Photoshop Gradients

Enhancing Images

A gradient is a fill consisting of two or more colors blending together. Here is a simple example of a gradient, beginning with blue and ending with yellow:

When the Gradient tool is selected, a series of five style buttons appear on the Options Bar:

These buttons represent various gradient styles:

What follows is a description of each style, with an example of each. To help you visualize how each gradient was created, the mouse action is superimposed on the gradient:

The black triangle indicates the center point

the dashed line indicates the selection line

the red triangle indicates the end point

Once the Gradient Tool is selected, the Gradient options appear on the Options Bar. The color bar lets you set the gradient colors. If you click on the pull-down menu, you can select any of the displayed color combinations. (If you hold your mouse over any of the choices, you will see a text description of it.)

In the upper-left-hand corner is always the default combination: a gradient from the foreground color to the background color. By setting your foreground and background colors on the toolbox, you can easily define your own simple gradient.


	What are gradients?	A gradient is a fill consisting of two or more colors blending together. Here is a simple example of a gradient, beginning with blue and ending with yellow:

	How do I create a gradient?	To create a gradient: 1) Click on the Gradient tool. The Gradient Tool is grouped together with the Paint Bucket Tool in the toolbox. If the Gradient Tool is not showing in the Toolbox, simply point to the Paint Bucket Tool, press down the mouse button and select the Gradient Tool from the fly-out menu:
		2) Select your style options. When the tool is selected, the Gradient options appear on the Options Bar. The buttons represent various available gradient styles: Click the button for the style you want. (We’ll discuss gradient styles in detail in the next section.) 3) Make your color selections. When the tool is selected, the Gradient options appear on the Options Bar. The color bar lets you choose the gradient colors: Select the colors you want. (We’ll discuss color selection in detail a little later.) 4) Indicate which layer you want. In the Layers palette, select the layer on which you want to paint. 5) Select an area to fill. Using the selection tools, select the area of the layer you want to fill. 6) Draw the gradient. Point with the mouse to where you want the blending to begin (the “center point”), then drag the mouse to where you want the blending to end (the “end point”). This line is referred to as the “selection line.” The area you selected in step 5 will fill with the gradient. The center point is always the left-most color on the color bar, the end point is always the right-most color on the color bar, and the gradient is drawn in between.

	What are gradient styles?	When the Gradient tool is selected, a series of five style buttons appear on the Options Bar: These buttons represent various gradient styles: Linear Radial Angular Reflected Diamond What follows is a description of each style, with an example of each. To help you visualize how each gradient was created, the mouse action is superimposed on the gradient: The black triangle indicates the center point the dashed line indicates the selection line the red triangle indicates the end point In each case, the mouse was dragged from the center point along the selection line to the end point, then released. Remember, the left-most color on the color bar starts at the center point, and the right-most color on the color bar begins at the end point. The gradient is flowed in between the two points.

		The Linear Gradient option can create vertical, horizontal, and diagonal gradients: For vertical gradients, draw a horizontal selection line (that is, drag the mouse left to right or vice versa).

		For horizontal gradients, draw a vertical selection line (that is, drag the mouse up or down).

		For diagonal gradients, draw a diagonal selection line (that is, drag the mouse diagonally).

		The Radial Gradient option creates circular gradients. Start the mouse drag at the point where you want the center of the gradient to be; release the mouse button where you want the outermost circle of the gradient to be.

		The Angular Gradient option creates a circular sweep of blended color. Think of it as a clock face with a sweep second hand that the gradient flows from as it goes around. Start the mouse drag where you want the center of the “clock face” to be; drag the selection line as if you were drawing the starting point of the clock’s second hand. When the mouse is released, the second hand sweeps counter-clockwise around the center point and stops when it returns to where it began. The sweep begins with the left-most color on the color bar, and ends up with the right-most color.

		The Reflected Gradient option works the same way as the Linear Gradient, but it creates a mirror image as well. In other words, when you create the selection line, the gradient flows out in both directions from the center point, rather than just in the direction you drag the mouse.

		The Diamond Gradient option works on the same principle as the Radial Gradient. Start the mouse drag at the point where you want the center of the diamond shape to be; release the mouse button where you want one of the points of the outermost diamond to be.


	How do I select gradient colors?	Once the Gradient Tool is selected, the Gradient options appear on the Options Bar. The color bar lets you set the gradient colors. If you click on the pull-down menu, you can select any of the displayed color combinations. (If you hold your mouse over any of the choices, you will see a text description of it.) In the upper-left-hand corner is always the default combination: a gradient from the foreground color to the background color. By setting your foreground and background colors on the toolbox, you can easily define your own simple gradient.
		The circle button with the black arrow (circled in red below) provides a fly-out menu with more gradient options. This menu lets you load more gradients, save modified gradients, gradients shapes, rename gradients, and reset the gradient selection to Photoshop’s defaults (among other things). The bottom grouping is a list of other gradient families that you can use if you wish.


	How do I edit gradient colors?	If you want to make changes to one or more of the colors in your chosen gradient, you can click on it in the options bar to open the Gradient Editor dialog box. For example, clicking on this gradient: will display this Gradient Editor dialog:

		The Color Stops appearing below the gradient mark each of the colors in the gradient. To change a color, double-click on its Color Stop; the Color Picker will open, allowing you to select a new color. (See the Color Selection section for more details on the Color Picker.) You can also add more Color Stops by clicking between the existing Stops. To remove a color, simply drag its Color Stop away from the gradient.


Copyright © 2002, Bloomsburg University Virtual Training Help Center. All rights reserved. This material may not be used without written permission. Contact Dr. Mary Nicholson at mjnich@bloomu.edu