24
Replies
It's not really that hard. To make a new gradient Select New Gradient Swatch from the Swatches flyout. You should get a dialog that looks like this
When you click on one of the gradient stop at thebottom of the ramp you will activate the ability to choose a color for that stop in the color mode you want
If you choose CMYK you can mix the color or you can choose Swatches and choose from existing swatches in the file. This is how it looks with both selected
When youOK the dialog a new swatch is added to the Swatch panel. You can apply it by drawing or selecting an object in your file and making the fill box active . It should look like this
In the Gradient window shown to the right of the object you can change the angle by using either the Reverse button or the angle window like this
Or you can use the Gradient tool from the tool box to drag across the gradient to change it as you want
If you want here's the difference in a radial gradient changed with the gradient tool from the tool box
Actually, it really is that hard.
What I tried to communicate in my original post was that in this window:
There is no way for me to make the changes I make in this window show up in the document. Where is the OK button? I really, really tried. Everything. I switched the Angle. I played with the Reverse. Nothing I did reflected itself in the actual document or the swatch.
So what am I missing here?
Incidentally, when the Gradient Options window is open:
The smaller window is inaccessible. I have to close the Gradient Options window to do anything in the smaller window, and like I said, anything I do in the smaller window does not manifiest itself in any way in the document or the swatch.
It's one thing to tell me "You can change the angle, you can reverse the flow, etc." but how do I tell InDesign to take what I've selected and actually implement it in the document or swatch?
Three different books on CS5 InDesign couldn't provide the answer, either.
Hi, TechShell.
Simplified (despite all my extraneous verbiage), here are the steps.
- Select the object to which you want to apply the gradient. (Alternatively, create a free-standing rectangle or circle, etc., just to have a temporary place to apply the gradient and observe its appearance while you develop it.)
- With your object selected, double-click the Gradient Swatch Tool (not the Gradient Feather Tool).
- Drag colors from your swatch collection onto those stops to change their colors or to any empty space in between to create a new stop. You can also click anywhere along the color stop line to create more color stops (but you will see no difference when you do until you apply a different color, as the new-click stops will just pick up a nearby current color).
- Slide these stops around, past and over each other, or drag in more or different colors, until you have what you like (your efforts will be reflected in your selected object, so keep an eye on that -- and btw, make sure you are editing the fill and not the outline of the object -- I do this accidentally all the time). (And don't forget, you can play with angles while you're at it, but you really won't notice that result unless you do have an object selected where you are watching the development of your swatch, so be sure to make your working object big enough to tell what you're doing.)
- Once you have developed a swatch, and like what you see in your selected/working object, right-click on the thumbnail in the Gradient Swatch Tool palette (it should have been changing all along as you created your gradient) and choose "Add to Swatches" (that's the only option when you right-click anyway). In this palette, this is equivalent to "OK."
- Now your new swatch is in your gradient swatch color palette.
- To quickly create the mirror image of it, draw a freestanding object (rectangle, etc.) and apply your new gradient. (You may still have your working object selected, in which case, you can use that.)
- With your object selected, again open your Gradient Swatch Tool (if it is not still open), which should reflect the gradient in your selected object (in this case, the one you just created and saved).
- Click the "Reverse" option in the palette, again right-click on the thumbnail and again select Add to Swatches. I usually call my reversed gradient by the same name as the previous one and just add "Rev" onto the end of it.
Now you have two new gradients, customized to your liking. These can also be the basis for other gradients, if you drag them over the "New Swatch" button at the bottom of the Swatches panel. You can edit them the same way as before, opening the Gradient Swatch Tool and applying to an object while you play with them, then saving with a new name.
Oh, and don't miss the cool effects you can get by also applying Directional Feathering (under the Objects>Effects> menu) to your gradient. You can create it and then, using directional feathering to fade it from various directions, can use it as a partial fill instead of a complete one. Of course, you can just put white on one end of your gradient and create that same effect. But for on the fly and if you don't want to alter your gradient or create a new one, Directional Feathering is very handy.
I hope this helps. 
I understand the effects option when trying to achieve a vertical gradient for an object.
But what if you are trying to use a vertical graident effect for alternate rows in a table.
Something that looks like this, but in a table.
Hi, I'm going to mention two things...
- The colours panel and gradient panel make colour on the fly and are not saved swatches. Once used, the only way to duplicate another object with that colour is to use the Eyedropper tool from the original object to the new. However, in order to reuse them (which is mighty handy) you need to save the swatch. You can do this via the options menu on each panel.
- In regards to keeping angles, etc on gradients. The solution to reusing that same angle etc on other objects is to create an Object Style. The best way to do this is to have your object selected > create the gradient exactly as you please > save the gradient as a swatch > save an Object Style. You can then apply it to any object you like. If you want to use it on another document, you can load swatches from other files.
Cheers
@Grebe – I think, you are wasting your time (and losing your mind), if you want to control gradients in table cells.
Apply a gradient to a cell, use the Gradient Tool to make it 90° from top to bottom. Everything is looking fine.
Then add some new table rows below. Blam! The gradient fill of untouched cells has changed.
Step 1 of going mad with gradients in table cells; everything is looking perfect after dragging the Gradient Tool from top to bottom of a selected row using a gradient from 100 Cyan to 0 Cyan:
Step 2: The same table just after adding two rows below (Arrrgh!):
Uwe
It's probably confusing because you're not willing to learn how it works!
It's almost identical between InDesign and Illustrator. INDESIGN below:
ILLUSTRATOR below:
Try actually using those windows you took a screenshot. Click on the colours. Trust me I did learn how to use them which is why I ended up ranting here. The fact the windows look the same is WHY they are confusing. It implies they should function in a similar way. But they don't. It's not the end of the world. But it is confusing.
X1-Bot,
When many of us who are answering started using these programs, they were all stand alone applications. When Creative Suite came out, Adobe tried to standardize somewhat, but all the applications have different teams and they develop separately.
As an example, when InDesign came out and had gradients on strokes, people screamed and said, we need gradients on strokes in Illustrator! Far too many years later (imho), Illustrator got gradients in strokes and also three ways to apply them. (Yay!) InDesign was then behind because there is only one way. 
Please put in a feature request. Both applications could stand a little improvement! The engineering team will read the feature requests. They will not read these posts.
Best,
Jane
AdChoices