Illustrator Graphic Styles / Live effects / Color effects

1000s of graphic styles for Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 - 10 (Illustrator 16 - 10) unless stated, commercial use effects

Date updated: May 7th, 2023

 

Image gallery: 150 Mixed Graphic Styles / Live effects for Adobe Illustrator (Volume 2)

150 Mixed super colorful effects includes gradient graphic styles, shimmer styles, interlocking styles, golden glow styles, electricity graphic styles, cris cros styles, blend graphic styles, edge graphic styles, solar effects styles and and more for Adobe ® Illustrator ® CS6 - 10 (Illustrator 16 - 10) (all of the Adobe Creative Suite versions - the styles work with all versions of the suites). The graphic styles are for PC (Windows 7, Windows 8, XP, Vista) and MAC OS X (10.8 10.7 10.6). The mixed colorful graphic style effects are accessible via the Illustrator styles palette, simply go to the right side menu of the Illustrator palette and browse for the Illustrator styles library set. You can also just install the Illustrator styles in the styles folder and then the styles are immediately accessible via the graphic styles palette. AI format Mixed styles. If you have any questions about the styles, please contact us on support@graphicxtras.com. Adobe and Illustrator are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. All the styles are by Andrew Buckle (graphicxtras.com)

The Graphic styles are easy to modify and add to - you can do this by applying the design to text or path (as above) and then using the appearance palette in Illustrator to remove or add or change gradients or fills in a variety of ways - you can also apply live effects such as blurs, filter gallery etc

Image gallery: 400 Colorful graduated graphic styles for Adobe Illustrator (Volume 5)

400 Colorful graduated effects including rounded graphic styles, circular styles, padded styles, pulse, effects, highlights, subtle, exclusions, tracks and many more for Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 10 (Illustrator 16-10). They work best in RGB though they can work in CMYK in most cases. You can access all the live effects / Illustrator styles via the main styles palette - you can modify the various effects even further by using the powerful appearance palette tools to add additional fills and strokes and effects as well and modify. They are for PC and MAC OS X. The powerful styles are all for commercial use, all royalty-free, all can be used to create millions of wonderful designs for sale and more. The styles can be modified in many different ways to create truly wow designs for countless projects. A stunning set of colorful effects for your projects - a limitless toolbox of designs.

Image gallery: 200 Aspect graduated styles for Illustrator CS4 - CS6 (Volume 9)

200 Aspect gradient effects including ripple graphic styles, gradient styles, line styles, weird styles, warped, rounded aspect styles, surreal styles, grayscale, glowing, sphere graphic styles effects, rows, fiery effects and many more for Illustrator CC CS6 CS5 and CS4 (note, they will not work in earlier versions of AI because the aspect ratio feature was only added in version CS4) PC and MAC OS X. The Illustrator styles can be applied to paths, text as well as brushes and symbols etc. Work best in RGB mode The effects can be modified, combined, the paths can be exported to other applications and more. Vector effects for all kinds of work. If you have any questions about the graduated / gradient / aspect styles, please contact us on support@graphicxtras.com

Image gallery: 150 Unique Scribbles / sketch graphic styles for Illustrator CC CS6 - CS1 (Volume 8)

150 Scribble and hand drawn Illustrator styles - CS1 upwards to the latest version, CS6. Wonderful scribble effects to apply to paths and more in Illustrator. Commercial use, royalty-free - use to create items for sale and more. Many different types of scribble and scratch styles are included in the set. The styles are all in standard format AI. You will have to modify the scaling of the scribbles dependent on the size of the path applied to. Vector styles for any size of work. You can modify the scribble styles via the appearance palette. The styles can be used on the PC and MAC OS X. Adobe and Illustrator are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Image gallery: 100 Patch / line graphic styles for Illustrator (Volume 13)

100 Patch styles including tile styles, weave styles, tartan graphic styles and more for Illustrator CC CS6 (16) CS5 (15) CS4 (14) CS3 (13) CS2 CS1 10 for use on the PC and MAC OS X. Vector styles for any size of work in Illustrator. Access the Illustrator graphic styles via the styles palette. They can be applied in 1000s of ways to paths and text and more within the applications. The designs can be modified and re-colored via the appearance palette where you can add additional fills as well as re-color or remove or move elements of the style. Commercial use, all the patch and line graphic styles are royalty-free, all are by graphicxtras.com (Andrew Buckle). See all the styles in the set via the gallery above. On buying the set, you receive the download link to the set and that includes an AI file with the styles, documentation, gallery (as above) and serial number for any future updates.

Image gallery: 900 Tile graphic styles for Illustrator (Volume 3)

900 Tile and jazzy styles as well as abstract wow patterns and more - wonderful Illustrator styles for CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 down to version 10 (Illustrator 16-10). Apply the exciting tile effects to the paths, text in 1000s of ways. Access the styles via the styles palette open library command and apply and apply. Commercial use super colorful Illustrator effects, all royalty-free, all by graphicxtras.com - great for creating items for sale, books and more. The styles can also be exported to other applications such as Photoshop and effects and color effects can be applied to the wondeful graphic styles. The graphic styles can be manipulated via the transform commands where the designs can be rotated and sheared and scaled. Additional effects and duplicated patterns and changes of blending modes can also be applied - use the appearance palette to create truly wow and unique pattern designs for symbols, paths and text etc. See all the designs via the gallery link above

Image gallery: 100 Brush Stroke graphic styles for Illustrator CC CS6 - CS2 (Volume 10)

100 Brush stroke effects including random and tangled for use in Illustrator CS2 upwards. Commercial use stroke effects - you can use with text and paths to create truly wow designs in seconds. The brush strokes do need to be re-scaled after use in some circumstances as the styles were created with certain paths and re-applying the strokes to a different size of path will result in a small or larger effect which might not be as required. Re-scale the effect via the appearance palette. The styles can be applied to text and path etc. Adobe and Illustrator are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporaterd. Many different types of stroke effects are included such as contours, shadow strokes and many others. See many of the styles via the image gallery link above. Apply the styles to brush strokes etc to create truly wow brushes in seconds.

Image gallery: 400 Colorful Grid Graphic styles for Adobe Illustrator (Volume 6)

400 Color styles for Illustrator include many different shimmery graphic style, Illustrator perspective style, curtain styles, pulse effects, smudged and many more for Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 10 (Illustrator 16 - 10) as well as including the latest versions for the Adobe Creative Cloud - all for the PC and MAC OS X. The Illustrator styles work best in RGB color mode. Easy to use and apply with any paths and text. The effects are all applied via the Illustrator styles palette and the styles are loaded via the right side menu. Once applied, the styles can be further manipulated via the appearance palette where additional live effects such as new gradients and patterns as well as solid fills and live effects / blurs etc can also be applied to create truly unique and wow designs. An amazing toolkit of effects for use throughout the application. Any questions about the graphic styles, please contact us on support@graphicxtras.com. See all the plugin / live effects included in the set via the gallery link above.

Image gallery: 400 Color Gradient graphics styles for Illustrator (Volume 12)

400 Color effects and weird and wonderful color effects including surreal effects, shimmer graphic styles, exclusion effects, satin designs, broken Illustrator styles, glass effects and more. Great styles for Illustrator CC CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 10 (Illustrator 16-10) for the PC and MAC OS X, the graphic styles are cross platform. Modify via the appearance palette. Work best in RGB color mode. License commercial use, all royalty-free - use to create items for sale such as posters, bowls, postcards, wristlets, mugs, note books, magnets, prints and more. Adobe and Illustrator are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. See all the styles in the set via the image gallery link above (though please note that the styles are applied to a single design and the actual styles can be applied to a vast range of different paths in Illustrator).

Image gallery: 400 Linear Color graphics styles for Adobe Illustrator (Volume 4)

400 Color effects including metallic graphic styles, dash effects, chain mail effects, weave effects, shimmer styles for Illustrator CC CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 PC and MAC OS X. License commercial use, all royalty-free. Use to create items for sale such as skateboards, posters, kits, templates, key chains, magnets, baby apparel, patches, prints, documents and more. On buying the set, you receive the styles in AI format along with documentation and gallery and serial number. The graphic styles can be applied to text, symbols, paths etc to create truly amazing effects in seconds.

Image gallery: 1000 Cross / Grid / Line Color graphics styles for Illustrator (Volume 7)

1000 Super colorful color styles styles including shimmer effects, glowing, dark styles and more for Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 10 (or Illustrator 16 - 10). The graphic styles are for PC and MAC. Easy to use Illustrator styles and apply and wonderful exciting dynamic color effects. Commercial use, all royalty-free. use to create amazing colorful designs to sale, books, leaflets, posters, logos and more. All in standard Illustrator styles AI files, all are vectors for any size of work.

Image gallery: 500 Gradient Amazing graphics styles for Illustrator (Volume 1)

500 Mixed color and shimmer effects including solar styles, surreal effects, shimmer gradient effects and more for Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 - 10 (Adobe Illustrator 16 - 10), PC and MAC OS X. Stunning styles applied via the graphic style palette. Works best in RGB mode though they can also be used in most cases in CMYK as well. Modify the effects in seconds via the appearance palette. The amazing graphic styles work well with paths and text - they can be combined with existing effects to create truly wow designs. The styles are easy to use and apply and modify. The designs can also be exported to other applications so you can indirectly use the styles in Photoshop and Indesign. The 500 effects can be multipled many times over by combining the effects and tweaking and adding additional live effects for additional fills and strokes. A powerful toolkit for all your design work in Illustrator. Commercial use graphic styles, all are royalty-free, all are by graphicxtras.com (Andrew Buckle). Use the effects to create wow ceramics, logos, books, illustrations, adverts, packaging designs, 3D designs, fashions, catalogs, web pages and much more. On buying the set, you receive the download link to the graphic styles (in AI format), the set also contains documentation and a gallery and also a serial number for any future updates.

Image gallery: 160 Extrude / 3D Effects (Volume 11) for Illustrator CC CS6-CS2

160 Extrude effect styles including 3D graphic styles, tangled effects, rotations, transformations, duplications, blurry graphic styles, extrude styles, smudged, spin styles and more for Adobe Illustrator CC CS6 CS5.5 CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 (please note, not for CS1 because there was no extrude features in the earlier versions of AI). Load the graphic styles via the Illustrator palette. Apply the effects to text / paths PC and MAC OS X. Extrude Vector graphic styles for any size of work. If you have any questions about the set, please contact us on support@graphicxtras.com. On buying the set, you receive the download URL to the AI file along with documentation on the installation and basic use as well as a gallery of the designs along with a serial number.

10 Free graphic styles for Illustrator

10 Free colorful graphic styles for Illustrator CC CS6 CS5 CS4 CS3 CS2 CS1 10 (Adobe Illustrator 16 - 10) PC and MAC. A mix of 10 colorful styles that can be used with paths and text in Illustrator. Apply via the graphic styles palette. Load via the library right side functionality in Illustrator styles palette. The styles can be modified, combined, exported to other applications and much more. Commercial use. The designs can also be then exported to other applications as well as combined with other styles / live effects. They are for RGB but they can also work in CMYK (though they are not designed for that). The graphic styles are creations of combinations of gradients.

What are Illustrator graphic styles ?

They are stored effects for AI. 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. Of course, the effects are only the initial 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 spherical designs using Illustrator styles ?

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

 

 

The design is set to a rad setting

 

1) Create or select a round path

2) Double click the GRD tool - this displays the palette

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

4) Set type to rad type

5) Position the centre point by selecting and moving the 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

How to access the Illustrator styles ?

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 AI. Select a path or text and then apply an effect.

 

 

1) window menu and followed by graphic styles command

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

3) Select the open graphic style library menu

4) Select one of the sets

5) Select the other library option

6) Select

7) They are now added to the document library and can be used any time you open the document / artboard.

How are the Illustrator styles stored

 

Stored in AI files. You cannot access the effects in another application - only the paths will be seen by Photoshop.

 

They are accessible via the styles palette - that is the only way they can be applied.

 

They are generally stored in version 10 but in some cases such as scribble or aspect effects they are stored in a later type and cannot generally be opened in an earlier version of AI (they do not work in the earlier versions of AI such as 8)

Illustrator styles color model?

The graphic effects are stored in the RGB color model.

 

They 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.

 

Re-scaling effects / Illustrator styles

 

Some of the AI 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 extrude settings with a smaller or larger value.

 

 

Sorry, the effects do not store the initial details and re-scale based on the path (nothing to do with us, purely the format used). This is the same for native effects as well - some post work is often required to set the effect to the size of the path. What works for a small path will not often work for a huge path especially if it contains strokes

 

 

How to use tiles as a style in Illustrator ?

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

 

With Illustrator CC CS6, you can now also use the effects as a source for tiles - the example on the left is the source design with a scribble effect applied via the styles palette. The example on the right is a path with a tiles applied based on that live effect (multiple scribbles overlapping). Use the new tile editor in CS6 to create 1000s of unique tiles from the wonderful live effects (from graphicxtras)

Graphic styles - Rasterization of Illustrator effects

 

The effect and applied path can be rasterized and then re-used perhaps via live trace - the live trace is now even more amazing with even more features in the latest version CS6. To rasterize the design, go to the object rasterize command and set the color model as well as the resolution and anti-aliasing option. Select the rasterized design and then go to the image trace. The image trace (it seems) is now a lot faster with CS6.

 

 

The application of the live effects does (if applied to Illustrator shapes) require a little additional work such as going to the appearance palette and selecting the correct fill / stroke to apply the effect to.If applied overall, sometimes you just end up with a solid fill and no evidence of any application of the effect - it is there but just behind or applied to the content / group and the result is probably not the expected one. Likewise, the image trace does require some setup as well as some modification of the end result / threshold (especially) as sometimes the result is either a silhouette or a white screen.

Combine / blend Illustrator styles

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

 

Go to the transparency panel and then change the blending mode for the top path (or top paths if you have more than one). You can change the live effect applied as well as the blending mode and also the opacity to create a near infinite range of unique and wonderful color effects applied to any path. As the paths are independent designs, the appearance palette is not so useful in this case but you can still modify the individual components of the effects for the individual designs.

 

You can also just apply the effects to the same path with slight offsets to create a more surreal color design. You can also apply the styles and then apply live effects such as blurs or grain effects to the same designs and combine those to create even more wonderful hi-impact designs.

Modify Illustrator effects / styles

You can modify them via the Illustrator appearance palette (access the appearance palette via the window menu)

 

 

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 stops or color settings or add transparency to a particular element or add an effect into the mix

Illustrator styles applied to border

 

The AI Illustrator effects can be used to apply to paths and can be used to create stunning border 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 menu followed by minus front option

5) Window menu and graphic styles (if palette is not visible)

6) Select combined path

7) Click AI effect

8) Place border above an image

How to apply graphic effects to Illustrator paths ?

 

Select a path and then go to the 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 dialog

 

 

1) Select a path

2) Window menu and Graphic styles

3) Open library

4) Select and apply

5) Window menu followed by appearance palette

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

7) Modify color effects by using stop tool

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

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

How to use the Illustrator effect as a shapes tutorial?

 

1) Select a path

2) Go to the palette

3) Apply Illustrator graphic style to selected path

4) Drag path to the palette

5) Apply shape s via the shapes sprayer tool

 

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

Illustrator 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 scribbles, will require some re-scaling and this can be done via the appearance palette.

 

You can also use one of the tools from graphicxtras - vector wand filter as that has a feature to re-size the settings for the path's styles.

Scaling and Illustrator effects

If the effect include a tile then you can always re-scale the tile design via the edit menu and transform followed by scale command. Always remember to de-select the OBJECT option and leave the other option to ON otherwise the object will increase or decrease in size as well.

Combine with other effects / merge Illustrator effects tutorial

 

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

 

1) Open a library via the palette open library command

2) Open a scribble library via the open library command

3) Click an effect in the library (or more than one)

4) Click an effect in the scribble library (or more than one)

 

They are now in the main palette

 

5) Select any of the effects 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 effect. The appearance palette 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 will also alter the end result.

How to install styles in Illustrator

The file sets all come with the live effects in AI format. They, the live effects, are not active via the artboard but via the styles palette. You can open the source material files (though I would suggest making a backup of your work as they can corrupt - I have had that enough times over the years) and modify some of the effects and re-save the set

 

To use them as actual live effects then place the AI file in the graphic styles folder of AI and then access them via the styles palette open library functionality (if found in the styles folder then the set will appear in the list, if not you will have to browse for the library).

 

Once opened, you can then apply the effects to many different paths in AI

How to use all the styles in one go in Illustrator

If you have a number of the sets and lots and lots of AI files, you might like to create one super library of all the effects. Not particularly recommended as that will probably make quite a hit on the addons of AI Illustrator but if you have a lot of memory and a super powerful machine you can always create that AI file. Just open a completely new AI file and then open each of the libraries in turn via the palette and then select all the live effects required (many are made up of fill / stroke / scribble combinations) and these will be added to the current open file. On finishing all the file sets, you can then save that file as a massive AI file of all the effects. I am not sure it is a great idea but I have been asked a number of times for this. Perhaps not so much the saving of the file (and it might corrupt) but I would imagine it will be fairly slow on opening - certainly slower than going to the individual files.

 

Keywords: graphic,styles,Illustrator,cs6,cs5,cs4,cc

 

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