Gradients

A gradient is a transition between two or more colors.

Creating a Gradient Fill Layer (p. 369-370)

You can apply a gradient as a gradient fill layer -- type type of gradient is editable, restackable, and removable. Click the New Fill/Adjustment Layer dropdown (4th icon from the left at the bottom) in the Layers panel and choose Gradient. Choose a gradient preset on the dropdown picker. You can choose Style (Linear, Radial, Angular, Reflected, or Diamond), the Angle, the Scale slider (the higher the scale value, the more gradual the transition is between colors). You can drag in the document window (with the dialog box still open) to reposition the graident. Click Reverse to swpa the order of colors in the gradient. If you created a selection, check Align with Layer to have the complete gradient fit within the selection or uncheck if you want the gradient to stretch across the entire layer. If the gradient level is above the image layer, you can alter the opacity of the gradient fill layer to reveal more of the underlying layer or move the layer below the image layer.

Using the Gradient Tool (p.371)

Create a new blank layer for the gradient. Choose the Gradient Tool. On the Options bar, click the Gradient Preset to pick a preset, click a gradient style, and choose Mode:Normal and Opacity:100%. For a linear gradient, drag from one side or corner of the image or selection to the other. For any other gradient style, drag from a center point outward. Shift-drag to constrain the angle to multiples of 45 degrees. Drag a long distance to produce subtle transitions, drag a short distance to produce sharper transitions (this is equivalent to changing the Scale value in the Gradient Fill dialog). Change the gradient layer more or opacity as desired.

Creating and Editing Gradient Presets (p. 372-374)

Click the Gradient Tool then click the Gradient Thumbnail on the Options bar. Click the preset swatch you want to create a variation of. To create a gradient that uses the Foreground and Background colors in effect when you create the gradient, click the Foreground to Background preset. For any other gradient, click the starting (left) or ending (right) color stop under the gradient bar -- the color stops are squares with triangles on the top. Then select the color using any method. Above the bar are the opacity stops which you can set by clicking on the stop.

• To add an intermediate color to the gradient, click below the gradient to produce a new stop and then choose a color for the stop.
• To add an intermediate opacity stop, click above the gradient bar

To change the location of a color or opacity stop, drag it to the left or right. To control the abruptness of a color transition, click a color or opacity stop the drag the midpoint diamond on either side of it -- the diamond marks the point at which the two adjacent colors are 50% each.

To create a named preset of your custom gradient, enter a name in the Name field and click New. The new gradient will now be available in the Gradient Preset picker.

Source: Photoshop CS4 Visual Quickstart Guide, Elaine Weinmann and Peter Lourekas, pp.369-374)