Multiple gradients on the same layer

[Kat]

A few weeks ago I tried to "translate" a PS tut into PDN which at the first step already didn't work out the way that PS tut worked.

The PS tut started off with making a lot of b/w linear gradients on the same layer until you had something you thought might be a good starting result to further work with.

When I tried to do that, I realized that making the 2nd gradient would automatically delete the first one and so on. I resolved that problem by making about 17-20 layers of gradients in order to come close to the effect I had a few years ago using that PS tut with PS software. I then flattened the image but somehow it never turned out as nicely...

Anyway, what I wanted to ask is: is there a way already to do these multiple gradients on one layer or is there any hope that it might be possible in the near future?

[phrebh]

You have two choices from what I can see. The first is to select part of the image before you apply your gradient, and then select another part for the next gradient, etc. The second is to use the Multi-color gradient plugin. You can choose up to 20 gradient parts, giving you 10 side-by-side gradients.

If you post an example, I'm sure many people will step up to try a more specific approach.

[david.atwell]

Try Pyrochild's "Gradient Mapping" program. Is that what you're looking for?

[phrebh]

Try Pyrochild's "Gradient Mapping" program. Is that what you're looking for?

That won't fill a blank canvas with repeated gradients.

[david.atwell]

If you draw a gradient on the canvas, then run the Gradient Mapping adjustment, it will.

[phrebh]

If you draw a gradient on the canvas, then run the Gradient Mapping adjustment, it will.

Then maybe you better give her the method, because that didn't work for me.

Are you talking about his image tiler?

[david.atwell]

No, I'm talking about his gradient mapping plugin. That's why I said gradient mapping. :-P

1. Blank canvas. (Or layer).

2. Draw a gradient across the canvas.

3. Run Gradient Mapping.

3a. Right-click on the gradient bar and click "Add Color" to place new colors on the bar.

3b. Placing two new colors will create the equivalent a new gradient.

3c. Right-click on the gradient bar and click "Spread colors" to space them evenly.

4. Click "Ok."

You're done! Yay! :-P

[Kat]

Oh, sorry for being so unprecise!

I tried to do just b/w gradients - but many of them on the same layer.

It's just a VERY SIMPLE tut I had found back then, but I loved to play around with it because it offered countless options of how to have your image look in the end.

If you don't mind reading a PS tut - just look here, there are also some pics involved, and I think from there you could better understand what I was trying to do. There are not as many pictures, but the first one in black/white shows what your (my) layer should look like (or similar to) before you start to distort it and work with it.

(It's kind of similar to the "Make a wave in Paint.Net" tut... or the like).

http://www.gfxvoid.com/forums/showthrea ... y+Abstract

I post this link because I couldn't really describe it so precisely in English.

Thanks for trying to help!

[Ash]

White background

1st color: black

2nd color: Alpha=0

[Kat]

Makes sense! Thanks, I'll try that as soon as I have the time to do so. Probably on Friday or tomorrow evening. Not now, it's well past Midnight over here!

[Ash]

Good luck and good night.

[Kat]

White background

1st color: black

2nd color: Alpha=0

Didn't work out - after the 5th or so gradient the whole canvas was more or less black.

Now I'm going to try David Atwell's method. :wink:

Edit: Was a nice effect but didn't do what I needed to do either. *sigh*

[Ash]

Maybe if you post the link to the ps tut, others can understand and help you easier.

[barkbark00]

Make each gradient on a new layer with the blending mode set to 'Difference'.

I have come across similar tutorials before and this is the only was I have found to duplicate that step...

[Kat]

Hi Ash, I did post the link to the PS tut just above, but here it is again: http://www.gfxvoid.com/forums/showthrea ... y+Abstract

Additionally, I just reproduced the 1st step of this tut in PS to be able to show what it can look like (depending on where on the canvas you draw your gradients, how long they are, which direction you chose etc.pp.)

See it here - 23 wildly drawn gradients on just 1 layer (in PS); blending mode of the gradient set do difference, color black, secondary color: white

~~~~

I think this effect can really only be reached if PDN allowed to draw gradients above each other on the same layer in a way that the gradient before won't be deleted.

@ barkbark: Yes that's what I did when I tried to reproduce this tut in PDN, but the result was just not aaaas neat as it was in PS.

[Ash]

Sorry, I only looked at the 1st post :?

[Kat]

Ash, you're so busy helping a lot of people here, that's really forgivable, and np at all!

~~~~~

So, now I try to show you the difference(s) between the original tut worked out in PS and my try to reproduce it in PDN.

First, here's the pic I made in PDN using this technique - that was kind of the closest I got to what I wanted it to be

...and here is just one example of what it looked like in PS - depending on how I continued later with the Hue/Saturation efffects etc. (Sorry to all those who dislike pink and magenta tones, I just loooove them...) *grin*

[Kat]

I just tried to reproduce it once more - and was really very alert to keep all new layers' blending modes set to difference. See it here: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=25733&p=204978#p204978

Well -- anyway, whatever it is that doesn't work out transferring this tut... after all it's just one of those pictures you get playing around with efects, a piece of random art so to speak... so maybe it's just not as important.

[topezia]

I had the same problem, I was trying to reproduce this PS tut http://www.photoshoptalent.com/photosho ... ress-folds. html

but the multi/layer/multi gradients does not work for me, I can only add no more than 3 or 4 gradients then the canvas turns all black!

[Ash]

Hmm??

How's this?

I used the method just as I said on my earlier post.

[Kat]

Yeah okay, not bad - but not what it would take to make this picture I was aiming for. And as opposed to the one I posted above ( http://i38.tinypic.com/2gt1ydg.jpg ) ... just not the same effect.

Okay for the dress folds thingy that would be usable it seems....

So maybe after all, could I officially request that possibility as a feature to be added to a next PDN version?

[Ash]

Yeah, I was helping topezia, your question I will have to think a little more

[topezia]

Thanks a lot Ash, but still does not work for me, tried your method (white background first color black, second color opacity=0) tried to draw from different angles, tried on the same layer and then tried on multiple layers with blending set to multiply, tried everything, still result is I can draw no more than 3 gradients then everything turns black! I cannot reach the results of your picture! What am I doing wrong ?

Thanks,