Discover how to modify images using hex code to change the color of backgrounds and objects. Learn the steps in Illustrator to unlock layers, select objects, insert new colors, and save these changes.
Key Insights
- The article provides detailed steps on using hex code 0A0E1C to change the color of a background image and city in Illustrator. This involves unlocking the background layer and selecting the rectangle making up the background color.
- To change the color of the reflection and the city, the reflection layer needs to be unlocked and the background layer relocked. The fill color of the reflection is then changed by pasting the new hex code. To modify the color of the skyline, one building is selected and the "same fill color" option is used to select all elements with the same fill color.
- After making these changes, the article advises saving the file. This causes Illustrator to recognize the linked city reflection file as outdated and brings up a dialog box for updating the link. The final modification mentioned is expanding the skyline within the reflection by dragging it slightly below. The completed project is then saved and prepared for a screenshot.
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In this video, we're going to be making a couple of final modifications to our image. The first modification we'll make is changing the color of our background image and city. In order to do this, we'll unlock our Background layer and select the rectangle that makes up our background color.
From here, we'll double-click the Fill*, and we're going to type in the new hex code: 0A0E1C. That's 0A0E1C. We'll then double-click it and copy it using CTRL+C on the keyboard, and we can hit TAB to see a preview of this color.
We'll then click OK*, and as we can see, we now have a much darker night sky color. However, we still need to make a change to the current colors within our Reflection and our City*. In order to do this, let's unlock our Reflection layer and re-lock our Background layer. From here, let's double-click inside our Reflection group.
We'll then change the Fill by double-clicking and hitting CTRL+V on the keyboard to paste our hex code. We'll click OK*, and if we double-click outside, we'll see that the reflection outside the mask is now changed. Next, we'll need to edit the color of our skyline.
To do this, we'll go to File > Open*, and from here, we'll open our City Completed Illustrator file and click Open*. In order to change the color of this image, we can first start by selecting one of the buildings. Then go to Select > Same > Fill Color*, and from here, all elements that contain that same fill color will be selected. Next, we'll double-click the Fill Color*, hit CTRL+V on the keyboard again to paste our new color, and click OK*.
Clicking outside, we can see our buildings have now been changed. Let's save this image by hitting CTRL+S on the keyboard. If we go back into the City Reflection file, we’ll see that this file is linked to the one we just saved. Therefore, Illustrator will automatically detect that this is an updated link and display a dialog box.
We'll click Yes*, and if the dialog box doesn't appear, you can go to Window > Links*, and update it manually from there.
We'll now close out of the Links Panel*. As one final modification, let's zoom in and expand the skyline within our Reflection*. We'll double-click the Reflection*, and double-click again until we have the actual reflection selected. We'll simply drag it slightly downward to lengthen it, and if we double-click outside, we can see the change.
Let's now zoom out, and we have a good view of our completed project.
Let's save our work using CTRL+S on the keyboard, and now let's prepare our image for a screenshot. To do this, let's collapse all of our layers so that we can see: Stars*, Reflection*, City*, Moon*, Clouds*, and Background*—and we’ll also lock them. Hit CTRL+S again to save your work, and please take a screen capture of the entire interface, making sure that all your layers are shown as well as your entire artboard.
Once you've taken the screenshot, please upload it to the portal as part of your final project. In the next video, we'll be working with this image and modifying it to add a title below.
See you there!