Gradient Colors

Gradient Fill Colors and Shape

Shape Examples

All graphics with an interior, including Text Boxes, may have a Gradient Fill. The parameters that control the colors and their transition are found on the Gradient Fill Panel. To show this panel select "Gradient Fill" from the Tools Menu which is on the Main Menu.

If your goal is to simply add or change the color of a graphic use the Style Panel which defines a graphic's fill color. Gradient FIll is "turned off" by selecting None for the Shape parameter.

This palette is opened from the Tools main menu - Gradient Fill menu item. Navigate the palette with the three tabs: Gradient, Shape and Transition.

A Gradient Fill transitions across two or more colors. These colors are referred to as "Inner" and "Outer". You may independently specify the colors using the color wells shown circled.

The effect popup menu is used to select the form of the Gradient Fill. Select the None Value to turn off Gradient Fill. This parameter determine the shape of the constant color contours used to generate the Gradient Fill. There are several selections, the names are descriptive, the examples to the left demonstrate the effects possible.

The Plus button is used to insert additional color transitions. There is no limit to the number of transitions. The popup menu is used to select one of the transition colors for editing. When selected the intermediate color can be changed using the middle color well. The transition parameter defines the percentage point along the transitions for the intermediate color selected. Experimentation is the easiest method to understand the use of this parameter.

Intermediate colors may be removed using the minus button. Every gradient requires at least two colors, so the end colors may not be removed from the gradient.

If transitions have been adjusted, they may be returned to an even spacing using the Even Transitions button.

The "Steps" parameter is used to specify the number of unique contours used to generate the Gradient FIll transition from the inner color to the outer color. For a very smooth seamless appearance use a large number such as 100. A very small number, such as 4, will create a "banding" effect. Larger graphics will need larger number of steps to maintain a smooth appearance. Larger numbers of steps may slow the responsiveness of your computer when reshaping or moving the graphic containing the Gradient FIll. Numbers above 200 may slow down your computer noticeably, and in most cases will not improve the appearance of the fill.

Bitmap gradients may work better if transparency is used for transition colors. This is true especially if your drawing is used as a bitmap - for a web graphic or an icon. If your output will be printed or exported as PDF - NOTE - transparency for a bitmap gradient is not supported by pdf. A Vector based gradient will support transparency, but inspection and iteration with the Overlap parameter may be needed to minimize banding.

The difference between Shade and Vertical or Horizontal is that the angle of the gradient may be specified. The example to the left shows a shade angle of 45 degrees.

The difference between Spot and Egg is that Egg depends on the aspect ratio of the graphic and Spot does not. Spot transitions from a focal point (defined by Direction and Radius ) outwards transitioning the color based on radius alone. Egg begins the same way but transitions independently in the vertical and horizontal directions, the transition depending on length and width of the graphic's bounding rectangle.

The Orientation and Convergence parameters have are used to change the transitions between colors.

The examples to the right demonstrate a few possibilities for different Shape selections for Gradient Fill.

Gradients Fill may be applied to Wall or Ribbon graphics. The creation tools for these graphics are found near the bottom of the Technical tools palette. There are only two of the Gradient Fill geometries that apply to these graphics - Horizontal and Vertical. In this case a Horizontal gradient transitions along the ribbon and a Vertical gradient transitions across the ribbon.