Once you have filled an object with a gradient,
you can modify the gradient by using the Gradient Swatch tool or
the Gradient Feather tool
to
“repaint” the fill by dragging along an imaginary line. The Gradient
tools let you change the direction of a gradient, change its beginning
point and endpoint, and apply a gradient across multiple objects.
The Gradient Feather tool lets you soften the gradient in the direction
in which you drag.