Suggestion

[rhodeislandman]

Just a suggestion but today I was watching Matt K's tutorial on making sun flares and I was surprised how much I had not even seen in the various options for Gradients and Gradient maps. ( what is the difference??)

I would like to have a really extensive book or series of tutorials about gradients from simple uses to the most advanced ones ..along with extensive tutorials on all the various options and tools that I never even knew were there.

I have read a few books on Elements, but I have found there is very little about Gradients and Gradient maps. .. at least what I have seen.

Gradients could be a good subject for an entire book... as Layers was in Matts book.....IMO


Anybody got any suggestions as to where I might get this info?

[Simenon]

I have made that suggestion about a gradients manual to three different tutorial authors that I have corresponded with at one time or another, but I suspect it is highly unlikely that any such publication is going to appear. However, many tutorials do give a decent basic explanation of what the tool does and how to map it. My PSE 4 has this covered in the Missing Manual and The PSE 4 Dummies book, for example, and I find an especially nice explanation in Ted LoCascio's tutorial Combining Images With Photoshop Elements.

While the Gradient Tool and Gradient Mapping get a nod here and there, the problem is that few of these books offer extensive practical examples. The best in that regard, in my tutorial collection at least, is one titled Photoshop Elements Drop Dead Lighting Techniques which offers a dozen editing projects using Gradients. It does not come with a source photo disk, but I believe I found the project photos at the publisher's on-line page for the book. Some of the monthly photo magazines I purchase also have occasional interesting Gradient projects.

I agree that Gradients is a topic deserving of some expanded coverage. Meanwhile about all I can do is keep a small log of these Gradient edits so that I can quickly reference them as they are scattered among so many of my tutorial sources.

~ Simenon

[rhodeislandman]

Thanks Simeon

Another thing that I never understood was the concept of Stops in gradients. What is a stop?? and what is its purpose?

[Zeria]

The Be Creative Challenge has had three gradient challenges. The most recent (Challenge #50) was posted by TonyW and addressed Stops. All Challenges were linked to tutorials.

Split Toning with Gradient Maps (#50 (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41597))

Gradient Map Adjustment Layers (#3) (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32048)

Using Gradients to Make Backgrounds (#4) (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32270)

Hope this helps:)

[lisabee]

and a couple more from Be Creative

Week 6
using the graphic pen filter
http://www.elementsvillage.com/forum...ad.php?t=32714 (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32714)
this uses a gradient on a layer mask

Week 10
gradients and gradient map adjustment layers
http://www.elementsvillage.com/forum...ad.php?t=33582 (http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33582)

hth

Lisa

[Wendy]

Hi ...

If you look in the subscriber area you will see some tutorials on gradients:

Saving your own Gradients (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_savegradients.php)
Making Gradients (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_creategradients.php)
Colourizing a B&W Photograph using Gradient Maps (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/subscriber/tutorials/tw_colorbw.php)

Hope those help :)

Wendy