Sometimes, you want to add a gold color to an object in Adobe Illustrator but not know how. The gold color is a blend of many hues. You will need to use the Gradient Tool (a very useful tool) and mix different color values.
In this tutorial, I'll guide you through a few steps to create a cool gold effect on any shape or text.
Let's get started!
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Adding a Gold Gradient to Shapes
Let’s open a fresh document in Adobe Illustrator and select your preferred size document. There aren’t any specific document size values for this practice tutorial.
Let’s create a shape.
With the Pen Tool (P), start by drawing a path. I chose to draw a crown. I joined the first and last anchor points to close the path. This way, I get an object.
Now, fill it in black toggling the fill and stroke in the side toolbar. As you can see, we have an object filled with black. We need to fill it with a gold gradient. How do we do that? Start by collecting the different colors you will need to make a gold gradient.
Let’s use these colors. Separately, on your artboard, fill 3 rectangles with these values. With the Rectangle Tool (M).
First color RGB:
- R:176
- G: 122
- B: 42
Second color RGB:
- R:209
- G: 173
- B: 90
Third color RGB:
- R: 229
- G: 201
- B: 119
Now open the Gradient Panel. You can access it from the overhead menu Window > Gradient, as seen below.
To unselect, click with your mouse on a blank part of your artboard. Click on the gradient icon to activate it in the Gradient Panel. We’re going to fill the slider with the colors we just created. Click on the Gradient Slider. It is important to follow these steps!
Then, with the Color Picker, pick the first color.
Fill it with the first color by clicking on the darkest rectangle we created earlier. You will need to fill the first and last colors on opposite ends of the gradient with the same color.
Do the same on the other end. Remember to click on the same rectangle color with the color picker.
Now, click in the middle of the slider, to add a new color which will be positioned in the middle. This color will be the lightest. Make sure to put 50 as a value for the Location.
Now add the third color. It will be located at 25% and 75% on the Gradient Slider.
This is what it should look like.
Now click on the shape you want to add the gradient to. Then, fill it with the new gradient by clicking o the gradient on the Gradient Panel (1 and 2 steps shown below).
There you go! Add a black background by creating a rectangle with the Rectangle Tool (M). Fill it with black.
Save your gold color for later! This might be useful.
In the Swatches Panel, click on the gradient and drag it to the end of the list.
Select the new swatch, access the Swatch Libraries menu from the right-end corner of the panel, and click on Save Swatches.
You can name the gradient however you like, and click Save on the dialogue box. I chose the name Goldeffect.
You can now find your new Swatch in the Swatches Library menu > User Defined.
Adding a Gold Gradient to Text
Let’s fill some with gold. With the Type Tool, type the word “gold” in bold.
It’s important to know that you need to outline the text you just created to add the gradient. Right-click on the text, and select Create Outlines.
Now with the word again selected, click on the new gradient in the Swatches panel. It’s as simple as that!
Pretty cool! To create a gold effect, you will need the Gradient Tool. Just combine the colors of real gold and fill your object or text with the combination.
Have fun!
Related Article: How to Outline Fonts in Illustrator