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Note: PSPX was used to create this digital scrapbooking tutorial; there may be slight variations
in other versions. In addition, depending on how you have your workspace
set up, it may be in the default settings, your screens may look slightly
different from mine. I have customized my workspace to the way I like
it, but that is another tutorial!
The gradient tool is a very versatile and customizable tool you can
use to create your own backgrounds, papers, elements and alphas. This
is the first in a series of tutorials using the gradient tool.
The Basics
Figure 1
The Gradient Tool can be found in the Materials
Palette and is used with the Paint Bucket.
In Figure 1, the arrow points to where the Gradient is found on the Materials Palette. By clicking on the
left box just under the background or foreground color boxes, you can
choose solid color, gradient or pattern. The Paint Bucket
is circled in red on the left on the Tools Toolbar.
Figure 2
If you click on the background color box, the Material
Properties Box opens. The center tab is where you control your
gradients (Figure 2). There are many preset gradients that come with
PSP, but you can make custom ones as well. This is most useful when
you want a background to complement your photo. Within the gradient
tab, you can change the angle, repeats, invert and change the styles.
Play with these settings to see what they do.
Figure 3
To access the preset gradients, click on the Gradient Box (Figure 3).
Simply double-click the one you want, and play with your angle, repeats
and style until you find what you like.
Figure 4
To create your own custom gradient, we will use the edit feature found
just under the Gradient Chooser Box (Figure 4). Click
"New" and give your gradient a name. I usually use the
same name as my layout, so I can find it again. Your editor will now
be all white. If you have your photo open in PSP, you can move your
mouse over it and the cursor will become an eyedropper to choose colors
with. On the photo, right-click for foreground or left-click for background
to choose a color you like.
Underneath the gradient editor, little boxes are hanging. As you click
new colors, they are added to one of the boxes. You can add more boxes
by clicking below the bar, or remove them by dragging them off either
end of the bar. If you choose a color you like but it is too dark or
light, click the little hanging box and the color box to the left of
the bar changes to match it. Click this box and a color box opens, you
can change the color by dragging the circle around.
The triangles on top of the bar change the blending of the gradient
from soft to sharp.
You can change the opacity of different parts of the gradient with
the transparency bar. Play with the settings to see the result in the
bottom result bar.
When you have what you like, click "Close." Choose your
angle, number of repeats and style from the gradients tab and click
"OK." Your gradient should now be in your Gradient Box.
If it is not, just click the box from Figure 1 and be sure the center
gradient is active.
To use your gradient, activate your Paint Bucket and pour it onto your
layer. If you want to put it in just a selection, you can do that too.
Activate your Text Tool, and making sure the gradient is the background
and fill color, type and the gradient is inside your text!
Things to try:
Example 1 using Lori Cook's Fun Textures 5
Add texture to your gradient with the Texture Tool
in the Materials Palette (Example 1).
Create two gradients with coordinating colors. Make two layers, each
one with a different gradient. Use your Eraser Brush to "stamp"
on the top layer to expose the gradient below.
Example 2 using Lori Cook's Decorative Swirls Grunged 4
Change the Blend Mode and Opacity on your gradient layers. Example
2 uses "Difference" on the lower layer and Opacity of 80 on the top layer.
Layout by Dee-Ann Decker
Tutorial written by Dee-Ann Decker using Paint Shop Pro X
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