Linking colors in Illustrator allows you to dynamically control and change colors across your artwork simultaneously, similar to using CSS. This is a more efficient method than manually changing each instance of a color.
While the provided video snippet is brief, we can infer that linking colors refers to a method that achieves a global color change capability. Here's how you achieve this in Illustrator using Global Colors and Color Groups:
Linking Colors Using Global Colors
- Create a New Color: Double-click the Fill or Stroke box in the Tools panel to open the Color Picker.
- Define Your Color: Choose your desired color.
- Make it Global: In the Color Picker, check the "Add to Swatches" box and ensure the "Global" option is selected. Click "OK". This creates a global color swatch.
- Apply the Global Color: Apply this global color to the objects in your artwork.
- Edit the Color Globally: To change the color across your document, double-click the global color swatch in the Swatches panel. Adjust the color in the Swatch Options dialog box. All objects using that global color will update automatically.
Linking Colors Using Color Groups (and Global Colors)
- Create Global Colors: First, ensure the colors you want to "link" are defined as global colors (see steps above).
- Create a Color Group: Select the global color swatches in the Swatches panel that you want to group.
- Create New Color Group: Click the "New Color Group" icon at the bottom of the Swatches panel.
- Edit the Group: Now you can edit the color group. Editing a global color within the color group will still update all instances of that color across the document. Color Groups primarily help you organize and manage your colors, and experiment with harmonious color palettes, rather than providing linking beyond what global colors already offer.
Why Use Global Colors?
- Efficiency: Change a color once, and it updates everywhere it's used.
- Consistency: Ensures color consistency across your artwork.
- Experimentation: Easily experiment with different color schemes.
By using Global Colors, you effectively "link" colors in Illustrator, allowing for dynamic and efficient color management. This technique streamlines the editing process and maintains consistency across your designs.
