1. Chapter 2
Creating Text and Gradients

2. Objectives
• Create and format text
• Flow text into an object
• Position text on a path
• Create colors and gradients
• Apply colors and gradients to text
• Adjust a gradient and create a drop shadow
• Apply gradients to strokes

3. To create type:
• Select the Type tool
• Click the artboard and start typing or click and
drag the Type tool to create a text box.
Create and Format Text

4. • Use the Vertical Type tool to create vertical
type.
• Type is positioned on a path called the
baseline.
Create and Format Text

5. • The Character and Paragraph panels contain
all classic commands for formatting.
• The Character panel modifies text attributes
such as font and type size, tracking, and
kerning.
Create and Format Text

6. Font family
Character
Rotation
Tracking
Vertical
Scale
Baseline shift
LeadingFont style
Font size
Kerning
Horizontal
Scale
Underline
Strikethrough
Create and Format Text

7. • Tracking inserts uniform spaces between
characters.
• Kerning affects the spaces between any two
characters.
Create and Format Text

8. Examples of kerning and tracking
Create and Format Text

9. • Leading inserts vertical space between
baselines.
• Applying a horizontal or vertical scale
compresses or expands selected type.
Create and Format Text

10. © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning
Leading
Baseline
50% horizontal
scale
50 % vertical
scale
Examples of text formatting
Create and Format Text

11. Align buttons
Left indent
text box
First-line left indent
text box
Right indent
text box
Space before
paragraph
Space after paragraph
Paragraph panel modifies text alignment,
paragraph indents, and vertical spaces
Create and Format Text

12. • Hide objects while working with text to avoid
accidental deletions and modifications.
• The Hide/Show All Selection commands are
on the Object menu.
Create and Format Text

13. Fill an object with text:
• Use the Area Type tool and Vertical Area Type
tool to flow text into any shape you create.
• Format text in object as usual.
• Manipulate object just like any other.
Create and Format Text

14. © 2011 Delmar Cengage Learning
Flow Text into an Object

15. Using the Path Type Tools:
• Type along a straight or curved path using the
Type on a Path tool or Vertical Type on a Path
tool.
• Move text along path.
Flow Text into an Object

16. • ‘Flip’ text to make it run in the opposite
direction – on opposite side of path.
• Change the baseline shift to modify distance
the text’s baseline is above or below path.
Flow Text into an Object

17. Text on a path Text flipped across a path
Position Text on a Path

18. • A gradient is a graduated blend between
colors.
• Create and adjust gradients in the Gradient
panel.
Create Colors and Gradients

19. Type list arrow
Location text box
Gradient slider
Opacity text box
Stops
Two color
gradient
Rotation text box
Create Colors and Gradients

20. The Gradient panel
• Gradient slider represents the gradient being
created.
• Gradients contain at least two colors.
– Leftmost color is the starting color.
– Rightmost color is the ending color.
Create Colors and Gradients

21. • House-shaped icons called stops represent the
colors in the gradient.
• The point at which two colors meet in equal
measure is called the midpoint.
• The midpoint is represented by the diamond
above the slider, which is called the Gradient
Slider.
Create Colors and Gradients

22. • The midpoint need not be positioned evenly
between start and end.
• Change the look of the gradient by moving
Gradient Slider.
• Swatches panel contains standard gradients
that come with Illustrator.
Create Colors and Gradients

23. You can create and apply linear or radial gradients
Radial gradientLinear gradient
Create Colors and Gradients

24. Linear gradients can be positioned:
• Left to right and up or down
• On any angle – change angle in Angle text box
on Gradient panel
Radial gradient start at center of gradient and
blend out to ending color.
Create Colors and Gradients

25. • The Color
panel is where
you move
sliders to mix
new colors for
fills, strokes,
and gradients.
Current fill
and stroke
colors
CMYK
Spectrum
Slider
CMYK values
Create Colors and Gradients

26. • Color panel has five color modes:
– CMYK
– RGB
– Grayscale
– HSB (hue, saturation, brightness)
– Web Safe RGB
• The default is CMYK or RGB (depending on the mode
selected).
Create Colors and Gradients

27. • Add colors and gradients to the Swatches
panel that you define by dragging them into
the Swatches panel.
• To name a swatch, double-click it, then type a
name in Swatch Options dialog box.
Create Colors and Gradients

28. Create Colors and Gradients

29. • By default text is generated with a black fill
and no stroke.
• Use the Type tool to change the fill or stroke
of individual characters in a text object.
• Use the Selection tool to select text as a single
object and to change text globally.
Apply Colors and Gradients to Text

30. • To fill text with a gradient you must convert
the text to outlines.
• Select text, then click the Create Outlines
command on Type menu.
• Letterforms become standard Illustrator
objects with anchor points and paths.
Apply Colors and Gradients to Text

31. Each outline
is filled with
the gradient
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

32. • Creating outlines makes it possible to create
documents with text without fonts.
• Once text is converted to outlines, you can no
longer change the typeface.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

33. • Use the Gradient tool to manipulate gradient
fills.
– Select an object with a gradient fill.
– Drag the Gradient tool over the object.
– Where you begin dragging and where you end
determines length of blend from starting to
ending color.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

34. Gradient control bar
• The gradient control bar
appears in the object
itself.
• You can change the
direction, length, and
angle of the gradient
control bar by dragging
it.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

35. • For linear gradients,
the angle you drag
determines the
angle that the
blend fills the
object.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

36. • If you select multiple objects, each object is
filled with entire length of the gradient from
beginning color to end color.
• When you convert text to outlines and apply a
fill, the gradient automatically fills each letter
independently.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

37. Examples of
different angles
and lengths of a
gradient fill
created with
the Gradient tool.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

38. To apply a drop shadow to text:
• Copy text.
• Paste copy behind it.
• Fill copy with darker color.
• Use keyboard arrows to move it so it is offset
from original.
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

39. Drop shadow created using the Paste in Back command
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

40. • Use the Gradient panel to apply a gradient to
the stroke of an object
• Three options:
– Within
– Along
– Across
Apply Gradients to Strokes

41. • Within Stroke Option Applied
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

42. • Along Stroke Option Applied
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow

43. • Across Stroke Option Applied
Adjust a Gradient and Create a Drop Shadow