Getting Started

Apply your first Vexy Linestra effect in a few minutes.

1. Open an Illustrator Document

Open a document containing artwork with visible tonal variation. A placed or embedded photograph is the easiest source for a first test, although vector artwork, text, groups, and compound paths are also supported.

Select one object with the Selection tool.

2. Choose a Fill

Open the Linestra panel and click any fill icon. Illustrator adds the non-destructive effect to the selected artwork and enables the controls. You can also choose Effect → Vexy → Vexy Linestra. If the command is unavailable, select an artwork object—not an empty layer or guide.

3. Start with Linear

Click the first icon in the fill grid. The title below the grid should read LINEAR.

Keep the starting values:

  • Thickness: 4
  • Spacing: 4
  • Angle: 30°
  • Organic: 0
  • Static Color: selected

4. Choose the Static Color

Select the first radio button, then click its adjacent color rectangle. Choose a color in Illustrator's native color picker. The same selected color is used for generated strokes and filled geometry.

The color change updates the Live Effect automatically. The source object is still present; what you see is the generated result.

5. Adjust the Result

Drag the Thickness slider. The artwork previews continuously while you drag and records one undoable change when you release the mouse.

Try these values:

  • Thickness: 8
  • Spacing: 14
  • Angle: 45°
  • Organic: 15

You can click a numeric field and type an exact value, a measurement such as 20 mm, or a simple expression such as 10/3. Press Return or leave the field to commit it. Press Up or Down to change the value by 1; hold Shift to change it by 10.

Try the small menu on the Thickness row to compare Linear, Fast, Threshold, and stepped thickness response. The menu on the Spacing row controls whether a stroke is centered on its path or placed to either side. Hold Shift while dragging Thickness or Spacing when you want both values to move together.

6. Try Dynamic Color

Select the second radio button beside the flower-icon rectangle. The generated strips now sample colors from the source instead of using the static color.

Dynamic Color works best with colorful source artwork. Grayscale artwork naturally produces grayscale results.

7. Try Another Fill

Click Wave, Halftone, Contour, or Low-Poly. Fill selection changes update immediately. The same source can look completely different because each mode interprets tone and color with different geometry. With Halftone selected, the second small menu changes from stroke alignment to Circle, Square, Rhomb, Triangle, or Star dots.

8. Reopen the Effect Later

Open Window → Appearance and select the source object. The effect is listed with its product-prefixed fill name, such as Vexy Linestra Linear.

Double-click that row. Illustrator brings the Vexy Linestra controls forward and loads the stored settings.

9. Keep It Live or Expand It

Leave the effect live while designing. This preserves the source and keeps all parameters editable.

When you need ordinary paths, duplicate the object or save a copy, then choose Object → Expand Appearance. Expansion converts the current result into grouped, clipped Illustrator artwork and removes its live editability.

What You Learned

Select artwork → click a Linestra fill (or use the Effect menu) → choose a color mode → refine live → edit through Appearance → expand only when necessary.

Next, read Panel & Controls or explore Fill Modes.