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Feature request for the gradien tool - Pixel


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Hi

 

I have a feature request for a gradient tool to be added to Pixel persona or Affinity photo. Attached I show you how this tool could work. Adding multiple gradients on a pixel layer.

Before I switched to Affinity, I used this tool all the time. I miss it a lot. It would be very nice if you could add this feature.

 

Happy new year 😊

Best regards

 

 

Gradienttool.mkv

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Something like this?

aph2i_multi_gradient_fill.thumb.png.dacb87e00ff6a6b91c5afa13bcedd98d.png

Non-destructive, editable. You can always rasterize and merge down later.
That's iPad, but works the same on desktop, of course.

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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HI.

I am aware that it is possible to use multiple layers with one gradients on each. I wrote in my request; " Adding multiple gradients on a pixel layer". If u look at my video you can see how much faster the workflow is when u can just drag and drop multiple times on the same layer.  Your solution is not what i am requesting.

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The missing ingredient is the Blend mode for using the Fill tools, both the solid colour and the Gradient fill would benefit from having this in the Context toolbar like it is for brushes. I am amazed it wasn't there in the first iteration of Photo.

Brushes vs Gradient:

384712852_ScreenShot2023-01-02at9_40_02AM.png.8b18bcc90324e9daf3fc2f5f364c88f8.png

 

 

Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac OS 12.7.4 
Affinity Designer 2.4.0 | Affinity Photo 2.4.0 | Affinity Publisher 2.4.0 | Beta versions as they appear.

I have never mastered color management, period, so I cannot help with that.

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13 hours ago, eiketre said:

If u look at my video you can see how much faster the workflow is when u can just drag and drop multiple times on the same layer.

Your video shows a random object where you're applying random gradient overlays as a "proof of concept".

In real life, first you would have to carefully choose your gradient colors that you want to apply.
Then you would have to test if they actually look nice on your subject, eventually undo and readjust.
Then you would apply one by one, and make mistakes.
Then you would undo.
Make mistakes again.
Undo.
Etc.
P.i.t.a.

By nesting Fill layers as in my example, you can apply any random gradient right away.
Then you duplicate the layer and change the direction of the next gradient.
Then you may start to experiment in detail with gradient colors, blend modes etc.
When you're happy, you simply continue to duplicate every last layer and change the gradient direction until you have achieved what you're looking for.
If there a spot you still don't like, you select the corresponding layer and fine tune.
If you want to change everything at once, select all the Fill layers – or group them first – and change the gradient properties in one step.

3 hours ago, Old Bruce said:

The missing ingredient is the Blend mode for using the Fill tools

Not at all. Since the Gradient tool in APh always affects the whole layer, blend modes are a layer property here.

Another example, with Gradient Fill layers being children of a Pixel layer:

aph_multi_gradient_fill.png.2d3a14624bf3518b8c9dc91d41ceb6c8.png

The actual gradients being manipulated globally via the Group layer.

Of course you can then adjust each layer individually again, changing colors, blend mode, gradient type etc.:

aph_multi_gradient_fill2.png.1205f6b71360d9d96aa08914fad86b03.png

 

13 hours ago, eiketre said:

Your solution is not what i am requesting.

I understand that. :) 
And no offense intended, but your particular request is not what I'd be supporting either.
Because frankly, in my opinion every additional "niche usage" tool adds to application bloat. 

What I could imagine, however, is a modifier being added to the existing Gradient Tool that would overlay a selected layer with gradient in place.

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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Hi

 

I am not sure u understand what I mean. The workflow working with multiple gradients in Affinity photo are a bit difficult and slow.

Attached is a very short clip from Thomas Brush 2D game art course where he is adding some shadow to a window. This is from “real life” example creating game art.

When the gradient tool is selected, and the colors, u can just drag and drop multiple times. It works almost like a brush. This is also used a lot on masks. It is very fast to work with, and it is used all the time during creation of art like this.

In affinity this workflow is to slow. I can make a nested layer and select gradient tool and set colors. If I need more gradients, I must make a new layer again.  I must also re-select the gradient colors from the swatch again since they gets reset back again.

I have made it easier in affinity. I have shortcuts for Insert Inside and New layer. (CTRL-SHIFT + M, N). When working with masks it seems I cannot use shortcuts for some reason.

The best solution would be a feature to add multiple gradients with just drag and drop. Or perhaps it could be a “gradient” brush of some kind..

Regards

 

 

 

 

 

2023-01-02 19-47-29.mkv

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3 hours ago, eiketre said:

Attached is a very short clip from Thomas Brush 2D game art course where he is adding some shadow to a window. This is from “real life” example creating game art.

Hm… that "shadow" in the window opening – or what is it? – looks completely wrong… :D

3 hours ago, eiketre said:

When the gradient tool is selected, and the colors, u can just drag and drop multiple times. It works almost like a brush. This is also used a lot on masks.

Yes, I get it. :) 
In Photoshop, this is a function of the regular gradient tool. Not a separate tool. It seems to be "automatically" available if the gradient has transparency.

That's what I mean:
It would be a useful option for the existing Gradient tool that we would enable from the context toolbar. I'm all for that.
But not yet another unique tool as you're suggesting.

3 hours ago, eiketre said:

If I need more gradients, I must make a new layer again. I must also re-select the gradient colors from the swatch again since they gets reset back again.

Use Fill layers, not regular "Pixel" layers. You can then just duplicate the existing gradient Fill layer and then you only need adjust the existing gradient's next length and direction with the Gradient tool. Fill layers are non-destructive. Unlike Pixel layers.

Then save your basic gradient as a Swatch. Apply it on any existing Fill layer. ("Black to transparent" already exists in the default Affinity "Gradients" palette.)

Gradient swatches also work on Pixel layers, but if you want to change anything later, everytime you will need to draw a new gradient first because on Pixel layers they are being applied destructively. That's why Fill layers are better for this task.

3 hours ago, eiketre said:

I have made it easier in affinity. I have shortcuts for Insert Inside and New layer.

Good. :) 

3 hours ago, eiketre said:

When working with masks it seems I cannot use shortcuts for some reason.

That's odd. Custom shortcuts should usually work for any menu item.

Anyway, here I just tried to do the "same thing" in APh v1:

aph_multi_gradient_fill3_nondestructive.png.e5d42d358949e670fd64c2c4265ef186.png

…  and in PS CS5.1:

ps_multi_gradient_fill_destructive.png.a836d5f6b29a8eb30bea1a23ac884833.png

The effort was about the same in both workflows.

But in PS, if I would want to change anything, I'd have to start over because it's a destructive process. (Is there even a corresponding non-destructive workflow in PS? I don't know.)

Whereas in APh, I can always adjust a Fill layer later, whenever I change my mind.

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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I have been using Pixel layers. I can see this is not the correct method.  Fill layers as suggested was much better and easy to just copy/paste for more gradients.

I still like the easy drag & drop multiple times like shown i the video i attached above.  If the developers had an option to be added to the existing gradient tool that would be nice 🙂 (Must also be able to use on masks)

 

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29 minutes ago, eiketre said:

(Must also be able to use on masks)

In APh v2, we now have Compound masks. So again, you could stack multiple masks on top of each other.

Aaand… you can always use Fill layers as masks;) 
Since they behave like vector objects, you can stack them as well, creating interesting effects:

aph_multi_gradient_fill_as_mask.png.d7d238e9675369654ae999b891da5d9b.png

MacBookAir 15": MacOS Ventura > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // MacBookPro 15" mid-2012: MacOS El Capitan > Affinity v1 / MacOS Catalina > Affinity v1, v2, v2 beta // iPad 8th: iPadOS 16 > Affinity v2

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Hi.

 

In PhotoShop beta there is now Live Gradients. It works very similar to Affinity’s gradients. You can select which method to use, Live or Classic. See attached picture.

Perhaps Affinity could make an alternative method as I described above, and add that to the method selection of the gradient tool.? 

ps-gradients.png

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  • 2 months later...

I have been active, pushing for this feature, in an old thread for V1 sadly named "Gradient tool is awful". I'm sorry that the Gradient Tool is still "awful" (it of course isn't, it's just a separate tool from the one we want to use)

To all people who prefer a nondestructive tool: no one is advocating to take it away. We just want an alternative destructive tool for a faster workflow.

On 1/2/2023 at 7:39 PM, loukash said:

Your video shows a random object where you're applying random gradient overlays as a "proof of concept".

In real life, first you would have to carefully choose your gradient colors that you want to apply.
Then you would have to test if they actually look nice on your subject, eventually undo and readjust.
Then you would apply one by one, and make mistakes.
Then you would undo.
Make mistakes again.
Undo.
Etc.
P.i.t.a.

There is plenty of use cases when your description of "real life" doesn't actually apply. I want to be able to work with multiple gradient strokes while masking, as if with a brush. Not every application demands fiddling and readjusting before accepting the result (and taking multiple steps to flatten the layers). Many different approaches exist to any task at hand and the program should facilitate more of them.

When I was most desperate about the issue was before I got an ipad to paint on and changed my entire digital painting workflow. Back when I was painting in photoshop on desktop I was using the gradient tool exactly in the way OP presented in their video (combined with selection tools). You can find my own video in the old thread I linked above, or I'll just attach it to this post actually, here, below.

I don't know anything about software development but the existence of the gradient tool at all suggests to me that adding a destructive variant wouldn't be a big deal. Adding another item to a dropdown menu (that already exists for the tool) like in the photoshop example above wouldn't be an "application bloat". This is supposed to be professional software, not a casual application that sacrifices usability for making things as clear as possible for an occasional user.

The insistence for users to be forced to work with non-destructive tools in a raster graphics program, against their own will, is very troubling for me. It feels like being told by developer "I know what is best for you".

Also affinity still has problems about not remembering tool settings, including gradient colors, but this is more a global issue I guess.

btw: to loukash, I'm sorry I haven't properly read your fill layer solution. This issue is not something I'm struggling with atm, I just wanted to add a post to a V2 thread because I've been advocating for this in V1. But I when I see there are multiple layers involved that tells me the issue is still there. (also thank you for making this thread, OP)

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