Real World Example Backboard Under Painting

Preliminary Stage A Gradient Options Edit... Gradient Editor Parts Description Adjust Color-Indicators Color-Selectors Color Indicator Location Preliminary Stage B Fast Track The Step-By-Step Method Foreground Color Color Picker RGB Background Color Create A Custom Gradient Fast Track The Step-By-Step Method The Final Steps Result Reapply Gradient A Note On The Purpose

Preliminary Stage A

1. Gradient Options Edit... Click on the Edit... button in the Gradient Tool Options Palette to display the Gradient Editor as shown below.

2. Gradient Editor

3. Parts Description Adjust: Color will add the currently active color to the Gradient. It is the default setting. Transparency will add transparency to the gradient, a very powerful feature. Color-Indicators: The square color markers with the triangle caps points to the color band. They can be changed in color, be moved, deleted, or new ones added. Color-Selectors: These are the buttons and box in the lower left corner. They allow for quick access to the following: Left button: Current Active Color. "F" Button: Foreground color. "B" Button: Background color. Right Button: "Color Picker" launcher.

4. Color Indicator Location The "Location" shows that the current cream color (black capped indicator) is located at the 30% mark on the gradient. The "zero point" is at the left edge. Most of the time, this particular information is irrelevant.

Preliminary Stage B

1. Fast Track

Set foreground color to H: 211, S: 72 and B: 100%. Set background color to H: 211, S: 72, and B: 40%. The sample Toolbox image shows the correct colors. If this instruction is too sparse, the following will walk you through the process. Otherwise, skip step 2.

2. The Step-By-Step Method

Foreground Color: Click on the Foreground "color box" in the Toolbox. This will launch the Color Picker shown to the right. This sample is severely cropped for layout and file size considerations. Color-Picker: Duplicate the values shown in the sample to the right. Hue value set to 211 degrees. Saturation value set to 72%. Brightness value set to 100%. RGB: These values change automatically.

Background Color: It is 60% darker. Brightness value changes to 40%.

3. Create A Custom Blue Gradient

Start with the pre-installed Copper and change it to a custom Blue gradient.

Fast Track Change the "Active Color", cream to white. Move its position to the left from 30% to 25%. Delete the dark brown "Color Indicator Tab" to the right by "dragging down". Change the left Tab to the "foreground color" and the right Tab to the "background color".

Newly created 3-tab Blue Gradient. Continue on and do the step-by-step.

The Step-By-Step Method

Click on the "Color Selector" F (Foreground color). Click on the "Color Indicator" tab on the left edge turning the left side to light blue. Click on the "Color Selector" B (Background color). Click on the "Color Indicator" tab on the right edge turning the right side to dark blue.

Click on the cream "Color Indicator" tab. Click on the "Color Selector" box (Color Picker Launcher). Cropping on the "Color Picker" is extreme. Change the S: and B: values as per sample turning the cream color to to white. Grab and move the white band left from "Location:" 30% to 25%.

Click on the darkest tab and click on the "Color Selector" box (Color Picker Launcher). Set the values to H: 211, S: 95, and B: 70 (dark blue). Change its position from 84% to 74%.

The Final Steps

1. The Result The step-by-step approach resulted in a richer and smoother 4-color gradient. Scroll up and compare with the 3-tab gradient.

Click on the "Save..." button to add it to the "Gradient List". Name it Tutorial Blue.

2. Reapply Gradient Go to the original "Corel Shape" layer. If the Selection has been discarded, select it again by loading the "Full Size Mask".

Select > Load Selection... Channel: Select Full Size Mask from the drop-down list.

Click on the New Layer button to create a new layer. Apply the Tutorial Blue gradient using the original "A to B" spread.

3. A Note On The Purpose The under painting does not require a specific color scheme. The goal of this section was to give guidance on the use of the "Gradient Editor" to create new or to customize gradients.

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