Master Illustrator's Colour Tips for Designers

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Selecting and Changing Colors
   • Using the Color Palette
   • Using Color Sliders
3. Fixing Color Issues
   • Changing Color Modes
   • Selecting Complimentary Colors
4. Sampling Colors from Imagery
   • Using the Eyedropper Tool
5. Recoloring Shapes
   • Using Edit Colors
   • Blend Shapes
6. Utilizing Global Colors
   • Adding Global Swatches
   • Transforming Design Elements with Global Colors
7. Conclusion

Article:

Quickfire Tips for Working with Colors in Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for graphic designers, and having a good understanding of how to work with colors in this software can greatly enhance your designs. In this article, we will explore some quickfire tips and techniques that will help you select, change, and utilize colors effectively in Adobe Illustrator.

1. Selecting and Changing Colors

One of the first things you need to know is how to select and change colors in Adobe Illustrator. There are two main methods you can use for this:

Using the Color Palette

By default, you can select a color by double-clicking on the left color palette. This will bring up a variety of swatches that you can choose from, based on your library. However, there is a quicker way to access the color sliders. Simply shift-click on the top left drop-down menu, and the color sliders will appear. You can then click and drag these sliders to darken or lighten your selected color, adding depth and shading to your design.

Using Color Sliders

The color sliders are particularly useful when you want to fine-tune the color of a shape. To access the sliders, shift-click on the top left drop-down menu. This will bring up the color sliders corresponding to your current color mode (e.g. RGB). By holding down shift and clicking and dragging on these sliders, you can easily darken or lighten your selected color. This is a quick and effective way to add lightness or shading to your design.

2. Fixing Color Issues

Sometimes, you may encounter color issues when working with Adobe Illustrator. For example, when you try to change the color of a design element, it may end up being a shade of gray instead of the desired color. To fix this issue, follow these steps:

Changing Color Modes

If your design element is appearing as a shade of gray, it may be because your color mode is set to greyscale. To change the color mode, go to the color palette and click on the top right drop-down menu. From there, select a different color mode that is relevant to your design project. This should resolve the issue and allow you to choose colors as intended.

Selecting Complimentary Colors

In addition to changing color modes, you can also use the color palette to select the complimentary color of the current selected color. The complimentary color is the color that is opposite to the current selected color on the color wheel. To access this feature, go to the top right drop-down menu in the color palette and select the complimentary color option. This can be a useful technique for creating color harmony in your designs.

3. Sampling Colors from Imagery

Sometimes, you may want to sample colors from imagery to create design cohesion. Adobe Illustrator provides a convenient tool for this called the Eyedropper tool. To sample colors from imagery, follow these steps:

1. Select a piece of typography or any other design element that you want to match colors with.
2. Press the "I" key on your keyboard to access the Eyedropper tool.
3. Click on different parts of your image to sample colors. The selected color will be applied to the chosen design element.

This technique can be particularly effective for tying together different elements of a design. For example, you can sample a color from an image and apply it to the typography, creating a cohesive and visually appealing composition.

4. Recoloring Shapes

Recoloring shapes is another important aspect of working with colors in Adobe Illustrator. Here are two techniques you can use for recoloring shapes:

Using Edit Colors

To recolor a group selection of shapes, follow these steps:

1. Select all the shapes you want to recolor.
2. Go to the "Edit" menu and click on "Edit Colors".
3. Choose one of the preset options to convert the selected shapes to a different color scheme, such as grayscale.
4. The selected shapes will be recolored according to the chosen color scheme.

Blend Shapes

Another technique you can use to recolor shapes is to blend them. This can be done by arranging the shapes from left to right or from top to bottom, depending on the furthest left and furthest right shapes. This feature has been available in Adobe Illustrator for a while but may go unnoticed. Experiment with blending shapes to create interesting color transitions and gradients in your designs.

5. Utilizing Global Colors

Global colors are colors that can be reused throughout your design and easily updated. Here's how you can utilize global colors in Adobe Illustrator:

Adding Global Swatches

To add a color as a global swatch, follow these steps:

1. Open the swatches window.
2. Select the color you want to use as a global color.
3. Click on the top right menu in the swatches window.
4. Choose "Add new swatch" and make sure the "Global" color box is checked.

Once you've created a global swatch, you will notice a small triangle in the bottom right corner of the swatch icon, indicating that it is a global color. This means that whenever you use this swatch with the same color anywhere in your design or project, Illustrator will automatically update all design elements that use that color. This can save you a lot of time and effort when making color changes to your design.

Transforming Design Elements with Global Colors

Using global colors in your design makes it easy to update multiple design elements at once. For example, if you decide to change the global color, all design elements that use that color will automatically update to reflect the new color. This can be especially useful when working on complex designs with many different elements that need to maintain consistency in color.

6. Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding how to work with colors in Adobe Illustrator is essential for creating visually appealing designs. By following the quickfire tips and techniques outlined in this article, you can enhance your color selection, fix color issues, create cohesive designs, and easily update colors using global swatches. Experiment with these techniques and unleash your creativity in Adobe Illustrator.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep exploring the world of color in Adobe Illustrator and continue to refine your skills as a graphic designer. Happy designing!

Highlights:

• Quickfire tips for working with colors in Adobe Illustrator
• Selecting and changing colors using the color palette and sliders
• Fixing color issues by changing color modes and selecting complimentary colors
• Sampling colors from imagery using the Eyedropper tool
• Recoloring shapes using Edit Colors and blending techniques
• Utilizing global colors to easily update design elements
• Adding global swatches and transforming design elements with global colors
• Enhancing color selection, fixing color issues, and creating cohesive designs
• Unleashing creativity and refining graphic design skills in Adobe Illustrator

FAQ

Q: How can I change the color of a shape in Adobe Illustrator? A: To change the color of a shape, you can either use the color palette to select a color or use the color sliders to fine-tune the color. Double-clicking on the color palette will bring up a variety of swatches to choose from, while shift-clicking on the top left drop-down menu will activate the color sliders.

Q: Why does the color of my design element turn into a shade of gray? A: If the color of your design element appears as a shade of gray, it may be because the color mode is set to greyscale. To fix this issue, go to the color palette and change the color mode to a different one that is relevant to your project.

Q: Can I sample colors from imagery in Adobe Illustrator? A: Yes, you can sample colors from imagery using the Eyedropper tool. Simply select the typography or design element you want to match colors with, press the "I" key on your keyboard to activate the Eyedropper tool, and click on different parts of the image to sample colors.

Q: How can I recolor multiple shapes at once in Adobe Illustrator? A: You can recolor multiple shapes at once by selecting them, going to the "Edit" menu, and clicking on "Edit Colors". From there, you can choose a preset option to recolor the selected shapes.

Q: What are global colors in Adobe Illustrator? A: Global colors are colors that can be reused throughout your design and easily updated. When you create a global swatch, Illustrator will automatically update all design elements that use that color whenever you make changes to the swatch.

Q: How can I add a global swatch in Adobe Illustrator? A: To add a global swatch, open the swatches window, select the color you want to use, click on the top right menu in the swatches window, choose "Add new swatch" and make sure the "Global" color box is checked.