Making a Gradient Follow a Loop

Question

I recently started learning Adobe Illistrator and I'm trying to make a gradient follow a loop. From what I could find online, I've learned how to make a gradient follow a path, but I can't find anything that involves a path that overlaps in a loop. What I have in mind is something like this, where the gradient follows the red arrows and continues to follow the path as it goes behind the base of the loop. I tried making a path using the Line Segment and Arc Tools, and then joining them (in the order that I want the path to go, not all the segments at once), but the resulting gradient didn't run smoothly along the loop. Then, I tried using the Pen Tool to make the loop and connecting it to line legments at the beginning and end of the loop, but that didn't yield a result either.

As I am rather new to Illistrator, I'm not quite sure what else to try. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Answer 1

If it's a single path with a stroke, using the Apply Gradient Along Stroke in the Gradient Panel should work.

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If it's not a stroke, and is a shape with a fill then matters are more difficult. Generally, a Gradient Mesh would work best. But it's complicated. Meshes can become unruly and hard to edit/apply to an existing, non-rudimentary, shape. In fact, for a filled shape such as your loop, it can often be easier to start with a gradient on a stroke, then use Expand Appearance which will result in shape with a gradient mesh fill.....

... otherwise I'd create a long thin strip, apply a Gradient Mesh, then distort the strip into the loop, which is by no means an easy thing to do well, even for experienced Illustrator users.