Editing gradients

After you draw a gradient with the Interactive Gradient tool, you can edit it in the document window. An interactive gradient control appears, which marks the transition from one color to another. The direction and size of the gradient depend on where you first click in the document window, the distance that you drag, and the direction in which you drag. Each color in the gradient fill is represented by a square node on the interactive gradient control. You can modify the gradient appearance by repositioning nodes, adding and removing nodes, and changing the color of nodes.

Change a color, add a new color, or adjust the position and direction of a gradient by editing nodes interactively.

You can edit gradient attributes such as the gradient size, the direction of a gradient’s color blend, the gradient colors, and the gradient’s angle.

You can also edit existing gradient presets or custom gradients before you apply them or save them for future use.

To edit a gradient interactively

1	Click the Interactive Gradient tool in the toolbox.

2	Click the Gradient Selector on the property bar, and choose a preset.

To	Do the following
Adjust the size of a gradient	Drag the start or end node on the interactive gradient control.
Adjust the position of a gradient	To set where you want the gradient to start, drag the start handle. To set where you want the gradient to end, drag the end handle. Tip: To snap the gradient line to the horizontal, vertical, or diagonal axis, hold down Shift key while you drag.
Change the direction of a gradient fill	Drag the end node in the opposite direction. Tip: You can also reverse the order of colors in the gradient by clicking the Reverse Gradient Direction button on the property bar.
Adjust the angle of a gradient	Drag the end node.
Change a color	Click a node. Choose a color from the Color panel (Window Color Panels Color) or from the Color Set Libraries panel (Window Color Panels Color Sets.) Tip: You can also change the color by clicking a node, clicking the Gradient Node panel toggle button on the extended property bar (Window Extended Property Bar), clicking the Color Selector in the Gradient Node panel, and choosing a color.
Add a color	Click anywhere along the interactive gradient control. Choose a color from the Color panel (Window Color Panels Color) or from the Color Set Libraries panel (Window Color Panels Color Sets.) Tip: You can also add a color by clicking anywhere along the interactive gradient control, clicking the Gradient Node panel toggle button on the extended property bar (Window Extended Property Bar), clicking the Color Selector in the Gradient Node panel, and choosing a color.
Delete a color	Click a node. Click the Gradient Node panel toggle button on the extended property bar. In the Gradient Node panel, click Delete Node. Note: You cannot delete an end node.
Set the transparency of a color	Click a node. Click the Gradient Node panel toggle button on the extended property bar. In the Gradient Node panel, move the Opacity slider or enter a value in the box.
Specify the position of an intermediate node relative to the first and the last nodes	Click a node. Click the Gradient Node panel toggle button on the extended property bar. In the Gradient Node panel, move the Position slider or enter a value in the box.

To edit a gradient preset

1	In the Gradient Libraries panel (Window Media Library Panels Gradients), choose a preset.

2	Click the Edit Gradient button.

To	Do the following
Add a color	Click in the color ramp bar where you want to add a color. In the Color panel (Window Color panels Color,) choose a color. A new color was added to the gradient by adding a node to the color ramp bar.
Delete a color	Click a node in the color ramp bar, and click Delete Node.
Modify the color transition	Drag a node in the color ramp bar.
Set the transparency of a color	Click a node in the color ramp bar and move the Opacity slider.
Blend the gradient colors	Disable the Linear check box and drag the Color Spread slider to control the color smoothness at each node.
Specify how colors blend between two nodes	Click a square box above the color ramp bar. The Color hue options allow you to change the hue of the blend within that segment. Select one of the following options in the Color Blend Method area: RGB — blends the red, green, and blue components of the two colors Clockwise around the color wheel — blends the end node colors along a clockwise path around the color wheel Counterclockwise around the color wheel — blends the end node colors along a counterclockwise path around the color wheel Tip: To understand this concept better, refer to the standard display of the Color panel (Hue Ring and Saturation/Value Triangle), and note the order of the colors on the Hue Ring.
Create a node that is set to the current color	Press Option + click (Mac OS) or Alt + click (Windows) in the color ramp bar.

4	In the Gradients panel (Window Media Control Panels Gradients), click the Gradient options button , and choose Save Gradient.

You can also

Modify the appearance of a spiral gradient

Click the Gradients panel toggle button on the extended property bar (Window Extended Property Bar) to display the Gradients panel. Click the Spiral Gradient button, and do any of the following: Drag the Scale the Spiral Rate of the Ramp slider to the right or left to increase or decrease the spiral tension. Click the Spirality Direction button . A gradient with low spiral tension (left) and high spiral tension (right).

Adjust the angle of a gradient

Drag the Set the Angle of the Ramp slider in the Gradients panel or type an angle in the corresponding numeric value box.

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