Hi Jeanne,
1. Select the Gradient tool from the vertical tool bar.
2. In the horizontal options bar at the top of the screen, click once
on the current colors showing in the gradient bar on the left. This
will open a pop-up screen for the Gradient Editor.
3. Click on an existing preset-- a simple one, involving only two or
three colors, is best to start. (After making your changes you will be
be giving your altered preset a new name and saving it, leaving the
original version in place and unharmed.)
4.In the Gradient Editor, below the preset thumbnails, you'll see a
color bar that stretches across the Gradient Editor popup. For each one
of the colors that contribute to the gradient, you will see both an
"Opacity Stop" above the color bar and a "Color Stop" below the bar.
Double-click on the first "Color Stop" on the left. (This is the stop
below the color bar.) This will bring up the "Select Stop Color"
popup. In the popup, click on the vertical color spectrum bar to
approximate your color choice, and then fine tune your selection in the
large square color box to the left of it. From this box you can move
from the palest hue to the darkest shade, and by sliding the arrow on
the color spectrum up and down you can entirely change the colors from
which you're choosing.
As you move up and down the spectrum, or click on specific colors, those
changes will also appear in the Gradient Editor, and you will be able to
see how the new color interacts with the gradient's existing colors.
Once you've selected your color, and clicked once on, click "OK" and the
color will be added to the gradient. Use these steps to make the
changes you wish to any other exiting color stops.
If you wish to add additional colors to the gradient-- say, for example,
turn a 2-color gradient into a 5-color gradient-- this is easily
accomplished.
In the Gradient Editor, immediately below the color bar, click once to
add a new color stop. You can do this as many times as you like. Then
edit the color of each stop as previously described.
If you wish to remove a stop, place your mouse arrow directly over the
stop and then drag it away, out of the range of the popup. It will
disappear. (You can also select the stop and use the delete button, but
I find it faster to just drag it out of the way.)
You can change the positioning of your colors and the balance of the
gradient by dragging the color stops left and right. You can roughen or
smooth the gradient's flow by adjusting the Smoothness slider.
Once the gradient appears as you like it, type a name for it in the Name
Box and then click on the "New" button. (Not the "Save" button). A
thumbnail of your new preset will appear as the final image in your
display of available presets. The new preset will be available every
time you open Photoshop, unless you re-set the editor to use a different
gradient list.
If you think you're going to want to keep this new preset for the long
term-- possibly even loading it into a new computer, or a new version of
Photoshop-- then click the Save button to save the entire list of
current gradients under a new name. This can be helpful if you're
creating a group of gradients to be used to create specific effects, or
if you simply have created a number of favorites you'd always like
available in the default group.
That should about do it. There are other tools in the editor for fine
tuning the gradient-- including some interesting effects that can be
created by adjusting the opacity stops-- but I think you've got enough
to get you started for the moment.
Let me know if you run into a problem.
Best wishes,
Shoshanna
Gold Beach - South Coast of Oregon
http://www.pbase.com/shoshanna
.
Jeanne Fadely wrote:
> Hi, I am a new member and right now working on a "painting" of a flower using gradients. How can I adjust the colors of the gradient from the stock ones to my own? Thanks a mil
>
> Jeanne
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