Gradients in Photoshop 6 (part 1 of 3)
Custom gradients are the key to many of
the coolest Photoshop tricks and effects. If you produce
photo-realistic work or simulated 3D, gradients are
vital. Capturing those subtle shadings that exist in
reality requires precise gradients.
The Gradient tool, which shares space in
Photoshop's Toolbox with the Paint Bucket, is actually a
collection of tools grouped together in one icon. After
selecting the Gradient tool, take a look at the Options
Bar. You'll see buttons that allow you to select from
among the five variations of the Gradient tool. (All
five tools can use any gradient color scheme.)
LINEAR GRADIENT TOOL
When you drag a gradient, the colors will be distributed
perpendicularly to the angle of drag.
Notice that the distribution of the
gradient within the selection starts at the point from
which the gradient is dragged and ends at the point
where the mouse button is released. In the top example,
the gradient begins and ends with transparency. The
gradient itself is therefore restricted to the area over
which you have dragged. In the middle and lower
examples, the gradients begin and end with colors. The
area before the beginning of the drag is filled with the
first color; the area past the end of the drag is filled
with the last color.
RADIAL GRADIENT TOOL
The gradient will be drawn in a series of concentric
circles from the start of the drag outward to the point
at which the mouse button is released.
(Notice that one of the seven
black-to-white gradients was dragged at an angle
conflicting with the other six. This produces a visual
anomaly, a conflict in the "light source" that is
creating the shading.)
ANGLE GRADIENT TOOL
The Angle Gradient tool wraps a gradient's color pattern
around the starting point of the drag. This is best
demonstrated using a circular selection
The insert in the lower right corner
shows the gradient used with the Linear Gradient tool.
The Transparent Rainbow gradient starts and ends with
transparency. In the circle, notice how the transparency
(seen as white) is both to the left and right of the
line-of-drag. The colors of the rainbow are wrapped
clockwise around the line-of-drag.
The Angle Gradient can be very effective
for shading, when used with an appropriate color scheme.
In this example, the gradient both begins and ends with
black.
REFLECTED GRADIENT TOOL
The Reflected Gradient tool does exactly that: it
reflects gradients. The same gradient will be drawn in
either direction from the point from which you drag.
In the top example, the Transparent
Rainbow gradient was dragged from the center. Notice
that the color patterns to the left and right are mirror
images. On both sides of the center point, magenta is
the first color. In the lower example, a simple
white-to-black gradient is used. (A linear gradient
sample of each appears in the boxes below the examples.)
DIAMOND GRADIENT TOOL
The Diamond Gradient tool reproduces the gradient's
color scheme in four directions from the point from
which you drag. The line-of-drag establishes a corner,
and the gradient is duplicated at 90-degree angles
around the center point.
OTHER GRADIENT TOOL OPTIONS
In addition to selecting how the gradient will be
created, you are offered the choice of blending mode and
opacity. All of the standard modes are available, as
well as the Behind blending mode.
Other Options Bar choices for the
Gradient tools include Reverse, Dither, and
Transparency.
REVERSE
When checked, this option simple flips the color scheme
of the gradient. (Sharp-eyed readers may have noticed
that a number of Photoshop's default gradients have been
reversed in the examples above.)
DITHER
Dithering allows Photoshop to subtly mix two colors
where they meet. This helps prevent "banding," which can
be defined as visible stripes of color. An exaggerated
example shows the impact.
TRANSPARENCY
Several default gradients have built-in transparency,
including the Transparent Rainbow used above. When this
box is not checked, the transparent areas will be filled
with the neighboring color(s).
The Transparency box was checked for the
first and third samples, unchecked for the second and
fourth. As you can see, without transparency, Photoshop
filled the extreme left and right of the Transparent
Rainbow with the first and last colors. In the lower
pair, the transparent areas are evenly filled with the
two neighboring colors.
In the next installment of this series,
we'll look at editing the color schemes of existing
gradients.
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