Gradient Tool

Gradient Tool

Learn how to use the Gradient Tool to apply beautiful color transitions to your shapes and selections.

When to use

Anytime you want to fill a shape or a selection with multiple colors and create a smooth transition.

Instructions

Creating Linear Gradients

• Use the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to fill your Background Layer with a solid color like blue.
• Hold the Shift Key and then press the keyboard shortcut 'G' to toggle between the Paint Bucket and Gradient Tools.
• Choose the Gradient Tool. 
• You will now see that there are some gradient settings along the top toolbar of the Photoshop interface, including a 'Gradient' icon that previews what our current gradient looks like. By default, this will depend on the foreground color.
• Click on the 'Gradient' preview and you'll see a dropdown menu containing folders for different gradient presets. 
• Inside of the 'Basics' folder, you will have a foreground-to-background gradient, a foreground-to-transparent gradient, and a black-and-white gradient.
• Modify your foreground and background colors and then return to this folder to see how the gradient has now changed.
• Create a New Layer and with your Gradient Tool still active, click and drag from one side of your canvas to the other. 
• After you apply the gradient, you can still modify the colors and smoothness of the transitions using the points along the slider that appear by pressing 'G' once again.

Creating Other Types of Gradients

• With your gradient layer selected, change the gradient type from 'Linear' to 'Radial' by clicking on the small icon at the top of your toolbar next to the gradient preview.
• You can now click and drag to create a Radial Gradient. 
• Notice how as you click and drag outwards the size of your gradient changes in real time.
• You can use the points going through the gradient to change the smoothness and diameter of your gradient.
• Check off the 'Reverse' option to swap the colors in your gradient.
• Try a few of the other types of gradients like the angle, reflected, or diamond gradients.

Modifying Colors and Transitions

• Create a Linear Gradient and apply one of the blue or purple presets.
• Move the small white boxes along the gradient to see how they create smoother or harder-edged transitions.
• Try double-clicking on the circular color icons to change the color values of the gradient.
• Another way you can modify your gradients is by double-clicking on the layer thumbnail icon of the black-and-white gradient.
• Doing this will open the 'Gradient Fill' box where you have another way to modify the type of gradient you are using along with the angle and scale.
• Click on the dropdown menu next to the 'Method' option and change it to 'Stripes' to create solid bands of color from your gradient.
• Change the 'Method' back to 'Smooth' to create a gradient with smooth transitions between your colors. 
• Click along the gradient strip showing your colors, and click anywhere along the gradient to add a color.
• You can also click and drag one or more colors off of this gradient strip to remove it. 

Hints & tips

• If you hold the Shift Key and then use a keyboard shortcut for one of the tools like the Paint Bucket Tool (G), you will toggle through the other tools that are nested inside. 
• You can use the 'Reverse' option with any of the gradients to swap the colors.
• Double-clicking on the gradient layer once it's been created will give you even more ways to alter the appearance of your gradient.