Phase I-B: Backboard Under Painting

Preliminary Stage A

1. Gradient Options Edit...
2. Gradient Editor
3. About The Tool
   • Adjust
   • Color-Indicators
   • Color-Selectors
4. Color Indicator Location

1. Fast Track
2. The Step-By-Step Method
   • Foreground Color
   • Color Picker
   • RGB
   • Background Color
3. Create A Custom Gradient
   • Fast Track
   • The Step-By-Step Method

The Final Steps

1. Result
2. Reapply Gradient
3. 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

This dialog box is cropped and it is showing the copper gradient pre-installed by Photoshop.

The Gradient Editor allows for creation of new gradients or customizing gradients from the drop-down Gradient List.

3. About The Tool

• 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: These triangle points touch the color band. They can be changed in color, be moved, deleted, or new ones added.

• Color-Indicators: These triangle points touch 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:
  • Current Active Color, the left buttons.
  • Foreground color, the middle F buttons.
  • Background color, the right B buttons.
  • Color Picker, the rectangular box right of the buttons.

4. Color Indicator Location

• In the sample above the second "Color Indicator" is selected and its location is 30%. 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 top 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: Its values change automatically.

• Background Color: It is 60% darker and Brightness value is the only thing that changes.
  • Brightness value changes to 40%.

3. Create A Custom Gradient

Let's change the Copper scheme to Blue.

• Fast Track
  
  • Change the active cream color to white.
  • Move its position to the left from 30% to 25%.
  • Delete the dark brown Color Indicator Tab to the right by dragging it down off of its position.
  • 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 the Foreground color (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 the Background color (dark blue).

• Click on the light copper Color Indicator tab.
• Click on the Color Selector box to open the Color Picker shown to the right.

  Cropping on the Color Picker is extreme.

• Change the S: and B: values as per sample turning the light copper band to white.
• Grab and move the white band left from 30% to 25%.

• Click on the dark copper tab and click in the Color Selector box to open the Color Picker.
• Set the values to H: 211, S: 95, and B: 70.
• 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.

Click Save 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.

The resulting gradient image should resemble the above sample.

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.