PDA

View Full Version : transparent blend

wt.leeson
04-14-2008, 07:47 AM
Is it possible to use the smooth colour blend tool between two paths, one stroked and one with no stroke? ie, blending colour with nothing. I am interested in making some type that looks like fluorescent lighting.
Or is there another way?

thanks
joeparis
04-14-2008, 08:34 AM
You're inviting me to ask, Why not try it and see?;) It can be done but I'm not sure it will give you the result you're looking for. You may know already but you can also change the opacity of the objects in a blend, i.e. a possible blend that runs from 100% opacity to invisible, if need be.
Scott Weichert
04-14-2008, 01:11 PM
What you're asking for can not be done in Illustrator.

The only way to "blend to transparent" in current versions of Illustrator is by using an opacity mask.

I have no clue what joeparis is referring to unless he's perhaps thinking of Photoshop and not Illustrator.
joeparis
04-14-2008, 02:05 PM
I have no clue what joeparis is referring to unless he's perhaps thinking of Photoshop and not Illustrator.
I'm surprised you say that as I thought it was fairly simple - unless I've misread the original query?

If you make a blend between two objects where one has 100% opacity and the other has 0% opacity, you will have a blend that runs to transparent.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c122/joeparis/Untitled-1-2.jpg http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c122/joeparis/Untitled-2-2.jpg

Images created with the Blend Tool in Illustrator and, of course, the number of steps can be increased or set to smooth colour, as in the second image.
Scott Weichert
04-14-2008, 11:02 PM
Ahh okay, perhaps I missed the "blend" part. I was thinking of a single stroke that fades to transparency, not a blend.

Blends do indeed work :)
wt.leeson
04-16-2008, 11:06 PM
joeparis put me in the right direction. i made a line with red stroke, then a line with white stroke and changed the opacity of the white line to 0%. Blending them gave me the effect i was after. when i originally posted the query i had been trying to blend one line with another line of no stroke or fill.
I hadnt thought of using opacity with blend.