How to Use the Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator

Posted on 19th June 2023

Creating a New Mesh

To create a new mesh, select the Mesh tool and click anywhere on the artboard. By default, you’ll create a 4×4 grid, but you can change the number of rows and columns in the Options bar. To add more anchor points to an existing mesh, click on the edge of the mesh with the Mesh tool and drag to create a new row or column. To delete anchor points, select the anchor point with the Direct Selection tool and press Delete.

Editing an Existing Mesh

To move an anchor point, select it with the Direct Selection tool and drag it to a new location. To move a row or column, click on the edge of the mesh with the Mesh tool and drag it. To delete a row or column, select it with the Mesh tool and press Delete. To add color to a mesh, select the mesh with the Selection tool and use the fill and stroke controls in the Tools panel.

Converting Text to a Mesh

To convert text to a mesh, select the Type tool and click on the artboard. Type your text and then select the Type tool and click on the text to select it. In the Options bar, click on the Create Mesh button. You’ll see a grid appear over your text. To add anchor points to the text, click on the edge of the text with the Mesh tool and drag to create a new row or column. To move anchor points, select them with the Direct Selection tool and drag them to a new location.

Converting an Object to a Mesh

To convert an object to a mesh, select the object with the Selection tool. In the Options bar, click on the Create Mesh button. You’ll see a grid appear over your object. To add anchor points to the object, click on the edge of the object with the Mesh tool and drag to create a new row or column. To move anchor points, select them with the Direct Selection tool and drag them to a new location.

What is the Mesh Tool?

The Mesh Tool is a powerful tool in Adobe Illustrator that can be used to create complex shapes. It allows you to create a mesh of points and then manipulate those points to create your desired shape.

How to Use the Mesh Tool

1. Select the Mesh Tool from the Tools panel.

2. Click on the artboard to create a mesh point.

3. Continue clicking to create additional mesh points.

4. To create a curved line, click and drag to create a curved line between two points.

5. To create a corner point, click on two points that are not adjacent to each other.

6. To delete a point, click on the point and press Delete.

7. To change the color of a point, click on the point and use theEyedropper Tool to select a new color.

8. To move a point, click on the point and drag it to a new location.

9. To add a point, click on the line between two points and press theAdd Anchor Point Tool.

10. To delete a line, click on the line and press the Delete key.

Mesh Tool Tips

• To create a symmetrical shape, click on the first point and then hold down the Shift key while clicking on the second point.

• To create a shape with multiple colors, click on the first point and then hold down the Alt key (Windows) or Option key (Mac) while clicking on the second point. This will create a new color stop.

• To change the color of a mesh point, double-click on the point with the Mesh Tool and then select a new color from the Color Picker.

• To change the color of a line, double-click on the line with the Mesh Tool and then select a new color from the Color Picker.

• To change the width of a line, double-click on the line with the Mesh Tool and then enter a new width in the Width field.

• To change the opacity of a line, double-click on the line with the Mesh Tool and then enter a new opacity in the Opacity field.

Now that you know how to use the Mesh Tool in Adobe Illustrator, put it to good use! Here are some tips on how to use the Mesh Tool to its full potential:

Create Complex Shapes

One of the great things about the Mesh Tool is that it allows you to create complex shapes that would be difficult to create using other tools. For example, you can use the Mesh Tool to create a heart shape:

1. Start by creating a basic heart shape using the Pen Tool.

2. With the heart shape selected, go to the Mesh Tool and click on the top left point of the heart shape.

3. Drag the point down to the bottom of the heart shape.

4. Now click on the top right point of the heart shape and drag it down to the bottom of the heart shape.

You should now have a heart shape with two anchor points at the bottom.

5. With the Mesh Tool still selected, click on the middle point of the heart shape and drag it out to the side.

6. Now click on the bottom left point of the heart shape and drag it up to the top of the heart shape.

7. Finally, click on the bottom right point of the heart shape and drag it up to the top of the heart shape.

You should now have a complex heart shape that you can use in your designs.

Add Colors

The Mesh Tool also makes it easy to add colors to your shapes. To add colors using the Mesh Tool:

1. Select the shape that you want to color.

2. With the Mesh Tool selected, click on the point that you want to color.

3. In the “Fill” box, select the color that you want to use.

4. You can also add a color to the stroke of the shape by selecting a color in the “Stroke” box.

5. To add multiple colors to a shape, simply repeat steps 2-4.

Edit Existing Colors

You can also use the Mesh Tool to edit existing colors in your shapes. To edit a color using the Mesh Tool:

1. Select the shape that you want to edit.

2. With the Mesh Tool selected, click on the point that you want to edit.

3. In the “Fill” box, select the new color that you want to use.

4. You can also edit the color of the stroke by selecting a new color in the “Stroke” box.

5. To edit multiple colors in a shape, simply repeat steps 2-4.

Delete Colors

If you want to delete a color from a shape, simply select the point that you want to delete and press the “Delete” key on your keyboard.