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06/03/2008 05:17:42 AM · #1 |
how do I use it?
What is it used for?
Any examples where it has been used?
Appreciate any help ;) |
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06/03/2008 05:30:10 AM · #2 |
I love the gradient tool! I use it often in this tutorial if you want to take the time to watch through it :)
Tutorial |
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06/03/2008 05:43:57 AM · #3 |
| Wow, you did an unbelievably great job....I am learning photoshop, can you suggest a good place to start? |
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06/03/2008 05:51:42 AM · #4 |
| Thanks gary I have watched your amazing tutorial before and watching it again I'm still confused! I still cant to seem to affect any change on my images...am I doing the lines in the wrong place? Clicking the wrong button? Sigh very frustrating! I have heard its good for BW is that right? |
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06/03/2008 06:14:36 AM · #5 |
I use the gradient tool more in making layer masks than anything.
Take any image. Add a levels/curves adjustment layer (change no settings in the dialog)
Set that layer to multiply. The whole image goes really dark.
Click on the layer mask on the levels/curves layer.
Select the gradient tool (G), make sure you have a black to white smooth gradient selected.
Draw the gradient on your image (you'll be modifying the mask, not the image).
Experiment.
If too much of your subject is dark, but you like the background's transition, then switch to the brush tool, black forecolor, and paint over your subject (again, affecting only the mask).
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06/03/2008 07:12:50 AM · #6 |
Thanks  kiwiness for putting that tutorial together, it was very amazing to see it all come together. I can wait to try with the images you supply as well and see if I can mmic to learn.
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06/03/2008 07:37:56 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by joynim:
Thanks gary I have watched your amazing tutorial before and watching it again I'm still confused! I still cant to seem to affect any change on my images...am I doing the lines in the wrong place? Clicking the wrong button? Sigh very frustrating! I have heard its good for BW is that right? |
Sent you a PM. |
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06/03/2008 09:01:01 AM · #8 |
I keep my gradient tool set by default to "foreground to transparent". It is very useful for darkening skies, foregrounds, and edges in general. To do so, create a new, empty layer, set to multiply mode, click the box to "fill with multiply-neutral color", set foreground color in the color picker to black, and draw a gradient straight down from the top. Bingo, a nice gradual darkening from top towards center. Is it too aggressive? Use "edit/fade gradient" to mute it down a little. You can do this on all 4 edges, and then you can fade the layer itself to make it even more subtle.
Got certain parts of the image you don't want the burn to impact? Select them, feather the selection, invert the selection, load the inverted selection on the new layer, then do the gradients and they won't touch those areas...
R.
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06/03/2008 04:09:07 PM · #9 |
| Thanks all for replies have popped in before I go to work will have a closer look and experiment tonight :) |
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06/04/2008 12:04:22 AM · #10 |
Hawkeye thanks for your step by step instructions they were helpful ;)
Bear I have a question, you mention click the box to "fill with multiply-neutral color where is that box?
I still have a few questions about gradient tool
What about the 5 boxes to the left ie linear gradient, radial gradient etc?
How can you tell what effect the gradient is going to have? Most of the time I cant seem to see any correlation!
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06/04/2008 12:17:16 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by joynim:
Hawkeye thanks for your step by step instructions they were helpful ;)
Bear I have a question, you mention click the box to "fill with multiply-neutral color where is that box?
I still have a few questions about gradient tool
What about the 5 boxes to the left ie linear gradient, radial gradient etc?
How can you tell what effect the gradient is going to have? Most of the time I cant seem to see any correlation! |
The first box, the gradient will transition from where you start, to where you end. Anything "before" the start point is the first color, anything after is the second. So if black to white and you draw from 1/4 down from the top to 1/4 up from the bottom, the top 1/4 will be black, but bottom 1/4 will be white and the middle 1/2 will gradiate from black to white.
The circular one is similar except the start point is the center of the circle, the end point is the radius and it radiates out from the center point.
Do what I suggested and then on the layer mask try each one separately.
Remember too, on the layer mask, the gradiant replaces the previous one. So you can play around without "erasing" the previous step.
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