Chapter 11: Working with Transparency and Special Effects Tools
In This Chapter
Adding dimension with the Mesh tool
Getting to know the Blend tool
Using the Symbol Sprayer tool
Discovering transparency, blend modes, and opacity masks
This chapter is full of neat things you can do using some of the more advanced features in Adobe Illustrator. These special effects tools can help you create art that makes an impact: Discover how to make your art look like a painting with the Gradient Mesh tool, create morph-like blends with the Blend tool, become a graffiti artist by trying out the Symbol Sprayer tool, and see what’s underneath objects by using transparency.
The Mesh Tool
If you’re creating art in Illustrator that requires solid colors or continuous patterns, you can achieve those results quite easily. But if you’re working on an element that requires continuous tones, such as a person’s face, you turn to the handy Mesh tool to create smooth tonal variations in your illustration. Choose to blend one color into another and then use the Mesh tool to adjust your blend. Now in Illustrator ...