Skip to main content
M
Matthew278711144s6c
Participating Frequently
June 20, 2023
Question

Several issues with gradient fill tool in PS 24.5.0

  • June 20, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 6773 views

The recently released PS 24.5.0 seems to have a bunch of issues with the gradient tool.

I'm not sure whether they're a bug, a new way of doing it, or if I'm being dumb.

 

• Reversing the foreground/background colors makes no difference - the gradient is always white to black, whether on a normal layer or on a layer mask. I can click on the circles on the new gradient circle and then pick a color, but that's impractically tedious.

*** edit - I just discovered the 'reverse' button on the toolbar. This just adds a step! ***

 

• Colored gradients don't work - it's black and white only (or white and black as the case may be).

 

• If the gradient is used on a normal layer, it adds a gradient layer with a mask instead of putting it on the original layer. That's not what I want to do most of the time.

 

I've tried gradient vs. gradient classic (no difference) and perceptual/linear/classic (no difference).

 

Am I doing something wrong or is this a bug?

 

(PS 24.5.0, Mac OS Ventura 13.4)

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    4 replies

    P
    Phil24304175ro3v
    Participating Frequently
    July 15, 2023

    Way too much to read just to figure out the gradient tool that I used to be able to use just fine. I am so lost with this thing. Does it actually work for anybody? Seriously, does it?

      P
      prof.carpenter
      Participant
      March 17, 2024

      No, I feel like it's gotten very complicated and counterintuitive, as well. It does work, but you have to get there from a rather roundabout way of accessing it. You can't access the gradient editor form the gradient tool, as per before, you have to access esiting it from the gradient on the layer. No idea why they decided to do it this way.

        Trevor.Dennis
        Community Expert
        Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        March 18, 2024

        I do like the new tool, but I also take your point about it being more difficult to access, and that equates to a poor workflow.  We use shortcuts to save a second her and a second there, and now we have a convoluted multi-click route to opening the gradient editor.  I woner if we are missing something, and there's a more direct way?

         

        One thing we should maybe be doing, is saving edited gradients so we have them directly accessible from the Gradients panel.  Brady, on the Texture Labs YouTube channel is a bit odf a wiz with gradients, and he has made some some rather good gradient files available.   I think it was his Gold Effect video from memory.

         

        Yes, this is the video. Go to the description and click on More, and you'll see the free gradients link.

        Check out the video as well.  ISTR he claims to know the new tool as well as anyone, as he has obssessed with it spend a great deal of time experimenting. 

         

        Conrad_C
        Community Expert
        Conrad_CCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 21, 2023

        If what you’re after is being able to keep drawing new gradients based on changing the foreground and background colors, what you want to keep in mind is that still works, you just have to think of it in terms of more flexible vector objects instead of the old pixel gradients that you couldn’t edit after they were created.

         

        Keep in mind the following points:

        1. The Foreground to Background gradient preset (up in the options bar, or in the Gradients panel) always follows the current foreground and background color — notice that the Foreground to Background preset updates as you change those colors. So if you want to draw gradients based on that, just make sure to click Foreground to Background before you drag the Gradient tool. If you want to change the preset applied to a Gradient Fill layer, just make sure that layer is selected and click a different preset. If you click the Foreground to Background preset while a Gradient Fill layer is selected, that changes the layer to Foreground to Background.

         

         

        2. Once created, a gradient is a Gradient Fill layer so that it can be edited without having to start over, which is extremely flexible and convenient. The Gradient Fill layer existed before, but now it’s fully integrated with the Gradient tool.

        3. If you want to edit the current Gradient Fill layer,  make sure it’s selected in the Layers panel. If you want to create a new Gradient Fill layer, make sure no Gradient Fill layer is selected. (Select > Deselect Layers can ensure this, if you don’t want to click around.) If you want to apply the Foreground and Background colors to the currently selected Gradient Fill layer, just double-click the Foreground and Background gradient preset, or drag and drop it on the selected Gradient Fill layer.

        4. To see all gradient controls, display the Properties panel. If you haven’t already been taking advantage of the Properties panel for many other layer types as well as masks, you might want to make the Properties panel more prominient in your customized workspace. (You can still edit the old way, with the complicated nested dialog boxes, by double-clicking the Gradient Fill layer thumbnail preview in the Layers panel.)

         

         

        So as you create a gradient, pay attention to:

        Which gradient preset is selected? If you want Foreground and Background, make sure that’s selected.

        Are you creating a new Gradient Fill layer? Make sure no layer is selected in the Layers panel, click the preset you want, then drag the Gradient tool.

        Want to change a selected Gradient Fill layer to the current foreground and background colors? Just apply the Foreground and Background gradient preset.

         

        This might seem a little more complicated, but there is a lot of potential time savings in setting up gradients as an editable layer. And the way it works is pretty much the same as how you already create and edit any non-pixel layer types (Solid Color fill layers, Pattern Fill layers, type layers, shape layers…). So it isn’t really new.

          M
          Matthew278711144s6cAuthor
          Participating Frequently
          June 22, 2023

          Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed reply.

           

          I've worked out what I need to do to get it to do what I want (mostly - still no option to place on the original layer or a normal layer above it. Still a clunky and inelegant way to switch colors on a gradient) ... but it takes three times as long as it used to (or at least three times as many button clicks). I realise that as I get used to it, it'll speed up, but being forced to use vector objects makes some things that used to be very simple much more complicated.

           

          Maybe I'm the only one who uses gradients the way I do to edit images (seems unlikely) but...

          ADOBE!! We don't all need editable vector objects! Keep the option to keep things simple!!

            Conrad_C
            Community Expert
            Conrad_CCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            June 22, 2023

            There are answers for all of those.

            quote

            …still no option to place on the original layer or a normal layer above it.

            By @Matthew278711144s6c

             

            Those translate into: edit an existing Gradient Fill layer, or add a new Gradient Fill layer. Which one happens depends on whether any Gradient Fill layer is selected. If yes, then the next gradient you apply replaces that. If no, the next gradient you apply adds a new Gradient Fill layer. It does take some time to get used to that.

            quote

            Maybe I'm the only one who uses gradients the way I do to edit images (seems unlikely) but...

            By @Matthew278711144s6c

             

            You are definitely not alone. There have been a lot of complaints posted here. My guess is the longer they’ve been using the old pixel gradients, the more they don’t want to change, and that is understandable. It’s taken me a while to adjust. In fact…although it sounds like I know what I’m talking about, I only learned about some of these workflow details by reading answers from others here. Even with the challenges I prefer the new way, because vector gradients are much more consistent with gradients in other modern pro software (InDesign, Illustrator, After Effects, Affinity Photo…).

            quote

            ADOBE!! We don't all need editable vector objects! Keep the option to keep things simple!!

            By @Matthew278711144s6c

             

            This one is already addressed too. If you really want to work the old way, or if you are open to the new way eventually but right now you need to get stuff done the way you know how, Adobe did keep a Classic Gradient option in the Gradient tool options bar. Switch to that, and gradients should work the way they used to.

             

              Bojan Živković11378569
              Community Expert
              Bojan Živković11378569Community Expert
              Community Expert
              June 20, 2023

              Classic gradient from the Options bar before dragging to draw gradient does the trick for me on Windows, it does what you expect, draws gradient on current layer. I do not think there is any difference between Win and Mac versions when tools in question.

              Have you tried reseting preferences what can be solution for many weird things in Photoshop https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

              Before resetting preferences save any unsaved actions and presets or use manual method to drag folder on Desktop then drag it back if reseting does not help.

              M
              Matthew278711144s6cAuthor
              Participating Frequently
              June 20, 2023

              Classic gradient makes no difference (come on, Photoshop - if you put a 'classic' tool, I want it to be exactly the same as it was before!)

               

              Resetting the preferences did nothing whatsoever other than annoy me when all the hints and tips came back!

               

              Next up, a complete re-install.

               

                Trevor.Dennis
                Community Expert
                Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
                Community Expert
                June 21, 2023
                quote

                Classic gradient makes no difference (come on, Photoshop - if you put a 'classic' tool, I want it to be exactly the same as it was before!)

                 

                Resetting the preferences did nothing whatsoever other than annoy me when all the hints and tips came back!

                 

                Next up, a complete re-install.

                 


                By @Matthew278711144s6c

                 

                Did you read through the other thread?  It answers at least some of your issues.

                 

                Trevor.Dennis
                Community Expert
                Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
                Community Expert
                June 20, 2023

                Matthew, there is another thread on the Gradient Editor you might find useful

                https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/missing-opacity-option-in-gradient-editor/td-p/13877483

                M
                Matthew278711144s6cAuthor
                Participating Frequently
                June 20, 2023

                It seems like a related problem, but it's not the opacity that's the issue - just the insistence on the gradient being white to black and that color gradients don't seem to work without an agonising long work around.

                  Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
                  Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices