Using the eyedropper with Gradient Mesh

[hammer09]

I watched the tutorial on the site on how to create a gradient mesh and then pick up colors from the image beneath to apply to the mesh. If I pick up a color right on top of my mesh, it seems to pick up the color of the mesh grids instead of the color beneath. Is there a preference to turn off the eyedroppers ability to pick up the mesh grid color?

[vmagic118]

Hammer good question, I had the same issue. I wonder if there is not option if they could get it incorporated in CS3

[Scott Weichert]

No preference, just click slightly off of the mesh line, that's all.

[warking@mac.com]

Actually No. It should read as if the mesh isn't there if you follow it exactly.

Like this.
http://www.warking.com/Eyedropper.jpg

[hammer09]

Thanks for everyones reply! Todd, I'm curious the behavior that you are showing is what I saw in the tutorial but that is not what I experience. When I click directly on top of one of my mesh points, it picks up the red from the mesh grid. I'd really like to figure this out! So when you click directly on top of one of the mesh points, it picks up the color behind? There must be some type of a preference for this.

[vmagic118]

Hammer, When I zoomed in I had no problems picking up the mesh grid. It also makes it so much easier

[Scott Weichert]

I disagree with Todd, the mesh color can be picked up. Often it is. Check the preferences for the eyedropper tool by double clicking the tool. Under Raster Sample Size try setting it to 3x3 average or 5x5 average rather than Point Sample. Point sample picks up the exact color below the eyedropper, if that is a mesh color, that's what it'll pick up. If you find yourself picking up the mesh color a lot, it just means you're being very accurate with the eyedropper.

[kazbear]

Must be something going on. I am unable to select the Mesh Grid color no matter what I try.

If it were picking up the mesh grid color this would be highly unusual since, as far as I have experienced, Illustrator does not do that with anything else. The mesh grid color is determined by the layer options for the layer your grid is on, just like any other object on that layer.

Try as I may, I have never been able to sample the color of the artwork outline of any Illustrator object.

I have looked through the preferences and settings. I tried the different sampling options. I changed the Eyedropper settings.

If you click and drag, the eyedropper will sample across all the color below it in real time. Dragging across the grid lines in this fashion, I am still unable to pick up that color.

Now, CS1 appears to pick up the color that has been applied to the mesh point, even when you view that layer in outline mode. In CS2, it looks like it ignores that color and will choose the color below it...

[Scott Weichert]

I've been able to sample mesh colors at times using CS2. It doesn't happen all the time, but it is possible. Be certain you're holding down the shift key and you should be able to do it. Because, with the shift modifier, the eyedropper picks up whatever is on screen, not necessarily what's constructed in the Illustrator document.

[warking@mac.com]

OK, But
This is how my Eyedropper prefes looks. Not sure what your doing wrong. This works on every computer I have access to. I can not eyedrop color from a wireframe layer. It automatically selects the color from the layer underneath that is in Preview mode. When the Mesh is in Preview mode it can select it, but not in wireframe.
Make sure your Mesh layer in on Art Work Wire Frame Mode.
http://www.warking.com/Eyedrop_Prefs.jpg

[kazbear]

Just to clarify. What the OP describes is the eyedropper picking up the color of the object outline as determined by the settings for that layer. NOT the color of Gradient Mesh points or segments.

I assume this from this:

When I click directly on top of one of my mesh points, it picks up the red from the mesh grid.

Perhaps I misunderstood.

I understand how the Shift modifier for the eyedropper picks up individual colors of objects that have more than one color attribute. Like a gradient or a mesh. ie, if you select an object then use the eyedropper on another object filled with a gradient. It will fill the selected object with that gradient. But if you hold down the shift key and click, it will fill the selected object with the color of the gradient you are clicking on.

From the "Manual":
Shift‑click to sample only the color from a portion of a gradient, pattern, mesh object, or placed image and apply the color to the selected fill or stroke.

Now, in order for me to pick up "whatever is on screen", I need to click and drag the eyedropper to other parts of the OS interface (Windows XP for me). So, the only way I was able to select the Construction line color in an illustration, I had to have another document open, in the background, and Click Drag from the current document to a selected object on the document below (Adjusting the documents as to see both) (Sampling the color from the construction line).

Also note that I really am not trying to do this, I was just trying to recreate the problem as posted, which I have been unable to do...

[FreeTransform]

Just to clarify, your photo needs to be on one layer, and your mesh on another layer above it. Command-click on the top layer's eyeball icon to change that layer only to Outline. With the Eyedroppper tool selected, Command-click on a Mesh point to select it--just the one point not the whole mesh--then release the Command key and pick up the color with the Eyedropper. Works for me--hope this helps.

[hammer09]

It happens to me every time. I have my layers set up exactly to way yours are. I have my preview photo on a layer beneath the mesh with preview on but locked. Then I create a new layter on top of that for my mesh, set it to wireframe mode and every time I pick up a color, even at 3X3 average which is what I had it set to, it picks up the mesh color. Crazy!

[warking@mac.com]

I wish I could offer you some assistance, but it work correctly for me no matter what setting I try.

[Scott Weichert]

Odd, I can replicate picking up the mesh color easily. Maybe it's a Mac/CS2 issue or something.

Movie (http://www.vectorguy.com/stored/mesh.mov)

I thought, initially, it was due to the use of a template layer. But I've ruled that out.

[hammer09]

You know Scott, I thought that you were on to something there, because I tried it on a windows machine and it worked as expected, it didn't pick up the color of the mesh grid. However if you watch the tutorial by Todd Ferris that sparked my initial post, he is using a mac! Check it out, it's in the tutorials section on the illustrator techniques site. I've also tried it on a PPC mac to rule out the fact that I'm running Illustrator CS2 on an Intel mac using Rossetta.

[warking@mac.com]

I can not replicate this issue in my computer.

On a lighter note, You do not need to select the mesh to Eyedrop it. The eyedropper will select a color and then hold "Option" over the point without selecting the point and it will fill the color into the point.

I tried CMYK ver RGB and it still works. My artists would be laughing right now because when ever they have a problem with a software or computer it always works for me and they've nick named it "My Force Field"

I will keep looking.

[CreativeBush]

As some of you may know I do a lot of mesh work. While I've had a lot of frustration using the mesh tool I have yet to have that happen to me, whew!

For the record I'm using a Mac and CS2, so I don't think it is a problem inherently just on the Mac.

[Scott Weichert]

Interesting. Anyone using a tablet? Which one? Anyone got the NuLOOQ device? Extra AI plug ins installed?

[CreativeBush]

Okay scratch my last comment, I've got a Mac at work that I was able to duplicate the issue every single time which would absolutely kill the way I sample colors from a reference photo when I work.

My home machine works flawlessly as expected though. Now the trick is to see how they are configured differently. I'll report back any findings!

[warking@mac.com]

Some people who have tried the mesh tutorial have experianced a problem with the mesh nodes sampling color when they should be ignored using the eyedropper.

I found a computer with this issue and here is what I found works.

DO NOT SELECT THE NODE.

Just Eyedrop the color on the node without the node selected. It will pick up the color from the layer underneath.

Then hold "OPTION" and the eyedropper will become the paint bucket. click the node with the paint bucket. Again DO NOT SELECT THE NODE.

The paint will fill the node with the sampled color.

Try this everyone. It also tells me maybe I don't ever need to select the nodes in this process.

Thanks
Todd Ferris

[Scott Weichert]

Even without a node selected I can still pick up the node color, either the highlight color or the white of the internal node area.

There must be some other factor that allows this behavior. I haven't had any success in tracking it down though.

[warking@mac.com]

On the one computer I found that shares this issue with those who are able to select the wireframed node, I found if I do not select it it can't see it.

Freaky CS issues again.

Seems like Mac and Adobe finally have reached the status of the PC world with the unexplainable issues. 5 years ago and before I don't think anything of these natures was common. But then again I have only used the Mac for 16 years. I guess not long enough to really know anything.

[Scott Weichert]

I think Mac software has always been filled with some interesting anomalies. The main difference is Illustrator has gone from the entire application fitting on a 3.5" floppy disk to needing almost a full CD (350k to 400mb). In addition the conversion to OSX and the addition of raster tools helped bring out some painful "features."

Version 8.0.1 was rock solid, arguably the best version ever (about 5 years ago). It wasn't until v9 when they started playing with transparency and raster elements that Illustrator on the Mac has had more regular issues. If I could stick to v8 with OSX I would 95% of the time, but the Classic environment just isn't an option anymore.

I've got high hopes for CS3. CS2 is actually a really good version. Not too many issues and not nearly as slow as v9 or 10 were.

It's my understanding that over the years a lot of development "patches" were implemented into Illustrator's code to fix bugs. And the code had gotten a little unruly. I'm hoping that with the Universal Binary CS3 a lot of the code will be reworked and build a better product in the end. I can dream :)

[MiguelR]

Hi i dont know if any1 already told this here (and i know im a litle late hehe)
But here it goes i experience this problem latly, the strange thing was that in other project i was doing it was all working ok, and the eyedropper was not picking the layer color, so what could be wrong? I start changing things around, and what i found was that this was a problem with the image (photo) i was working on. So i open the picture in photoshop and drag it to illustrator and everything was working good again :D
Im using a MAC with CS2
Hope it help (if im not late )

[itailu]

If when using the eye dropper tool it picks up the color of the mesh, just embed the image

Happy mesh editing :)

Itai

http://razmataz.illustratorworld.com/