How to use Color Stamp in Adobe Illustrator

How to use Color Stamp in Adobe Illustrator

2 minute read

Color Stamp colorizes objects from reference art and it can help you to create incredible mosaics in Adobe Illustrator. It’s part of the SubScribe plugin from Astute Graphics. 

Color Stamp works on both rasterised images and vector art, allowing you to create more intricate mosaics in Illustrator.

Color Stamp is implemented as the single menu command Create Color Stamp, located in the main Object menu. It appears in the same upper section as the Rasterize... and Create Gradient Mesh... commands.

To use Color Stamp, make sure at least two objects are selected. The selected object at the bottom of the stacking order (the “reference” object) can be any type of art, including a group. The selected object at the top must include at least one closed path or group containing a closed path. If the correct selection is not present, a tip dialog will automatically be shown after choosing the Create Color Stamp menu item. 

Quick start guide for using color stamp:

  • Have your reference art (image or vector art) at the bottom of the layers panel.

  • Place your mosaic shapes on top. For example, you could make a simple grid or a repeat grid with Illustrator’s Object > Repeat > Grid function, or even an expanded Space Fill pattern. Just be sure that the top object (mosaic pattern) is grouped together.

  • Select both the reference art and the shape pattern and head up to Illustrator’s main Object menu and then Create Color Stamp.

  • Color stamp will average all the colors underneath each pattern shape and fill it with that averaged color. 

You can find the full documentation manual here.

Or watch our YouTube tutorial.

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