclairage) LAB color model, which exists independently of any device and is large enough to reproduce any color visible to the human eye. For this reason, CIE LAB is considered device-independent.
Color Management Engine. Different companies have developed various ways to manage color. To provide you with a choice, a color management system lets you choose a color management engine that represents the approach you want to use. Sometimes called the color management module (CMM), the color management engine is the part of the CMS that does the work of reading and translating colors between different color spaces.
Color Profiles. The CMS translates colors with the help of color profiles. A profile is a mathematical description of a device’s color space, that is, how the reference CIE values of each color in the color space map to the visual appearance produced by the device. For example, a scanner profile tells a CMS how your scanner “sees” colors so that an image from your scanner can be translated into the CIE color space accurately. From the CIE space, the colors can then be translated accurately again, via another profile, to the color space of an output device. Illustrator uses ICC profiles, a format defined by the International Color Consortium (ICC) as a cross-platform standard.
Rendering Intents. No single color translation method can manage color correctly for all types of graphics. For example, a color translation method that preserves correct relationships among colors in a wildlife photograph may alter the colors in a logo containing flat tints of color. Color management engines provide a choice of rendering intents, or translation methods, so that you can apply a method appropriate to a particular graphical element.