How to Use the Gradient Tool in DesignScape

Easily create gradients in DesignScape with the Gradient Tool that you can use in various ways. As seen below, you even can apply a gradient to an image to change the mood. Today we’ll show you how to load gradients and make a gradient. We’ll also go through the functions that you can use on saved gradients to get the most out of the Gradient Tool.

DesignScape is excellent for creating and editing designs and can be used instead of Photoshop/Illustrator. It’s available at no extra cost for Gold Plus Members, but if you’d like to test out DesignScape today, we have a free 30-day trial of the Gold Plus Membership available!

Access the Gradient Tool

First, select the Gradient Tool (G) from the left toolbar. If you don’t see the Gradient Tool icon, right-click on the Paint Bucket Tool, then select Gradient Tool.

Load Gradients

We’ll use this set of bold gradients to show you how to load gradients into DesignScape.

Click the down arrow to the right of the gradient bar. Then, click on the other down arrow next to the list of gradients, and select “Load .GRD”.

Locate and select the gradient file, then click Open.

The loaded gradients will be added to the end of the list.

Make a Gradient

Instead of loading premade gradients, you can create your own. We’ll go through the different Gradient Tool options in the top toolbar, plus how to save, rename, export, and delete gradients.

Step 1 - Select Gradient Options

Gradient Colors

Click on the gradient bar in the top toolbar to open the Gradient Editor. You can do any of the following:

• Add a color - Click right below the gradient bar.
• Change a color - Double-click on one of the colors below the gradient bar.
• Move a color - Click + drag a color along the gradient bar. This will affect how much of each color is shown.
• Delete a color - Select a color and click the Delete button.

Click OK when you’re happy with the gradient. You can always edit the colors by clicking the gradient bar in the top toolbar.

Gradient Types

Select a gradient type from the dropdown menu. There are five gradient types to choose from, Linear, Radial, Angle, Reflected, or Diamond.

The gradient type, starting point, and ending point will affect the gradient’s overall look. The starting point is where you press the mouse button, and the ending point is where you release the mouse button. The colors in the gradient will flow from left to right in the gradient bar unless the Reverse option is enabled.

• Linear - Colors run in a straight line. The lines of colors will run perpendicular to the line drawn.
• Radial - Colors flow in a circular motion.
• Angle - Colors flow in a counterclockwise direction around the starting point.
• Reflected - Colors run linearly and are reflected at the starting point.
• Diamond - Colors flow in a diamond-shaped motion. The direction in which you draw the gradient line will become one of the diamond corners.

When applying a gradient, if the line drawn is shorter than the area/shape that it's filling, the last color in the gradient will continue filling the rest of the area. See the following image to better understand how the gradient types work.

Blend Mode

You can change the blend mode of the gradient. This option must be selected before you apply the gradient to a layer. The gradient will be affected by colors already on the layer, depending on the blend mode.

We applied a summer gradient with the blend mode, Overlay, to the image below. The gradient was applied directly onto the image layer, but you can use a clipping mask, an adjustment layer, or a layer style instead to change the image non-destructively.

Opacity

The Opacity setting affects the intensity of the applied gradient. The higher the Opacity value, the more intense the gradient colors will be.

Reverse

When Reverse is enabled, the order of the gradient's colors will be reversed. Meaning, the gradient colors, will start from the right and go left instead. See the following image for a better understanding. The starting point below is located at the center of the image.

Dither

Depending on your computer, the transitions between colors in a gradient may not be smooth, so you may see each color as a separate band. You can enable Dither to blend the colors together more smoothly.

Step 2 - Save the Gradient

To save your gradient, click the down arrow to the right of the gradient bar. Then click the other down arrow to the right of the gradients list and click Define New.

The new gradient will be added to the end of the gradient list.

Step 3 - Rename the Gradient

Change the Name of a Single Gradient

You can change the gradient’s name by right-clicking on the gradient and selecting Name Change.

When prompted, enter a Name and click OK.

Change the Name of Multiple Gradients at the Same Time

You can also change the name of multiple gradients at the same time. Doing so will give the selected gradients the same name.

If the gradients you want to select are next to each other, hold down Shift, click on the first gradient, and then click the last gradient in the list that you want to select.

If the gradients are not next to each other, hold down Control/Command and click on each gradient one by one. Then click Name Change from the dropdown menu.

Enter a name for the selected gradients and click OK.

Step 4 - Export Gradients

After saving your gradient to the list, you can also export that gradient in addition to any other gradient.

Export Selected Gradients

Select the gradients you would like to export using Shift or Control/Command. Then open the dropdown menu again and select “Export as .GRD”.

The gradient file will then be downloaded onto your computer.

Export All Gradients

To easily export the whole list of gradients, simply do not select a single gradient. Then select the “Export as .GRD” option in the dropdown menu, and the entire list will be downloaded to a .grd file on your computer.

Step 6 - Delete Gradients

If you accidentally loaded or saved duplicate gradients or no longer want a gradient for whatever reason, you can delete the gradient(s). When deleting gradients, make sure you make the correct gradient selection as there’s no way to undo once deleted.

Delete a Single Gradient

Right-click on the gradient and select Delete to remove a single gradient.

Delete Multiple Gradients at the Same Time

Select the gradients using Shift or Control/Command, then select Delete from the dropdown menu.

That’s just about everything you need to know on using the Gradient Tool in DesignScape. Now you can use the loaded and saved gradients to do things such as change the color of a design or fill an offset stroke with a gradient.