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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. |