Something up with the gradient tool?

[Superunknown88]

Hi I've just created a white circle. I would like to add some shading on it to make it appear more 3D.

I use the gradient tool...but instead of it being white...with dark grey/black shading. It goes from white and fades to the colour of the background it's on. I've spent hours messing around with the gradient tool and the colours will not change. It just fades to whatever background it's on rather than a specified colour. All I want is a white sphere with black shading...rather than see through white.

It's driving me mad.

Cheers

 

[MrToM]

Hi Superunknown88,

Sounds like you have the opacity of the gradient set to zero.....check out the top sliders, they adjust opacity.



Hopefully that will restore sanity.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[Tom Mann]

Another way you could have run into the problem that MrTom mentioned is that it's fairly common for people to accidentally select the "fade to transparency" default preset (box 2, top row) for the gradient tool instead of the "fade to solid color" preset (box 1, top row).

Also, make sure that your overall opacity setting is not something low, and make sure that your blending mode for the gradient tool is "normal".

Tom Mann
(not to be confused with Mr. Tom - LOL)

 

[Superunknown88]

Thanks but I'm afraid none of the tips help.

It's 100% opacity, the mode is normal and it's fade to colour.


Still it fades to background.

 

[IamSam]

Can you post a screen shot of your Gradient Editor?

 

[Superunknown88]

As you can see, the circle still fades to background rather than black.

 

[Superunknown88]

another setting...

 

[SCTRWD]

What is the blend mode of the circle layer itself?

 

[Superunknown88]

What is the blend mode of the circle layer itself?

Blend mode is normal. I use a layer mask so the gradient only affects the cicle itself.

 

[SCTRWD]

Don't you by any chance draw your gradient on the layer mask itself instead of the layer contents?

 

[IamSam]

Cntrl/Cmnd + Click the layer mask to make a selection then add the gradient to a new layer or the layer contents as SCTRWD suggests.

 

[Superunknown88]

I select gradient tool, then I select the layer mask, then I draw over the circle. Is this right?

it creates a gradient...but not to the desired effect.

 

[SCTRWD]

This is not right. You should select layer contents not layer mask.

 

[Superunknown88]

If I select the layer, it says "could not use the gradient tool because the contents of the layer is not directly editable"

 

[Superunknown88]

It's strange. I apply a gradient to the area outside of the cicle...it's black and white. If I do it inside of the circle...it's just fade.

 

[SCTRWD]

That's because it is a shape layer.

Why bother with gradient tool anyway? Use Layer Styles...

 

[Superunknown88]

Layer styles doesn't have the flexibilty I'd like. With a gradient tool I can drag on it.

 

[Superunknown88]

I'm going to use Layer Styles that SCTRWD suggested. Strange the normal gradient tool doesn't seem to work. Thanks everyone.