How do yo change the color of a swatch library item 1

[damienflanders]

How do you change the color of a Swatch Library item. In particular I am trying to change the color of the "Basic Graphic Dots" which pretty much come in black. I have tried everything and they only seem to stay black. Would love to change the color of them.

 

[apepp]

...the basic graphic dots are a pattern swatch, so you need to drag the swatch from the palette to the artboard somewhere, then change the color manually...

...then drag the edited artwork back into the swatches palette and apply it to your items fill element...

...pressing "alt/option" key when dragging edited swatch patterns from the art board over "used" pattern swatches in the swatches palette will update the artwork on the fly...

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[damienflanders]

Once it is on the art-board, then how do you change the color? i have tried! I tried to export it is as a jpeg and then bring it back in and do the auto-trace feature but it comes out looking blocky or pixelated and not anywhere near the original swatch in appearance.

 

[apepp]

...you need to select the circles of the pattern and change the fill color to another color from the swatch palette...

...you can create new colors using the color palette if you want and drag them to the swatches palette for future use...

...to select the circles of the pattern either shift click each circle with the white arrow tool (direct select tool), or you can use the magic wand tool (Y key) to select the same fill colored objects in one go...



andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[damienflanders]

Andrew,
i don't know if you have tried this for yourself, but for me it simply does not work. The swatch dot pattern is like a "Fill" and you cannot tamper with it at all. When you go to select the item with the selection tool, the whole item is selected. The same goes if you use the magic wand; it selects the whole block.

 

[apepp]

...yes i have tried it, for many years now...

>>> selection tool

...don't use the black arrow tool, use the white arrow tool...

>>> magic wand

...this works depending on what dot pattern you are using, some are structured differently using strokes others are in fact fills *use the layers palette to determine the true structure you are dealing with...

...double clicking the magic wand tool also brings up the magic wand settings which allows you to target certain aspects of objects...

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[apepp]

...you also have options under the "select" menu, "select > same > ..."

...using the white arrow tool (direct select) you can select one object, then use the "select > same > ..." menu options to target other objects with the same attributes (like same fill color, same stroke color etc)...

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[damienflanders]

that seems useful, but not in this case. That would save a lot of time on some work in the future! I never knew about that before. I don't see how it applies here though.

You cannot, i repeat cannot select the individual graphic dots. I have tried. Tried all your tips as well. I know it must be possible as i have seen others graphic work before and I believe they are using something other than black in color.

I am going to the Swatch Palette, then selecting Open Swatch Library> Patterns> Basic Graphics> Basic Graphic Dots

then I draw a rectangle or square and it fills with the Graphic Dots which are of course black.

 

[apepp]

...please refer to the above posts again, you need to literally drag the "basic graphic dots" pattern from the swatches to the art board and modify it...

...do not apply it to a rectangle and attempt to change it...

...you need to modify the dot pattern manually (on the art board), put it back in the swatches palette and then re-apply the modified pattern to your objects...

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[damienflanders]

okay, maybe i a not using the same graphic dots that you are. I looked at the layer palette when selecting and it is just labeled a "path".

When i select with the direct selection tool, the object is selected, then when i select with the magic wand tool, all the other drawn boxes with that same fill (with the graphic dots) are selected as well. No individual dots are selected.

 

[apepp]

...here is a quicktime movie to indicate better what you need to do:

http://www.zen63258.zen.co.uk/tek/dot_pattern/ReadMe.html

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[damienflanders]

thanks for the quicktime movie. I guess there was one step that i was not following in your written explanation. and that would be where when you use the graphic dot for the first time, it is then added to your swatch library, then you drag it from the swatch library to the art board (i didn't know it was appearing in the swatch library.) and drag it back after you change the color.

 

[ERIXWORX]

what about just making dots in your color of choice with the circle tool and then creating your own pattern swatch with them?

'There is no LEASH LAW for the IMAGINATION!'
myspace.com/erixworx

 

[damienflanders]

The problem with this method (as you demonstrated in the video) is that you don't get the complete pattern. I wanted to do a complete graphic dot pattern with a gradient from 1 to 100 or whatever. i don't think this is possible with this method from what i have seen and tried so far. You only get a little fraction of the total pattern to work with.

 

[apepp]

>>> The problem with this method (as you demonstrated in the video) is that you don't get the complete pattern.

...the pattern swatch creates the complete pattern inside a given area, which is how patterns work.

>>> I wanted to do a complete graphic dot pattern with a gradient from 1 to 100 or whatever.

...then you need to go a step further based on the pattern you have created by expanding the pattern and converting it into a compound path, then apply the gradient to the compound path. The pattern will get you half way there, but to apply a gradient to a whole pattern of dots means extra steps after pattern creation.

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[apepp]

...like this you mean?

http://www.zen63258.zen.co.uk/tek/Screen shot 2010-07-02 at 16.39.13.png

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[damienflanders]

the following to patterns i would like to do in the color of my choice:

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/heavyjavadrinker/internet/half-tone-dots.jpg

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/heavyjavadrinker/internet/gradient-dot-pattern.jpg

maybe gradient was the wrong word. I want to use the patterns here, but in color.

 

[apepp]

...you have five available halftone patterns in the "basic graphic dots" palette provided by illustrator...

...can you use and edit those?

...if you are after something more bespoke, then you have to explore rasterizing gradients/bitmaps and tracing into vector, more steps basically...

...or you have to use a plugin if you want even more custom halftones in vector form:

http://vectips.com/tutorials/creating-halftone-effects/

http://www.astutegraphics.com/index.html

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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[alisont80]

apepp - I joined TekTips just so I could post to this thread... I have spent literally hours - very frustrated hours - trying to figure out how to do this - can't tell you how grateful I am for your help! Just wish I had found it sooner

Thanks again!

 

[apepp]

...your welcome!

...hitting the wall of frustration is indeed something many of us experience with computers. I remember those times well myself and to this day they still exist now and then, and on top of this the digital world is changing all the time too...

...there are many things to learn in graphics and although the supplied help files with the software assist, sometimes they don't address what might actually be the most efficient workflow to perform (what with more than one way to achieve an outcome and in other cases only one way or no way!)...

...the best way i learnt was to dive right in, aimlessly clicking settings and buttons for hour and hours, opening all the palettes to familiarise. Eventually the penny drops and you begin to have some foundations to work and build upon...

...even now though, there are many functions i forget or simply never used enough to fully understand them, with repetition the frustration does ease somewhat...

...good luck with the future!!

andrew

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http://www.apepp.info

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