Please implement a freeform gradient tool into Designer

[tristanbay]

This is a feature that has likely already been requested to be added, but I searched the forums and didn't notice anyone posting this same sort of request.

In CC 2019, a REALLY nice gradient feature got added to Illustrator called the Freeform Gradient. The way you use it is you add different points for the gradient to follow. You can make them different colors, make gradient paths using points, and even adjust how much those colors spread from those points. Unfortunately, Designer doesn't have this feature yet and I would really like to see it implemented soon because it seems like such a nice way to make gradients. There are also gradient meshes, but it seems like Designer doesn't have these either, even though these seem a bit harder to work with on average.

I don't use Illustrator currently, but I have in the past and I think Affinity Designer lacks some of the features that Illustrator does. There are a couple more things that I can think of that I don't see an option for in Designer, but there is one for in Illustrator. I can make 1 or 2 separate posts about those, though.

[David LARK]

Im actually curious if this could be replicated with a workaround ... maybe creating circles with 100 to 0 opacity radial gradients? if anyone know?

[dominik]

17 hours ago, David LARK said:

Im actually curious if this could be replicated with a workaround ... maybe creating circles with 100 to 0 opacity radial gradients? if anyone know?

Hello @David LARK,

I posted a while ago a method that is certainly no replacement to a Freeform Gradient the OP is referring to, but in some situations it may work. See here:

Try it yourself.
d.

[dcadint]

Wish granted.. beginning of last year January 2020.  

Actually Affinity Designer does have free form gradient.  It was added at the beginning of 2020 to Affinity Designer with the new Appearances tab which allows you to add multiple fills and strokes to a layer.  If you add a gradient either circle or ellipse to the fill and then set the right sides opacity to 0% so its completely transparent and the left side to the desired colour and set the blend mode to average (or you can play around with it) it will become a free form gradient point and function just like free form gradient in Adobe Illustrator.  Duplicate the fills and adjust the color on the left and you will have multiple gradient points that will interact with one another.  Use the handles on the gradient to stretch and shrink the area of coverage of the gradient and how much it overlaps with the gradient fill point next to it.

[Figmatt]

Thanks, this multiple gradient fill is just what i was looking for. The interface is very obscure and hidden compared to what I've previously used.

[Markus van der Westhuizen]

 

On 10/26/2021 at 8:16 PM, dcadint said:

Wish granted.. beginning of last year January 2020.  

Actually Affinity Designer does have free form gradient.  It was added at the beginning of 2020 to Affinity Designer with the new Appearances tab which allows you to add multiple fills and strokes to a layer.  If you add a gradient either circle or ellipse to the fill and then set the right sides opacity to 0% so its completely transparent and the left side to the desired colour and set the blend mode to average (or you can play around with it) it will become a free form gradient point and function just like free form gradient in Adobe Illustrator.  Duplicate the fills and adjust the color on the left and you will have multiple gradient points that will interact with one another.  Use the handles on the gradient to stretch and shrink the area of coverage of the gradient and how much it overlaps with the gradient fill point next to it.

It's just a bit of a clumsy way of working. I had to do a series of 28 freefrom gradients and switched back to Illustrator for that, because it's so much quicker and easier in Illustrator. I'd prefer to just do all of this in Designer, but I also have a ticking clock as a freelance designer, so I need to work with the fastest route.