Help with Gradient Tool

[Cools]

So I made a circle in a blank canvas with anti-aliasing enabled. All of the pixels are the same RGB value and only the alpha (opacity) changes. Then I used the magic wand tool to select every pixel of the circle that had color in it (I increased the tolerance until it selected the whole canvas). When I use the gradient tool to apply a gradient to all of the pixels, it automatically sets the alpha to 255 for every pixel that was selected. 

My question is. is there a way to make the Gradient tool ONLY change the RGB value of the pixels and not change the alpha in any way? I want to be able to make a circle with a gradient that also has smooth edges.

[BoltBait]

Try this:

 

1. Install my plugin pack (link in sig)
2. Open Paint.NET
3. Select the entire canvas and delete it.  You should see all checkerboard.
4. Use the circle selection tool to select a circular area
5. Use the gradient tool to draw a gradient in the selected circle
6. Use the Effects > Selection > Feather Selection plugin to soften the edges of the circle

 

Here's another way:

 

1. Open Paint.NET
2. Draw a gradient
3. Use the circle selection tool to select a round selection.  Make sure the Anti-Aliased selection option on the toolbar is set.
4. Press Ctrl+C to copy that selection
5. Add a new layer and paste that selection to the new layer

 

It will have soft edges.

[NinthDesertDude]

Quote

is there a way to make the Gradient tool ONLY change the RGB value of the pixels and not change the alpha in any way?

Nope, because Paint.net doesn't support channel locking.

But you can use the alpha mask plugin to essentially overwrite the alpha of another layer.