Welcome to Lesson 19! We are almost at the end of our Silhouette Bootcamp. Today we are learning all about Fill/Gradient and how to use it. Last week we learned all about the Trace feature and how to use it in Silhouette Studio. Silhouette Boot Camp is filled with mini lessons that help us learn the terminology used in the Silhouette Studio software so that we can cut any design we can dream up with ease!
Before we get started, there are a couple of things to help you get the most of the experience:
- If you are new here, take a look the Silhouette Boot Camp Welcome with all courses listed and catch up on any you missed.
- Sign up for my Silhouette Newsletter which will email you when the lessons are released each week. {click HERE to sign up!}
- Pin this post! Each of these lessons takes me on average, 8-12 hours to create for you. I can do these lessons for FREE thanks to your support in coming to my site, reading the tutorials and sharing it with your friends. By pinning this post or sharing it on Facebook with your Silhouette friends, it helps you know where to find it if you need to reference it again, and it helps me spread the word so that I can keep the resources and freebies FREE to you!
What does Fill/Gradient mean in Silhouette Studio?
Colors and patterns are available to use in Silhouette Studio to make your design the way you would like it to look. This is also a great feature to use when you are creating a print and cut. You can fill your images in 3 different ways…. pattern, gradient, and color.
How do I use Fill/Gradient Panel?
The Fill Color icon is located on the right hand side, it looks like a painters palate near the top of the screen.
Color Fill: Fist highlight the object/words/letters that you would like to be filled with color. Open the Fill icon and select the color you would like to fill in. When you want more than the basic colors you can go to the advanced options at the bottom of the basic fill colors. You can also pick a color from an image to match it perfectly. You can use the dropper to choose a color in a pattern you have. Just simply select the dropper hover over the color you would like, select that color and then move your curser to the pice of your design you would like the color to go in.
Gradient Fill: Located in the Fill icon is the Fill Gradient. This option is the next box over and it looks like an ombre colored square. This feature works the same as the normal color fill, you simply select the color you would like to fill your design once it is selected. There is also the advanced options. At the bottom of the Fill Gradient window is the the advanced options box. Open it up and you will see all the color options and a box that looks like colored piano keys. In this area you can alter and change the the location of the colors. To add more color bars in your color design, left click where you want to place another color. You can fade the colors and alter the amount of transparency.
Pattern Fill: Another option is using pattern to fill your design. This icon is a polka dot square. The Silhouette Software comes with 69 preloaded patterns for you to use, which offers a lot of variety. You can also add patterns to your files or buy them from the Silhouette Store. You would fill your design the same as all the other options. The advanced options helps you alter your design to make it your own.
Where do I find Fill/Gradient in Silhouette Studio?
The Fill/Gradient feature is accessible in a few locations.
- Right hand side of the screen, Fill Icon (looks like a painters palate), click on it and you will find the Fill Panel.
- In the top menu, click Panels, select Fill Color.
Example of using the Fill/Gradient Panel:
I wanted to design cute shirts for the girls I workout with at the gym. Using the fill/gradient feature makes it so much easier to see what my design is going to look like in the colors of HTV I have chosen. So here is an example of using the Gradient fill feature in the words and bar design. I have also designed a couple different workout shirts and each one uses a different form of fill…… regular fill, gradient fill, and pattern fill.
When to use the Fill/Gradient Panel:
I always fill my designs with color because it is easier to see when I am designing it. It’s a great way to get a good idea of what your design is going to look like once you print it on the colored vinyl as well. You would also want to use this if you were using the print and cut feature.
Thats all I have you about Fill/Gradient. This feature helps bring your designs to life. Tune in next week to learn all about using Page Set Up in Silhouette Studio!
Leave a Comment