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Adobe Photoshop CS2

Creating New Gradient Styles

The Gradient Editor dialog box lets you create a new gradient by modifying an existing gradient. There are two types of gradients that you are able to create: solid gradient and noise gradient.

Solid Gradient

1. From the Toolbox, select the Gradient Tool
   The Options toolbar will refresh and display the Gradient options.
   

2. Click GRADIENT SAMPLE
   The Gradient Editor dialog box appears.
   

3. Under Presets, select an existing gradient that is similar in style to the gradient you wish to make
   OR
   Click MENU» select a new gradient style to load
   A Gradient Editor warning dialog box appears.

   1. To add to the preset list, click APPEND
      To display only the new style, click OK

4. In the Name text box, type a name for the new gradient

5. From the Gradient Type pull-down list, select Solid

6. To define a color within the gradient, double click a COLOR STOP
   The Color Picker dialog box appears.
   NOTES:
   When a color stop is being edited, the triangle above the stop turns black.
   For more information about choosing a color, refer to Working with Colors.

7. To create another color stop, click anywhere along the bottom of the color bar

8. To delete a color stop,
   1. Click the COLOR STOP

   2. Press [Delete]

9. To adjust the location of a Color Stop, click and drag the COLOR STOPto the desired location
   OR
   To adjust the location of a Color Stop by percentage
   1. Click the COLOR STOP

   2. In the Stops section, within the Location text box, type a percentage value
      NOTE: A value of 0% places the point at the far left end of the gradient bar, and a value of 100% places the point at the far right end.

10. To define the opacity along the gradient,
    1. Click an OPACITY STOP

    2. In the Stops section, from the Opacity pull-down list, select the desired opacity
       OR
       Type the desired opacity

11. To adjust the location of the color midpoint (i.e., the point where the gradient displays an even mix of the starting and ending colors for that section)
    
    1. On the side of the section you wish to edit, click a COLOR STOP

    2. Below the Gradient bar, drag the MIDPOINTto the right or left

12. To set the smoothness (i.e., degree of pixelation) for the entire gradient, in the Smoothness text box type a value
    OR
    To use the slider bar, click the SMOOTHNESS ARROW
    NOTE: The lower the value, the more pixelated the gradient will appear.
    

13. To save the gradient as a preset, click NEW

14. Click OK
    The new solid gradient style is appended to the list of preset gradients in the Preset section .
    NOTE: To delete any gradient preset, right click on the preset, select delete.

Noise Gradient

A noise gradient is a gradient that contains randomly distributed colors within the range of colors that you specify.

1. From the Toolbox, select the Gradient Tool
   The Options toolbar will refresh and display the Gradient options.
   

2. Click GRADIENT SAMPLE
   The Gradient Editor dialog box appears.
   

3. Under Presets, select an existing gradient that is similar in style to the gradient you wish to make
   OR
   Click MENU» select a new gradient style to load
   A Gradient Editor warning dialog box appears.

   1. To add to the preset list, click APPEND
      To display only the new style, click OK

4. In the Name text box, type a name for the new gradient

5. From the Gradient Type pull-down list, select Noise

6. To set the roughness for the entire gradient, in the Roughness text box type a percentage value
   OR
   To use the slider bar, click the ROUGHNESS ARROW
   NOTE: The higher the roughness, the more noise there will be in the gradient.

7. OPTIONAL: From the Color Model pull-down list, select a color model: RGB, HSB, or LAB

8. To adjust the range of colors, in the Color Model section, drag the sliders to define the range of acceptable values for each component of the color model you have selected

9. Under Options, select the desired options
   Restrict Colors prevents colors from over saturating.
   Add Transparency automatically adds transparency to your gradient.

10. To randomize a gradient that conforms to the settings that you have made thus far, click RANDOMIZE until you find a setting you like

11. To save the gradient
    1. Click SAVE...
       The Save dialog box appears.
    2. Navigate to the location you want the gradient to be saved to
       NOTE: It is recommended that you save it in the Gradients folder.
    3. In the File name text box, type a name for the gradient

    4. Click SAVE

12. Click OK
    The new noise gradient preset has been appended to the list of preset gradients in the Preset section.
    NOTE: To delete a gradient style, right click and select delete.