Inverting the colors of a drawing in Adobe Illustrator is a useful technique for creating interesting visual effects or preparing artwork for screen printing. With just a few clicks, you can quickly invert the colors of any vector artwork in Illustrator. Here’s a step-by-step guide to inverting drawings in Illustrator.
What Does Inverting a Drawing Do?
When you invert a drawing in Illustrator, you reverse the color values. Dark colors become light, light colors become dark, and colors switch to their complementary shades. For example:
- Black inverts to white
- Dark blue inverts to light yellow
- Red inverts to green
This color inversion creates a negative image effect. Inverting can help you:
- Create interesting visual styles
- Prepare artwork for screen printing – inverts let you visualize printed results
- Adjust scanned sketches
- Highlight elements in a composition
Keep reading to learn how to easily invert any vector artwork in Illustrator.
Inverting All Artwork in Illustrator
The quickest way to invert a drawing in Illustrator is to select the entire artwork and use the “Invert Colors” effect. Follow these simple steps:
- Open your vector artwork in Illustrator.
- Select all – click Select > Select All or press Ctrl/Command + A.
- With your artwork selected, go to Edit > Edit Colors > Invert Colors.
This inverts all the colors in your illustration instantly. The Invert Colors effect is non-destructive, meaning you can undo it or reduce the effect opacity to lessen the inversion.
Inverting Specific Objects
You can also invert the colors of specific objects in your Illustrator artwork. This gives you more control over the inversion effect.
To invert an individual object:
- Select the vector object you want to invert.
- Open the Appearance panel (Window > Appearance).
- Click the Add New Fill button in the Appearance panel.
- Set the fill method to “Invert”.
This inverts the colors of that object only. You can add multiple invert appearances to apply the effect at different strengths.
Other Ways to Invert Colors in Illustrator
Here are a couple other methods you can use to invert drawings in Illustrator:
Blend Modes
Blend modes like Difference, Exclusion, and Color Dodge can invert colors in different ways. Apply these modes to objects or layers to experiment with inverting effects.
Gradient Map
You can create an invert effect with a Gradient Map. Make a gradient from white to black, then apply it to your artwork using the Gradient Map effect.
Tips for Inverting Drawings
Here are some useful tips for inverting vector artwork successfully:
- Check the results at different opacities – Lowering the invert effect opacity (e.g. 50%) can give more subtle, refined results.
- Invert a duplicate object – Keep the original artwork intact and invert a copy to better compare results.
- Try different blend modes – Modes like Difference and Exclusion offer more color variation than a straight invert.
- Use layer or group isolates – Isolate layers or groups to selectively invert portions of your artwork.
Common Questions About Inverting Drawings
Does inverting work on raster images?
Yes, you can invert raster images in Illustrator using the same Invert Colors effect or blend modes. This converts the image to a smart object first.
Can you isolate the invert effect on certain colors?
Unfortunately you can’t isolate the inversion to only affect certain colors in Illustrator. You would need to break up the artwork and invert objects independently to achieve this.
Is there an invert tool in Illustrator?
There isn’t a specific Invert Tool. Use the Invert Colors effect, blend modes, or gradients to invert artwork.
Does inverting affect fills, strokes, and effects?
Inverting will reverse the colors of fills, strokes, and any effects like gradients, drop shadows, etc. Text colors will invert as well.
Inverting Artwork for Screen Printing
One very useful application of inverting drawings in Illustrator is preparing artwork for screen printing. Screen printed designs use a separate stencil layer for each color. Inverting the artwork lets you visualize how these print layers will look.
For example, say you want to screen print a design with 3 colors – blue, yellow, and black. Here’s how inverting helps:
- Start with your full color Illustrator artwork.
- Selectively invert and isolate just the blue elements.
- The inverted blue now represents the yellow print layer.
- Invert and isolate the yellow elements to visualize the blue layer.
- Black elements don’t need to be inverted.
This technique lets screen printers plan out designs and separation layers more easily. You can even create 3D extrudes of each layer for better visualization. Inverting drawings is an essential Illustrator skill for preparing artwork for screen printing.
Conclusion
Inverting artwork opens up many creative possibilities within Illustrator. With just a click, you can generate color-reversed versions of your vector drawings and illustrations. Take time to experiment with inverting through different methods like blend modes and gradients. Use inverting to isolate objects, adjust scanned sketches, visualize print results, and create unique graphic styles.
So next time you use Illustrator, don’t forget this simple effect. Invert drawings to add visual interest and take your vector artwork in bold new directions.