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You are here: Home > Illustrator > Graphic styles > Graphic styles installation, how to use, tutorials etc
Graphic styles for Illustrator ®: how to use, install, tutorials etc
To purchase the styles on graphicxtras.com, please check out the Illustrator styles section
Graphic styles for Illustrator ®
Graphic styles are stored effects for Illustrator. Simply click and apply to paths or text. They are a useful toolkit for countless effects. The graphicxtras.com styles are a mix of different styles effects including scribbles, aspect ratio gradient styles, pattern styles, 3D styles and more. Some of the styles also include other effects such as blurs or shadows or distortions. You can always select an existing style and then add additional effects to the style via the appearance palette
Graphic styles format
Graphic styles are all stored in native format AI files for ease of use. The graphic styles can be used in Illustrator from 10 upwards. Most of the graphicxtras styles are in 10 format for maximum compatibility but some are stored in CS1 (such as scribbles as that was introduced with CS1) and the aspect ratio styles CS4 format (aspect ratio in gradients was added with CS4) If you save a style, it is generally saved in the current Illustrator version but you can always save it to an earlier format bearing in mind that the format must support that style's features.
Access styles
Styles are easy to access and use. Create a document, create a path in that document and then go to the window menu and select the graphic styles menu entry and then select the path and then select the required style to apply to that path. You can repeat this option as required, the style will be applied to the path replacing the existing Illustrator style.
Styles libraries
The styles libraries are AI format files. They are standard Illustrator files but instead of containing paths and text etc they generally only contain the styles in the styles palette. On loading into another file, they appear in a separate library palette and only become part of the document's library once selected or used. The styles sets from graphicxtras.com if opened generally do not show anything in the styles file document (artboard) but you can see the styles via the styles palette. You can always edit the source styles libraries creating a new style or deleting an existing one or modifying styles.
RGB format
The graphic styles are stored in the RGB color model, in most cases, can be easily turned into CMYK or used in CMYK documents. Graphic styles are designed for a particular color format. In many cases, the styles will work happily in either color model (such as RGB etc.) but some styles might just display as black and might require some modification
Document styles
Once the styles have been stored in the current project / document, the style can be further manipulated and added to or elements removed and the style can then be saved to a new project library graphic styles file
Re-scaling styles
Some of the styles 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, 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.
Borders / frames
The styles can be used to apply to paths and can be used to create stunning border or frame designs. To create a border style effect / frame effect, create a basic shape and then copy the shape, re-scale and then apply the pathfinder filter to the two designs, removing the inner part of the design. Then select the path and then the style, the style will now be applied to the frame design
Applied to paths
The graphic styles can be applied to paths in 1000s of different ways, use to create a background designs, use to create fashion prints, use to create book covers.
Create symbols
Use the graphic style and apply to a path and then save as a symbol (via the symbols palette), use the graphic style then in the symbol sprayer etc.
Text
Graphic styles can be applied to expanded text. The actual result depends on the color style and the text
Resolution free
The Illustrator graphic styles are vector designs and are resolution-free (in the case of gradients) - there are still scaling issues for patterns etc but no lose of detail etc
Patterns scaling
If a pattern is included then you can always re-scale the pattern design via the edit > transform > scale command. Just de-select the OBJECT option and leave the PATTERN on
Modify styles
You can modify styles best via the appearance palette. You will then see all the different elements such as multiple fills and multiple strokes. You can then remove the style elements 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 to the style
Combine / blend
You can also combine graphic styles, apply 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)
Graphic styles plug-ins
The vectorwand plug-in toolkit comes with a tool to manipulate the style factor, an internal style sizing setting. This is volume 7 of the Andrew's (vector) plugin series. Volume 3 gradient set for creating new graphic styles based on gradients, likewise the volume 17 create styles based on patterns. Styles are also applied as a random element in many of the plug-ins, generally via a single setting check on and off.
Patterns / fills / gradients
Illustrator Styles can be made up of many different elements, modified and tweaked. The individual elements can be modified via the gradients tool
Rasterize styles
The graphic style and applied path can be rasterized and then re-used perhaps via live trace
Combine with other styles
Use the color styles as a starting point. Combine these styles with scribbles and other live effects such as blurs and pixel plugins
Illustrator graphic styles Installation
Graphic styles or styles are in native Illustrator format. The styles files are placed in the presets styles or graphic styles folder, though they can be located in other folders. Access the styles via the graphic styles menu / palette. As soon as a graphic style is used it is added to the current document's graphic styles palette
Illustrator graphic styles location - CS4 VISTA
Please place the Illustrator styles files in your user folder [user] \ appData \roaming \ Adobe \ Adobe Illustrator CS4 settings \ en_US \ graphic styles changing the en_US to en_GB etc as required and the [user] to your username. You will then see the styles files appear in the preset browser dropdown for the styles panel.
Illustrator graphic styles location - CS4 OS X
Please place the Illustrator styles files in the <user>: library : ApplicationSupport : Adobe : Adobe Illustrator CS4 : en_US : graphic styles folder. Again, depends on the username (Andrew, Maggie, Steve or whatever your current username is) and the en_US depends on the language so it could be en_GB etc en_JP etc
General location for presets
All versions of Illustrator can use the presets if they are placed in the presets 'preset type' (swatches, graphic styles etc) sub folder of the application. If they are not in any of the accepted locations, you can still access the swatches (or styles or brushes etc) via the panel's preset browser via the window menu (other libraries) or the preset's panel preset browser.
On purchase
Purchase via secure paypal. You will be sent a link to download the software. Please download the software / presets and make a backup to CD DVD etc. Any questions, issues with installation, please contact us for help
About Graphicxtras.com
Graphicxtras.com is a website for royalty-free content and exciting hi-impact plug-in effects. All the content has been created by graphicxtras.com (Andrew Buckle) for use in commercial as well as hobby designs. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact me. You can also call me on (UK +44) 1622 688 375. Privacy: details are not sent onto any third party. All purchases are via paypal (or shareit.com). This is the official source of all graphicxtras.com material, however, you can also purchase the items on a number of scrapbooking sites as well. Adobe, Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator, Fireworks, Flash are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated; Corel, Painter, Photo-Paint, Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, Corel are registered trademarks of Corel Incorporated
What can I do with the product?
Commercial use OK (as well as non-commercial and hobby). Use to create items for sale, use for books, leaflets, website designs, fashions, scrapbooking, in videos, on buttons, shoes, illustrations, parts of logos (some modification is required to create exclusivity), records, CDs, packaging, advertising and much more. You can use them to create millions of different graphics designs.
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