Help with gradient question.

[photomazed]

I know this should be simple and maybe I am making it harder than it should be. The instructions that I am trying to follow say "simply create a two-layer image; a gradient background layer and a spherical selection filled with a white to black radial gradient". When I do this my black and purple background bleeds into my second layer white to black sphere. How do I make the sphere so that the purple does not show?

[AMG]

hope you don't have a feather on your selection

[photomazed]

no, no feather on the selection. Also opacity and fill are at 100%. In the book
it does not look as though the sphere has picked up color from the background. Any
more suggestions?

[Edited on 01/19/2003 by photomazed]

[Phil_The_Rodent]

With gradients you can also use blending modes, so check two things: one, that the gradient blending option is set to normal, and two that you are going foreground-background and not - say - foreground to transparent.

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Also check your layer blending mode and layer opacity.

[AMG]

You have a transparency setting within the gradient tool, maybe its not full opacity on the black and the white

[photomazed]

Checked everything still can't seem to get it. Setting is on normal in both the layer and in the gradient tool itself also both are set at 100% opacity. I cant figure it out. Thank you all for all your help. I need a good tutorial on sphere's and gradients.

[ordertheif]

http://www.people.freenet.de/ordertheif/pictures/gradient.jpg

do you mean something like this here?

[Edited on 23-1-2003 by ordertheif]

[photomazed]

YES!!Can you give me a step by step?

[ordertheif]

first, create a document :D
then add a 2nd layer to it!
and the first (or background) layer, select your linear gradient tool and add a gradient... then switch to the second layer, rightclick on the selection tool and select the circular selection... hold down shift (this makes a perfect circle) and drag a circle on your layer. again, grab the gradient tool, select radial, and make a gradient INSIDE your selection from the middle to the outside... this causes the gradient to fill ONLY inside the selection and makes a perfect sphere... got it?

sorry for my bad english - im german :D

hope this solved your problem...
cya :P

[photomazed]

Do you ever have times when the more you try the worse things get? Well now when I try to add the gradient I get a message saying that it is non-editable and a circle with a slash like the no smoking sign evertime I try to add a gradient to a circle.
I must have something set wrong or something. Can anyone help me.

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Your layer is locked. Click on the layer and then click on the little black lock on the bar underneath where it says your layer blending mode and opacity to unlock it.

[photomazed]

Thanks for all your help. And your english
seemed fine to me. Thanks everyone. One more question, do you have to rasterize the shape before you can edit it?

[Phil_The_Rodent]

DOH {smacks head}

Therein lies the problem. You were using the Ellipse tool for your circle rather than your elliptical marquee (upper left corner of your tool palette). So when you rasterized it, you were ACTUALLY painting a layer mask, not a gradient.

Ok. I'm totally on base here.

» Make your background gradient
» Make a new layer
» Go to the square marquee tool and left click it and hold down the mouse button: more options will appear
» Select the Elliptical Marquee tool
» Hold down shift and draw a circle
» A circle of "marching ants" will appear
» Make your gradient in the center of this circle

[Edited on 24-1-2003 by Phil_The_Rodent]

[photomazed]

Oh lol!!!!!!!
Thank you, do I feel stupid? Yes!
but thank you so much again for all your
help and all of you patients with me. Like
I said I have not been at this very long.

[Phil_The_Rodent]

Don't sweat it man, we all started at one point or another... Welcome to the café. :)

[photomazed]

Thanks, I am glad I found it.