Rasterizing Gradients Quickly (In PS)

[evelynlewis]

I'm an illustrator and my work process for painting is pretty simple. I will import a sketch, then on a 2nd layer use the select tool to block out shapes and fill them with values. I will then select these shapes with the quick select or magic wand and quickly switch back and forth between that and a 3rd layer, where I fill these selections with gradients or paint.

The problem I am having is that the new gradient tool automatically creates a new layer + mask every single time a gradient is applied. It is now an exremely time consuming process to rasterize all of these gradients and merge them down to one layer, which is something that I have to do continuously. I don't have a super powerful computer and I will be working with up to several hundred gradients (consecutively). I do not want 300 simultaneous layers of masked gradients. (I think that would also make me insane.) I just want the gradients to quickly commit and not default to objects on their own layer.

Is there a way or mode to to quickly commit/rasterize these gradients, or does this feature not exist anymore?

[Stephen Marsh · Accepted solution]

Edit: I just updated 2023 and there is this classic gradient option:

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You can set up a custom keyboard shortcut via Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts, similar to the following image:

[evelynlewis]

Thank you! I need 3 whole keyboard shortcuts for this set of actions (Rasterize fill content, apply, merge down) but fortunately they seem to be possible to create. Hopefully this goes well. Thanks!

[evelynlewis]

Ooh, I didn't see an option like that. I'll have to check for an update.

[Stephen Marsh]

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@evelynlewis wrote:

Thank you! I need 3 whole keyboard shortcuts for this set of actions (Rasterize fill content, apply, merge down) but fortunately they seem to be possible to create. Hopefully this goes well. Thanks!

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You shouldn't need the keyboard shortcut if the classic gradient works for you... But if you do, it should be possible to create an Action and or JavaScript to perform multiple steps as a single step.