rainbow effect in illustrator

[juney]

Hi,

could someone explain how to achieve this effect? I can't get the gradient to bend along the path. The mesh tool would be too complicated or messy for this. There must be a simpler method around it.

Would greatly appreciate it if someone could show me the ropes. Thanks a lot.

[mlk]

http://mlkdesign.online.fr/dump/ki_illus_grad.jpg

The way I would do it (I could also do a mesh wrap, bend,effects, etc...) is to create your rainbow pattern as a box, apply gradients/effects and have all the top path points on the same spot, then create an 'art brush' (brush window). You can now apply your stroke on any path, use the pen tool to deform the path and you have a rainbow. You can later use 'Object>Flatten Transparency' to '100% vectors' and get you shapes back.

As mentioned, there is more than a few ways to do this effects =)

[juney]

hmm thank you!

think i am getting there. I did it the more complex way. I did each colour as a brush.. should have thought of your method. but anyway i'm going to redo it, still not getting the kind of gradient effect i want.

Here's the outcome of my rainbow

[juney]

I applied the gradients to my rainbow, both in the appearance palette as well as on a layer. I have tried epxanding them and flatten transparency but it wouldn't let me convert it to an artbrush.

What should I be doing?

[mlk]

post an .ai file I might help