MAKE YOUR OWN GRADIENTS FOR PSP 6.O WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR PSP 6 ~ BEGINNER LEVEL TUTORIAL Written by: Designs by Laela 5/31/2002 I love using gradients for all kinds of effects, and learned how to make my own, when I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for while in the midst of a special project. This is an easy tutorial, which will give you hours of enjoyment. Just let me warn you though ... making Gradients can become addicting. Please note. Everyone, does things differently in PSP. This is my way of making gradients, but I'm sure there are others too. The steps in this tutorial remain the same for making all types of gradients, but for this lesson, we will be making a linear gradient today. I use quite alot of screen capture shots in my tuts, I think it's always easier to "see" what you are supposed to be doing, so please have patience, as the page loads. ~ Laela ~ 1. Open a new image (canvas) in PSP. To do that, go up to the top of your screen and click on: File > New Size,etc. does not matter. We are only doing this to make our tool bar active. 2. Now, click on your flood fill icon. That is the "paint bucket" pic  on your tool bar.
In your tool options box, choose FILL STYLE: Linear Gradient: (see example below) EXAMPLE: 1 
3. Now, decide what basic colors you want to start with. (You can always change these later, But I find it easier to start out in the general colors that I want to use.) I'm using a bright blue for this tutorial. So... set Your color palette now: This is mine: FOREGROUND COLOR #8080FF. (This is the TOP color square), BACKGROUND COLOR #FFFFFF. (This is the BOTTOM color square). To do that, click your mouse on the appropriate color square. EXAMPLE: 2 
4. Click on the second tab on your tool options. (See the RED circle above in EXAMPLE 1) EXAMPLE: 3 
Set your Gradient selection to, FOREGROUND - BACKGROUND from the drop down menu. For simplicity, we are using an angle of 90 with no repeats. (As you become comfortable with making gradients, play with these settings to get all kinds of great results) 5. Now click on the EDIT BUTTON. 6. Now you should have your Gradient Editor Options. EXAMPLE: 4 
Click New. The New Gradient dialog box should now be open. EXAMPLE 5 
Give your gradient a name, and then click OK. YES... you MUST name your gradient before you make it. *lol* NOW THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE FUN!!! 7. Click on the first paint bottle. (BENEATH THE COLOR LINE - See Example 6 Below) Then click on your foreground color button This will make your color line, change. Do the same now for your background color. Click on the paint bottle then click on the background color button. Again, your color line will change. EXAMPLE 6 
Now, the custom color button, will be what your original colors, (FOREGROUND AND BACKGROUND COLORS) will blend in with. To add an additional color, Click your mouse, beneath your sliding scale color bar, and you will get another little paint bottle icon. (LIKE YOU DO FOR YOUR FOREGROUND AND BACKGROUND COLORS) click on it. And then go to your custom color box, click on it and choose the color you want. You can add as many colors as you like, repeating this step. (REMEMBER: For each new color you want to add, you need a new paint bottle) TIP: If you wish to delete a color, simply drag it's paint bottle off the sliding scale and release your mouse. Now, if you touch the color bar with your mouse, you can also pick up your eyedropper. clicking on a color, will change your color bottle too, as well as the postions of your color. Sound confusing? *lol* Well it's not... As soon as you begin to experiment, you will easily figure it out. You can adjust transparency for each color section as well, but for time sake we are not going to do that today. Experiment though. At the bottom, you can view your final outcome, where it says RESULTS. 8. I added multiple colors for this tutorial, to show as an example, And also decided to change my background color to a bright fuschia instead of white. EXAMPLE 7 
Once you are happy with the effect, Click OK Congratulations ... You have just made your first gradient! Here is my finished gradient 
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