Another problem with gradient mesh!

[tembographics]

Having got over the last problem I now have another!!!

When I am using the gradient mesh (which is brilliant) I cannot adjust the direction handles on the mesh in the same way that I would adjust a normal path where I hold down the Alt key (I'm on a PC) so that only one of the direction handles of a point moves. With the mesh, both direction handles keep moving and I cannot find a way of keeping one side still. Any ideas on how to sort this out please?

Also - what is the best way to apply texture (I need a 'bone' texture) for the upper jaw (this is a medical illustration of an operation)....or should I export it to Photoshop and sort out textures there?

Many thanks in advance for any advice!!!

[tembographics]

To be more precise......I know that there are four directional handles for each of the inside mesh points....what I am trying to do is adjust one side only at a time....! Is it possible?

[AdobeAce]

To be more precise......I know that there are four directional handles for each of the inside mesh points....what I am trying to do is adjust one side only at a time....! Is it possible?

Hi tembographics,

Yes! Try your Convert Anchor Point tool. It's hidden under the Pen tool (Click and hold on the Pen tool and select the Convert Anchor tool from the tool group that pops up.) If you click with the Convert Anchor on a handle, it will be disconnected from the Handle opposite and moves independently.

See attached.

Hope this helps!

Ace
:D

[tembographics]

Fantastic - how have I managed so far without it?!!!!! Many, many thanks.

At the risk of being an utter pain, I have one more GM question! When there are many lines of mesh going in masses of different directions......I sometimes end up with an extra long mesh line that is a bit wiggly (I might have deleted a line going accross it and made it worse.) Can one get the wobbly extra long line back to basics as it started out? I am attempting to do a surgical sequence of the face and therefore am drawing the bones and other bits and pieces in Illustrator...which is why I needed more control of the handles.

And lastly....! Should I try and apply a 'bone' texture in Illustrator or just export to Photoshop for texturing?

Many thanks in advance!

[AdobeAce]

Hi,

Can you post a screen shot?

Ace

[tembographics]

Hi,

A screenshot of the bony bit which needs texture???? Or a screenshot of the wiggly lines in the mesh......which I don't have cos I gave up on the one that went wrong, deleted it all and started from the beginning again. I seem to cope better with smaller meshes!

[AdobeAce]

Hi,

A screenshot of the bony bit which needs texture???? Or a screenshot of the wiggly lines in the mesh......which I don't have cos I gave up on the one that went wrong, deleted it all and started from the beginning again. I seem to cope better with smaller meshes!

Hi,

The wiggly line the the Mesh.

Ace

[tembographics]

Ok - I found one! Now I cannot work out how to export the image so that the mesh shows! I have tried saving it as a pdf from Illustrator and the mesh disappears! Any advice? As a jpeg the quality is awful...and the mesh disappears. I am trying to show the mesh over the image.

[The Repro Kid]

Make a screen capture while the mesh is highlighted.

[tembographics]

I cannot reduce this file (originally A3) or the bit of it I need to show you, down to the required file size without it becoming completely blurred. I have tried pdf, psd and jpeg. Any advice please?

[The Repro Kid]

Screen Capture, sometimes called Screen Dump. On a PC it think you the Key called "print screen." This will capture what you see on screen as an image.

[tembographics]

Ok.......(days later) finally worked out how to send the image (or part of it) so that it would fit the required minute file size and be seen!

In the blue circle you can see the wiggly lines. This is a small and fairly simple example of the knots I can get into .........and I would like to know how to return the line to a basic straight line without wiggles! Some of my illustrations require a large mesh....because it is difficult to put small meshes over other meshes that have different tones and colours - it is hard and very time consuming to match it all up. So its better to do one big mesh isn't it? And if I do one big mesh I sometimes end up in a big mess at the opposite end to where I started.

I would also be grateful for any advice on texture. The gum above the teeth is nice and shiny as it is mucous membrane. The area behind that is meant to be a bone with a cut in it....but needs texture as it looks more like a peice of metal at the moment!!!

Thank you so much for your generous help!

[The Repro Kid]

Awesome. My friend — you need to know the difference between the object selection tool and direct selection tool. look them up in the help menu:cool:

[tembographics]

Got it!!!!!! Brilliant - many thanks!

I now realize what was going wrong. When I added a line that went across the rest of the mesh (i.e. a horizontal line across vertical 'adjusted' lines of a mesh) I was moving each point of that line individually to make the shape I wanted .....and eventually getting into a bit of a mess!!!! I can now select the entire horizontal line and move it up or down as a group over the vertical lines. I hope that makes sense....well it does to me!

Thank you so much for your help. I do watch hours and hours of tutorials and also go onto various websites and blogs ......but sometimes it is still hard to put it all together. Thanks.