Sometimes if I use a Bristle Brush to create an illustration the appearance (= its shape in this case) changes when I modify the stroke colour. (It can also change at other times, but I'm using a stroke color change here as an example)
For instance: create a filled black square; set the stroke color to be a white Global swatch; then draw a few random shapes/squiggles, using a styllus and a Round Fan Bristle Brush (eg Size 4.4mm, Length 300% Density 22%, Thickness 11%, Opacity 85%, Stiffness 17%). Then save the file.
Now open the file. It appears exactly as it was saved. Now double click the Global swatch, THEN if you look closely at the shapes and select Preview and modify the RGB 255 blue channel, to say 254, the complex shapes can change. Sometimes subtly, but on other occassions the change can be significant.
A key point is that this change is irreversible. Ctrl Z will not return its appearance to the same as when it was opened. Nor will changing the color back to 255.
(This Bristle Brush can create long sweeping lines with complex shapes of mixed opacity. It is these various shapes that change - they just look different. The randomness of the shapes can create some pleasing forms, but when altered, as described, they end up looking different = wrong)
Note: If I create a symbol of these drawn characters, the moment I change the Global swatch color, the appearance changes in exactly the same way as above. Converting to a symbol will preserve the appearance when scaled, but not when the Global swatch color is altered. So this will not help.
This problem to me is serious. The subtle changes can ruin an illustration, and I have no idea why sometimes it is fine and on other occassions it is not.
I want to keep the apearance (in this case the shape) of an illustration and change its color: I would not expect the shape to change.
(There are other actions you can do, apart from the stroke example above, that causes the appearance to irreversibly change.)
Anyone any idea of what is going on here ? Remember, this doesn't always happen. Sometimes I can make sweeping gestural lines and re-color just fine, but on other occassions, the smallest of changes to a Brsitle Brush object can change its shape.
This unpredictability is causing me major concerns - any help/clues will be very much appreciated. Thanks.