How To Use The Adobe Illustrator Mesh Tool - Part One

The Illustrator Mesh tool allows for the creation of scaleable highly realistic illustration that no other vector graphics program can match. But the Mesh tool has two big drawbacks. It's proper use must first be learned, which can be intimidating because of it's second drawback; it's lack of intuitivity. This Tutorial will walk you through the steps needed for it's proper use, explaining some of the most important methods along the way.

Create a Mesh through conversion

Unlike other objects meshes are not drawn, they are created through conversion of existing objects. If, for example you wanted to realistically illustrate a pear using a mesh you must either convert an existing pear shaped object into a mesh (which is a no-no to be explained a bit later) or you could create a mesh from a rectangular object and fit the resulting rectangular mesh to fit the shape of the pear( a yes-yes, which also will be explained later in this tutorial).

Two methods of conversion

To create a mesh you must activate the target object ( the vector shape you wish to use) then choose object>Mesh>make which will automatically open a small dialog which, in turn, will allow you to set the number of rows and columns you'd like your mesh to have.

A second option for creating meshes is to first select the target object followed by activation (clicking on) of the mesh tool in the tools palette and then clicking somewhere on your target object. The difference is the total control in the placement of mesh points that the second method offers.

Forming the mesh to suit your needs: Mesh Edits

The mesh is formed via its anchor points and the handles of these points. Unlike a normal anchor point with it's two adjustment handles, a Mesh point has four handles for the editing of the intersecting row and/or column line.

Also Unlike a paths anchor point, the points of a mesh can be used to change the outer shape of the mesh as well as the form of the color within it's inner shape.

But perhaps the most important job of a mesh point is that of color emission. The handles control not only the curve of a mesh line but also, and most importantly, the extent to which color emits from it's anchor/mesh point.

Add or Subtract Mesh Points

Mesh points can be added or subtracted when refining your mesh. When a mesh point is added or subtracted it's intersecting row and column suffer the same fate as the mesh point itself.

With the Mesh tool active, points can be added simply by clicking on an empty area in the mesh creating thereby a new intersecting row and column or by clicking on an existing column or row.

With the Mesh tool active, mesh points can be subtracted (along with the intersecting row and column) when the alt key is held down and any mesh point is clicked.

See Part 2 For the start of a step by step illustration of a totally realistic looking cheeseburger (because I love cheeseburgers), if you're hungry for more mesh. -Dave