How to Do a Gradient Background

Gradients help you display color shifts in a background, banner or object.

Gradient backgrounds are created from two or more colors, letting you apply a color shift from one area to another. There are multiple types of gradients. A few include linear, radial and diamond. Linear gradients extend over a line; radial gradients display in a circular direction; and diamond gradients point outward in a diamond pattern. You can create gradient backgrounds in an image editor and apply the gradient to a banner, Web page or object.

Things You'll Need

• Photoshop, Fireworks or Paint Shop Pro

Instructions

Photoshop

1. Press "Ctrl" and "N" in Photoshop to create a new document. Enter a height and width for the canvas size, choose a white canvas color and click "OK."

2. Go to the Tools panel. Pick the "Gradient" tool or press "G."

3. Go to the Gradient options palette and select the type of gradient you want to create: "Linear Gradient," "Radial Gradient," "Angle Gradient," "Reflected Gradient" or "Diamond Gradient."

4. Click the "Gradient Editor" in the Gradient options palette. Choose a gradient preset from "Presets" in the dialog box that opens.

5. Go to the "Gradient Type" section. To customize the gradient's colors, click the "Color stop" button of the gradient area you want to color. Select the "Color" button, pick a color from the Select stop color dialog box, and click "OK." Repeat this step to pick another color for a different area of the gradient.

6. Click on the canvas and drag your mouse in the direction of the gradient you want to create.

Fireworks

1. Select "File" and "New" from the Fireworks menu. The New Document dialog box opens. Enter a width and height for the canvas size. Pick white for the canvas color and click "OK."

2. Click the "Rectangle" tool in the "Vector" section of the Tools panel.

3. Click and drag your mouse over your canvas to create a rectangle.

4. Go to the Properties inspector in the bottom pane. Change the "Fill category" drop-down option to "Gradient." Pick the type of gradient you want to create from the fly-out menu. Select the "Fill" button to the left of the "Fill category."

5. Click the left color stop. A color palette appears. Select a color for that area of your gradient. Click the right color stop and select a color for it as well. The colors are applied to the rectangle.

Paint Shop Pro

1. Select "File" and "New" from the Paint Shop Pro menu. The New Image dialog box opens. Enter a width and height under "Image Dimensions" for your gradient and click "OK."

2. Select "View," "Palettes" and "Materials" from the menu, or press the "F6" key to open the Materials palette.

3. Go to the Materials palette and click on the "Foreground Color" button. The Materials Properties dialog box opens.

4. Select the "Gradient" tab and click the "Edit" button. The Gradient Editor displays.

5. Click the "New" button to create a new gradient. Enter a gradient name into the New Gradient dialog box and click "OK."

6. Click a color marker under the "Gradient" section (for the gradient area you want to color). Select the "Color" button beside the "Custom" button. Pick a color from the Color dialog box that appears and click "OK." Repeat this step for any other areas you want to color.

7. Click "Close" to close the dialog box. Click "Yes" in the pop-up box that opens to save your changes. You are redirected to the Material Properties dialog box.

8. Go to the "Style" section and choose the type of gradient you want to create from the list of options ("Linear," "Rectangular," "Sunburst" or "Radial") and click "OK."

9. Go to the Tools panel and pick the "Paint Bucket" tool. Click on the canvas to apply the gradient.

References

• Adobe Help: Apply a Gradient Fill
• Adobe Help: Create Fills with the Gradient tool
• Corel: Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI User Guide