Photoshop problem

[Seamus123]

.....

 

[Kcar]

When I like to make a cool, weird background i'll sometimes use the gradient tool to drag gradients across the canvas. Usually, they build up around each other and interact with each other, creating awesome effects. Now, though, each new gradient just makes the canvas darker or just puts a new gradient in, replacing the previous one. I haven't knowingly changed any settings, so what's gone wrong? Thanks a lot.

Welcome! You're a fairly new member I see.

I can't help with the Photoshop type stuff, as I've never used it - but someone here will be able to help you, I'm sure.

 

[jacintexas]

When I like to make a cool, weird background i'll sometimes use the gradient tool to drag gradients across the canvas. Usually, they build up around each other and interact with each other, creating awesome effects. Now, though, each new gradient just makes the canvas darker or just puts a new gradient in, replacing the previous one. I haven't knowingly changed any settings, so what's gone wrong? Thanks a lot.

not sure what the problem is by your explanation.. try again?

 

[briar_rose]

i've come across this before and it took me a little work out what was happening. More often than not, most gradients are semi transperant, and so naturally the colours are going to get mixed up. And the fact that say, a black and white gradient, will cahnge the way another gradient sits on top.

Answer is that you experiment each new gradient on a new layer, or you undo the previous gradient (ctrl z)

 

[Seamus123]

If I put each gradient on a new layer, they won't interact the way they usual do. I've never used layers for gradients, just gone a bit mad with the tool over the canvas and you end up with cool, weird looking backgrounds.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

When I like to make a cool, weird background i'll sometimes use the gradient tool to drag gradients across the canvas. Usually, they build up around each other and interact with each other, creating awesome effects. Now, though, each new gradient just makes the canvas darker or just puts a new gradient in, replacing the previous one. I haven't knowingly changed any settings, so what's gone wrong? Thanks a lot.

It sounds like you've changed the "mode" of gradient. I don't know what version of Photoshop you're using, so I can't tell you how to do it, but try to find out where to change mode back to Normal (you may have changed it inadvertedly to Darken or Overlay), and that the transparency box is checked.

 

[jacintexas]

It sounds like you've changed the "mode" of gradient. I don't know what version of Photoshop you're using, so I can't tell you how to do it, but try to find out where to change mode back to Normal (you may have changed it inadvertedly to Darken or Overlay), and that the transparency box is checked.

The mode change has been located at the top of the Layers window since like version 4.5.. so look there.. it sound that or the transperancy of the gradients is not what you are wanting.. you modify that in the Gradient settings.. to get there you select the gradient tool and then click on the gradient window where it shows you what gradient you've have selected and a new window will open lettign you modify and select gradients from a palette..

 

[Lauren Hynde]

The mode change has been located at the top of the Layers window since like version 4.5.. so look there..

The Layers' Mode drop-down menu, yes. I was referring to the Gradient Tool's Mode. In Photoshop 7.0, for example, it will appear in a top-docked tool-bar when you select the gradient tool, along with the type of gradient and direction selectors, opacity selector, and reverse, dither and transparency check-boxes (all relative to the gradient tool only)

 

[jacintexas]

The Layers' Mode drop-down menu, yes. I was referring to the Gradient Tool's Mode. In Photoshop 7.0, for example, it will appear in a top-docked tool-bar when you select the gradient tool, along with the type of gradient and direction selectors, opacity selector, and reverse, dither and transparency check-boxes (all relative to the gradient tool only)

sorry I misunderstood your reply..

 

[Seamus123]

I've tried everything, the settings are on normal, i've tried all the other ones in that drop-down menu and none of them appear to make any difference. Each new gradient I make just seems to over-write the previous one regardless of what's selected.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Can you make a screen capture of when you have the gradient selected? It would be easier to diagnose if we can see the patient.

 

[Seamus123]

No Problem.

Before, with the gradients, I could create things like this:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/6421/abstract1nw9.th.jpg

Here's my screenshot.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/5194/screenzn0.th.jpg

I tried the gradient with the blue there and it just overwrote itself again, eventually filling the entire canvas with solid blue.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Now I am at a loss.

Are you sure you could make those imagines using the gradient tool only? What exactly did you do to "drag gradients across the canvas"?

 

[Seamus123]

Selected the gradient tool, chose a couple of colours, and just clicked and dragged the tool in a straight line across. rinse and repeat with many different directions and lengths with the different types of gradient. Now, i'm not aware of having changed anything, and the operation of the tool has completely changed.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Could it be because you currently have the gradient Foreground to Transparent selected instead of Foreground to Background? If you say you chose a couple of colours, only the second option would make anything of them. Foreground to Transparent would just ignore the second colour.

 

[jacintexas]

You might try resetting Photoshop bak to it's default settings by deleteing teh preference file.. here's how..

In Photoshop 6 and up, hold down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift (Mac) immediately after (or while) launching Photoshop. A prompt will ask if you want to delete the preferences file. Click Yes.

In Photoshop 5.0 or 5.5, locate the files "Adobe Photoshop 5.0 Prefs" and "Color Settings" and delete or rename them. They are in the Adobe Photoshop Settings folder in your installation folder.

That will clear most settings you've changed and reset them to default as they were when it was first opened.

 

[fotowriter]

gradient help

You will need to utilize your blending options. If you are putting each gradient on seperate layers play around with each layers blending options. Basically you have to tell photoshop how to blend the layers together. You can also play around with the opacity and that will help you out as well.