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Radial Gradient Direction


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Hello, everybody,

 

I'm curious when the radial gradient direction & distance features will be coming to AD.  This is a feature I use of Illustrator's gradient tool all the time.  I've attached examples of the tool's results, for those reading this who are unfamiliar with the effect.

 

In Adobe's UI, the feature is implemented via the software's Gradient Annotator, either by dragging the small dot just past a radial/elliptical gradient's origin, or by clicking with the gradient tool on a radial gradient, somewhere away from the Gradient Annotator.

 

Anyway, especially for applying realistic lighting effects to rounded objects, this feature simply is a must-have.

 

In the mean time, anybody who knows an AD-native technique for applying (a reasonable facsimile of) such an effect in AD, I'd be happy to hear your suggestions.  Until then, I'm going to be ⌘-tabbing a lot, in order to make and mask raster fills when I'd really rather be using vector.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

—Russ Johnson

Murfreesboro, TN

post-11244-0-93119200-1431714330_thumb.png

—Russ Jonson

Still and video design, logos, branding, and more 

RussDoes.com

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Hello AJBlue98,

Welcome to Affinity Forums :)

Thanks for your feedback. I don't have enough info to be able to reply your first question. Currently more advanced gradient features are not on our roadmap but that doesn't mean it's not planned for later. I will leave this for TonyB or MattP since i'm not the most suited person to give you a definite answer. Regarding how to reproduce it in Affinity Designer i'm afraid there isn't an easy way to get the same effect with the current toolset.

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Russ, after you've created your shape, does not clicking on the Gradient tool and selecting Radial in Type in the Context bar give you the control handle you want?  Or have I misunderstood the question?

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LillieG,

 

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

 

Currently, when AD makes a radial gradient, it basically takes a linear gradient and rotates it around one endpoint, so that the gradient spreads outward in all directions.  (For elliptical gradients, it simply makes a radial gradient and then stretches it.)  Giving a direction to a radial gradient essentially takes its origin point and moves it off-center.

 

Take a look at the example i've attached to this reply.  On the left is the kind of radial gradient AD currently is capable of creating.  On the right is a radial gradient with direction.  Notice how the white portion of the circle seems bunched up against one side?  It's almost as if a white light were shining on a grey wall from above.  AD currently isn't capable of this effect.

 

I've been thinking about how to approximate the effect, and I've come up with a rather convoluted solution.  Unfortunately, it isn't really worth pursuing, for various time and technical reasons.  And besides, once the mesh feature is available, I can simply use a point-to-circle or point-to-ellipse (or point-to-any-shape) mesh to create the effect … at least for simple gradients with only a start and end colour (otherwise it gets complicated again.)  I believe that feature already is on the roadmap, right, MEB?

 

Anyway, LillieG, I hope that helps clear up the question.   :)

post-11244-0-61206200-1431833057_thumb.png

—Russ Jonson

Still and video design, logos, branding, and more 

RussDoes.com

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@AJBlue98,

Yes, a Mesh fill tool is already on our roadmap. I'm not yet aware of the details on how it will work.

 

@A_B_C

That's not the same. In your example you have a linear spread of the gradient along the surface, You just changed the shape of that spread (ellipse) and it's origin point. What i believe @AJBlue98 is asking for is a non-linear spread set by the distance of an external control to the origin point of the gradient (similar to what a spotlight does in a 3D software).

post-59-0-60945600-1431879804_thumb.png

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...I think SVG calls it 'focal point' - we can certainly add it, it's trivial to implement (but I must admit it's missing because I've never needed it - yet!) ;)

 

Thanks for the suggestion - I'll pop it on my 'rainy day' list. Incidentally, it's raining today here - but I've got lots of other things to do first, haha! ;)

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MattP: It was raining for you today?  You’re not in Tennessee, are you?  lol  —Seriously, though, thanks!  I actually thought that would involve a decent bit of eye-bleeding math.  Glad to know it’s so easy.  So, here’s hoping the forecast calls for more showers before the next beta!   ;)

—Russ Jonson

Still and video design, logos, branding, and more 

RussDoes.com

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