Do you want to use gradient map but don't know how to use it? Just read this!

Introduction

Before heading for how to using gradient map. Let's learn about it!

 

Gradient map is the one of most adjustments settings that are used in many graphic editing softwares including Clip Studio Paint.

 

As basic, gradient map used to map different tones in an image without worrying to see major changes on black and white values (shadow tones and highlight tones). What makes unique, gradient map able to set more than one color, even more than two colors.

Artist usually uses gradient map to get specific results, like enchancing colors, getting color mood, balancing color maps, etc.

Gradient Map Basics

When using gradient map, you're confused how to create gradient, edit colors, or even managing gradient sets. Let's take a look what's gradient map menu looks like.

(1) Gradient Settings: You can edit colors by moving each nodes.

(2) Position: This setting allows you to place each nodes accurately by inputting value (1-100)

(3) Gradient Set: A set with more than one saved gradient map settings. You can export your own gradient set or importing gradient set material.

(4) Gradient Set Menu: More tools and settings to save, replace, duplicate, or deleting saved gradients.

(5) Color: Indicates the color of selected node. You can use main drawing color or sub drawing colors evenpick colors from swatch and eyedropper.

(6) Mixing Rate Curve: Allows you to adjust the change in color between the selected node and the node to the right.

 

For further functions, you can click this link:

Getting Colors for Gradient Map

Getting colors that are used for gradient maps aren't easy for beginners.

 

Before picking colors, let's learn about color theory quickly to choose more harmony colors.

Basically colors encompasses many definition, concepts, or even message in a color. One color has different definition and concept to other color. It can be mixed with nearly same color tone or complementary colors.

 

Color wheels are used to help artists choosing complex color choices. Then, here are two color wheels.

 

On the left side, it's hue color wheel. It has many hue pigments like red, orange, yellow, to blue and purple. These are used to make basic color harmony.

 

On the right side, it's a color wheel that consist a color with tone, value, and shade. These are used to make more various color harmony.

There are many theories for harmony. The following illustrations and descriptions present some basic formulas.

Analogous: Color harmony which of has colors that are side-by-side on color wheel.

Complementary: Color harmony which of has colors that directly opposite each other.

Split Complementary: Color harmony which of has a colour with two opposite color variations.

Tetradic: Color harmony which has four colors that arranged into two complementary pairs.

Beside picking colors using color theory, you can pick colors from photos, illustration, designs, etc.

 

To pick colors more easily, you can go visit color harmony picker sites such as Coolors and Adobe Colors.

Gradient Map Tips and Tricks

There's many ways how to use gradient map, especially when you're about to refining some colors to finish your artwork. But if you explore more, it will be more various.

 

Here is my lazy tricks when using gradient map:

1. Gradient Map Layer Order

2. Use Gradient Map to Help Determine Black and White Values While Concepting

3. Using Gradient Map to Keep Colors Consistent

4. Adjusting Color Maps Using Gradient Map to Enchance Color Mood

Tips 1: Gradient Map Layer Order

Gradient map can be placed anywhere to get some specific results like balancing base color maps into specific colors or changing final work tones.

 

You can see these different gradient map layer results with layer order placing.

Tips 2: Use Gradient Map to Help Determine Black and White Values While Concepting

It's problematic when you want to paint using black and white value if you have bad monitor screen or eyesight issues (like parcial colorblind, colorblind, or eye fatigue). You can use gradient map to trick black and white nodes into colored tones to help you see better and identify them.

Using gradient map as black and white value assistant also helps you painting shadow and highlight area using specific colors.

 

For example, I'm using dark blue as shadow tones and pastel warm orange as highlight tones on this concept....

After all shadow and highlight tones are concepted well, it can be resumed till the work finishes like this.

Tips 3: Using Gradient Map to Keep Colors Consistent

Sometimes artists confused to pick colors which are outside of own color palette, like referencing colors from photos or getting to draw fan arts.

 

Using gradient map able to help locate color maps matching to own color palette without worrying get the colors gets more messier or being out from art style.

Tips 4: Adjusting Color Maps Using Gradient Map to Enchance Color Mood

As explained before, colors can gives representation within the image's color mood. Each color has different meaning.

 

Warmer and bright colors are used for happier, lovely, and romantic scenes. Sharp and vibrant colors are used to make serious scene more dramatic. On some cases, it can make horror scene more terryfing if mixed with extreme dark and cooler colors.

 

Different than other color moods, desaturated colors are commonly used for sad and loss scenes. Desaturated colors also used for quite situation.

You can use gradient map to enchance color mood like this without changing it's base color often.

Closing

As conclusion, gradient maps has many uses beside just changing color tones for artistic look. It can help color eyesight issue or balancing messy color palettes to keep consistent with specific color tones.

 

Anyway, thank you for reading this post. I'm apologizing for mistakes such as bad writing, lack of English, or wrong illustrations.