Illustrator Graphic Styles + Tutorials

What are Illustrator graphic styles ?

Graphic styles are stored effects for Illustrator. Simply click and apply Illustrator styles to paths or text. They are a useful toolkit for countless effects - superb time savers, use in many different projects, apply an unique touch to any project.

The styles from graphicxtras include

scribbles / hand drawn

aspect effects - using the new gradient effects added in CS4 to create totally awesome color designs

pattern styles such as jazzy and surreal patterns

grid and gradients

surreal gradient effects

flame and fiery gradient effects

3D graphic effects

Stroke styles which are excellent combined with brush strokes

Grid line and diagonal effects and many more

Blurry

Of course, the styles are only the starting point and various effects can be applied as well as added to the effect via the appearance palette and you can always remove elements such as a fill or stroke - literally creating millions of truly wow designs.

How to create 3D spherical designs using Illustrator styles tutorial?

It is very easy to create a 3D spherical design using the styles and with a style you can always re-apply the style and the 3D sphere effect over and over to a circle - you don't have to re-create the effect by hand each and every time. Re-usability is one of the key features of the graphic styles.

Example below shows a radial style applied to a basic circle path in Illustrator

The gradient is set to a radial setting

1) Create or select a circle path

2) Double click the gradient tool - this displays the gradient palette in Illustrator

3) Select a gradient - this fills the current selected path

4) Select the gradient type to radial type

5) Position the centre point of the gradient by selecting and moving the gradient bar

6) Set the first stop (left) to white or light color - creating a highlight

7) Set the last or end stop to a darker color - creates the shadow for the sphere

8) Set the middle stops as required - gives the overall color to the sphere

9) Display the graphic style palette and then select the right side menu 'new graphic style'

10) Save this style

You can also just buy one of the radial graphic style sets found on this site - contains many different 3D spherical graphic styles for Illustrator

How to access the Illustrator styles tutorial?

Go to the window menu and select the graphic style menu option - the palette will then appear and will be filled with all the current effects though this varies from version to version of Illustrator. Select a path or text and then apply a style.

1) window > graphic styles

2) go to the right side of the graphic style palette

3) Select the open graphic style library menu

4) Select one of the styles sets such as the 3D styles or

5) Select the other library option

6) Select styles from the Illustrator styles library

7) The styles are added to the document's styles library palette

How are the Illustrator styles stored ?

Styles are stored in AI format. You cannot access the effects in another application - only the paths etc will be seen by Photoshop etc.

The styles are accessible via the Illustrator styles palette - that is the only way they can be applied. Example below shows a graphic styles palette in Illustrator

The graphicxtras styles are generally stored in version 10 format but in some cases such as scribble or aspect effects they are stored in a later format and cannot generally be opened in an earlier version of Illustrator.

Please note: Styles did not exist before Illustrator 10 and will definitely not work in AI 9 or AI 8.

Illustrator styles color format?

The graphic effects are stored in the RGB color model. Most styles will work fine in a CMYK document but in some cases you may have to modify some of the settings to get a similar effect or see any effect at all.

How to store Illustrator styles in the current document ?

The Illustrator styles / effects are stored in a library file - AI format.

Once you have opened the Illustrator style file and selected the required effect, the style is added to the current document. On saving the current document.

All the existing Illustrator styles applied to paths and text etc will also be saved with that document for use at a future point.

Re-scaling effects / Illustrator styles

Some of the Illustrator styles / effects might be great with a 600 x 600 path (they are generally designed with that in mind) but if set to 10 x 10 path or 4000 x 4000 size path then you might need to scale the settings. To do this you must go to the appearance palette and set the 3D etc settings with a smaller or larger value.

Sorry, the styles do not store the initial information and re-scale based on the path etc.

How to use patterns as a style ?

Apply a pattern swatch to a selected path and then go to the style palette and select the new style option. You can combine multiple pattern swatches and fills either by creating new fills in the appearance palette or duplicating pattern swatches in the appearance palette. The patterns can be further combined by using blending modes and effects and transparency.

Rasterization of Illustrator style effects

The effect and applied path can be rasterized and then re-used perhaps via live trace

Combine / blend Illustrator styles

You can also combine them by applying different blending modes etc. to different overlapping paths containing the same or different graphic styles and create even more stunning and unique designs (these can then be added to the symbols palette for future use)

Illustrator Scribble effects

The Illustrator scribble effects were added with version CS1 and were not in 10

Modify Illustrator styles tutorial

You can modify them via the appearance palette. You will then see all the different elements such as multiple fills and multiple strokes. You can then remove the fills / strokes / effects and 'create' a new style or you can tweak the gradient or color settings or add transparency to a particular element or add an effect into the mix

Illustrator graphic styles installation tutorial

The files are placed in the presets styles or graphic styles folder, though they can be located in other folders. Access the effects via the graphic styles menu / palette. As soon as the effect / fill is used it is added to the current document's graphic styles palette

Illustrator styles applied to frame tutorial

The Illustrator effects can be used to apply to paths and can be used to create stunning border or frame designs.

1) Draw rectangle

2) Draw a smaller rectangle path

3) Align (via the align palette) so the latest path is on top of the earlier path

4) Pathfinder palette > minus front option

5) Window > graphic styles (if styles palette is not visible)

6) Select combined path

7) Click Illustrator style

8) Place style frame above an image

How to apply graphic styles to Illustrator paths ? tutorial

Select a path and then go to the styles palette and apply the required effect. you can also then modify the effect via the appearance palette such as adding a new fill or stroke as well as offset or live effect.

The example above shows the appearance palette with multiple fills as well as displaying the gradient dialog in Illustrator

1) Select a path

2) Window > Grpahic styles

3) Open library

4) Select style and apply

5) Window > appearance palette

6) Select one of the fills or one of the strokes

7) Modify gradient by using gradient tool

8) Or add a new fill via the right side menu

9) Or drag a fill or stroke to the delete button (or click)

How to use the Illustrator style as a symbol tutorial?

1) Select a path

2) Go to the Illustrator styles palette

3) Apply graphic style to selected path

4) Drag path to the palette

5) Apply symbols via the symbols sprayer tool

The style, sadly, cannot be modified once it has been saved as symbol.

Text and Illustrator effects

Graphic Illustrator styles can be applied to expanded text / normal text. The actual result depends on the color and the text. 1) Select the text 2) Select the style 3) text has now been set. You can also apply to non expanded text by manipulating the elements of the effect in the appearance palette

How can I use the Illustrator graphic styles with large or small paths ?

They can be used with any size of document or path. Most will require no tweaking but some, such as the scribble styles, will require some re-scaling and this can be done via the appearance palette

Patterns scaling and Illustrator styles

If the style include a pattern then you can always re-scale the pattern design via the edit > transform > scale command. Always remember to de-select the OBJECT option and leave the PATTERN on otherwise the object will increase or decrease in size as well.

Combine with other styles / merge Illustrator styles tutorial

The styles can also be combined or merged. Go to the styles palette and select two or more styles. Go to the Illustrator styles menu and select the merge option. Use this option to create stunning new unique styles for your projects. In some cases the style might need additional work so you will need to manipulate the positions of the fills and effects via the appearance palette

1) Open a grid style library via the styles palette open library command

2) Open a sketch / scribble style library via the open library command

3) Click a style in the grid style library (or more than one)

4) Click a style in the scribble style library (or more than one)

The styles are now in the main graphic styles palette

5) Select any of the styles you wish to merge

6) Go to the right side menu and dropdown

7) Select merge command

8) Apply the new style to a selected path

9) Go to the appearance palette - if you wish to further manipulate the style. The appearance style is useful as you can move the fills and effects and strokes up and down in the displayed order (as well as the actual appearance of the path).

Moving a fill up or down can radically change the end result. The order of the fills might mean the scribble or other effect is behind a fill and cannot be seen. With multiple fills and strokes you can end up with many different possible combinations and end results - as below.

Also changing settings such as the stroke width of the scribble (or 3D etc or gradient) will also alter the end result.

Example below shows the merging of styles such as the scribble and pattern styles - many different mergings of styles can be created. Updated: January 2nd 2012