Gradient fill angle

[80sTherapy]

The gradient overlay has an angle wheel to precisely control the tilt angle, but I don't see a way to exactly measure the same with the gradient tool. Am I missing something? 

Thanks. 

[v_kyr]

19 minutes ago, 80sTherapy said:

Am I missing something? 

No, there's just a 90° rotate button on it's context tool bar. Other than that you have to rotate it manually via mouse movements (Shift+Ctrl to rotate fill).

[Bit Disappointed]

9 minutes ago, 80sTherapy said:

The gradient overlay has an angle wheel to precisely control the tilt angle, but I don't see a way to exactly measure the same with the gradient tool. Am I missing something? 

Unfortunately, you can't do that, I miss it too. I'm not sure if I miss the method from the FX panel, although it's very intuitive, but I definitely miss the ability to make small - very small - precise adjustments to the angle of the gradient. Perhaps I could settle for a number in an input field in the context toolbar, where the input field follows the scroll wheel on the mouse, but also allows for precisely entering the angle.

In some objects and in some scenarios, it's very, very difficult to adjust the gradient angle precisely. You don't always need to use the common 45-degree angles that you can snap to by holding down shift while adjusting the angle. Everything in between is hit and miss.

At the very least, it would be quite simple value fields that could be implemented in the context toolbar.

[loukash]

19 minutes ago, 80sTherapy said:

Am I missing something? 

We all are missing it since Affinity Designer v1, almost 10 years ago.  
This is especially annoying if you want to apply a gradient to a text frame background in Publisher. Or to a paragraph decoration fill.
Your linear option:
Left to right. Or right to left.
Grrreat, huh?
That's it.
Boo @Serif!

[v_kyr]

One has (sadly) to use workarounds actually for that.

[ronnyb]

35 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

One has (sadly) to use workarounds actually for that.

That’s a useful ruler set did u make those custom assets?

[v_kyr]

1 hour ago, ronnyb said:

That’s a useful ruler set did u make those custom assets?

Jip, you can find them under the forum's resources section (Rulers - Back to school).

[80sTherapy]

Thank you all for the input. I didn’t know if I was missing something hidden in a menu somewhere. Sadly, apparently not. I will download the rulers, though. Thanks for the link @v_kyr!

[NotMyFault]

Another workaround:

1. use transform tool to temporary rotate layer to intended degree (center anchor point)
2. apply gradient fill by gradient fill tools, using constraints modifyer key
3. Reset layer rotation to 0

[loukash]

Or:

1. draw a straight temporary "guide" line with the pen tool
2. transform the line to the angle and length you need
3. turn on appropriate snapping options
4. let the gradient tool end points snap to the line end points

The "guide" line can be blank, i.e. no fill or stroke, so it won't print or export. When you turn on the X-Ray view mode, you will still see it together with the – somewhat pale – gradient you're applying to the other object.

[80sTherapy]

All good ideas. Thanks!

[Nela]

On 1/16/2024 at 12:44 AM, loukash said:

We all are missing it since Affinity Designer v1, almost 10 years ago.  
This is especially annoying if you want to apply a gradient to a text frame background in Publisher. Or to a paragraph decoration fill.
Your linear option:
Left to right. Or right to left.
Grrreat, huh?
That's it.
Boo @Serif!

Seriously?!?
I've been trying to find a way to easily rotate a gradient from left-right to top-bottom on an element for days, and came up short. And even the original gradient swatch was saved from an element that already had top-bottom orientation 🙄 But apparently that doesn't matter and I have to fiddle with manual handles on an element about 40 pixels high.

Boo @Serif indeed.

[GarryP]

23 minutes ago, Nela said:

I've been trying to find a way to easily rotate a gradient from left-right to top-bottom on an element for days, and came up short.

You can rotate a gradient via the Gradient Tool (Fill Tool in Photo) in two ways:

1. Click on the “Rotate gradient” button on the Context Toolbar;
2. Shift+Drag+Right-Mouse (on Windows, different modifier on macOS, see Status Bar for details).

Unfortunately;

• option 1 will only rotate about the start point of the gradient and can only rotate by 90 degrees at a time, and;
• option 2 won’t let you rotate via the centre of the gradient so the gradient needs to be translated afterwards by holding Ctrl (see Status Bar for details) while dragging.

So you can rotate a gradient using the Gradient Tool but it’s not always a single operation – see attached video where I rotate the gradient and then translate it to go from left-right to top-bottom.

It’s not ideal in all circumstances but it’s do-able.

[Nela]

On 2/12/2025 at 10:24 AM, GarryP said:

See attached video where I rotate the gradient and then translate it to go from left-right to top-bottom.

I already know this, and that's what I've been doing. It takes way too long for a functionality that should be available as a drop-down or a text box with a numeric angle.

[GarryP]

I agree that it might be nice if we were to be able to rotate the gradient more easily.

However, we can only currently use the functionality that we are given.

If you would like to have extra functionality then you can make a suggestion (or, even better, add to an existing one, if one exists) in the relevant Feedback & Suggestions section of the forums. If you do so then you might like to also give a link to this discussion so that the background for the request can be more easily found.

[Nela]

Honestly, I'm too busy right now and counting days until maternity leave to be posting all the feedback and suggestions for improvement I have.
When I come back to work I'll return to my trusty Adobe InDesign and leave all of this frustration behind.