Skip to Main Content
Photoshop Elements 3: The Missing Manual
book

Photoshop Elements 3: The Missing Manual

by Barbara Brundage
March 2005
Beginner content levelBeginner
528 pages
14h 2m
English
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Content preview from Photoshop Elements 3: The Missing Manual

Gradient Maps

Gradient Maps let you use gradients in nonlinear ways. In other words, instead of a rainbow that shades from one direction to another, in a gradient map, the gradient colors are substituted for the existing colors in your image. Gradient maps can be used for funky special effects or for serious photo corrections.

What Elements does when you create a Gradient Map is map the brightness values of your image to a gradient (light to dark) and then replace the existing colors with the gradient you choose, using the lightness values as a guide for which color goes where.

That may sound complicated, but if you try it, you'll quickly see what's going on. Take a look at Figure 12-20, for instance. Applying a gradient map dramatically livens up this really dull photo, but that's not all gradient maps are good for. Gradients and gradient maps can also be valuable tools for straight retouching. See the box on page 337 for how to use gradients to fix the color in your photo.

Left: A pedestrian shot with a totally blown-out sky.Right: The shot becomes something altogether different when you apply a gradient map adjustment.

Figure 12-20. Left: A pedestrian shot with a totally blown-out sky.Right: The shot becomes something altogether different when you apply a gradient map adjustment.

You can apply a gradient map directly to your image by going to Filter → Adjust-ments → Gradient Map. But most times, it's preferable to use a Gradient Map Adjustment layer, because it's easier to edit after you've created the layer. Here's how:

  1. Create ...

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Start your free trial

You might also like

Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual

Photoshop Elements 5: The Missing Manual

Barbara Brundage

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 0596004532Supplemental ContentErrata Page