Gradient
Generates linear, radial, angular, or diamond gradients with multi-stop color control.
Gradient draws smooth color transitions in four shapes (linear, radial, angular, and diamond) with up to eight color stops. The presets dropdown holds 16 curated gradients in Basics, Spectrum, Colormaps, and Themes, each previewed in the current interpolation mode so you see exactly how it will look. Repeat and Mirror tile the gradient for patterns.
On Linear, Radial, and Diamond, the Preview draws a small swatch of each stop’s color on the gradient line while the node is selected. Drag a swatch along the line to move that stop, or click it to select the stop in the Parameters panel. Linear’s two end handles are swatches of the gradient’s color at each end. A stop sitting exactly on an end is part of that end’s handle, which drags the end, so move such a stop from the panel. Double-click a handle to reset it (a stop you added has no default, so it does not reset). See Canvas handles.
Gradients often feed other nodes: wire one into Mask Apply for a fade, or into Gradient Map to colorize a grayscale image. A new Gradient starts at the Default Width and Default Height set in Settings > Defaults.
Interpolation picks the color space the stops blend in. HSV and OKLCh add a Hue Path setting for the direction around the hue wheel: OKLCh with Longer or Increasing is what makes a vivid two-stop rainbow possible.
Dither (on by default) applies Floyd-Steinberg error diffusion to hide banding on subtle transitions between similar colors. A 32-bit (Float) document has no quantization to hide, so no dither is added there.
Over an image
Section titled “Over an image”Wire a picture into the optional Background input and the gradient is drawn straight over it, at the picture’s size and depth, with no Composite node. Nothing changes while the input is empty.
- Output Mode, Blend, and Opacity join the Output section, under Color Mode, while a background is wired. Output Mode is Composite, or Gradient Only for the gradient alone at the picture’s size. Gradient starts at Overlay and half opacity, so the picture and the gradient both show.
- Size. The background sets the size, so Width and Height (and a wired Size Reference) are grayed.
- Mask. An optional Mask input says where the gradient appears; Mask From and Mask Fit show while one is wired. With no background, the mask fades the gradient itself.
- Transparent areas stay transparent. Gradient never paints where the picture is empty, so a cutout or the gutter of a padded trim stays clear. Opacity 0 returns the picture unchanged.
- Depth and channels follow the picture. A 32-bit picture stays 32-bit, and a grayscale picture stays grayscale. A batch of pictures or trims keeps each frame’s name, color, and place on the sheet.
- On a texture set, a Map row heads the Output section: pick Base Color, Roughness, Metallic, Ambient Occlusion, Height, or Emissive, and the gradient draws into that map only while every other map and the Opacity pass through. The Normal and the Opacity are not offered. See Drawing into one map.
Parameters
Section titled “Parameters”Pins
Output
Output width in pixels. Overridden when size_ref is connected
Output height in pixels. Overridden when size_ref is connected
A grayscale output may be re-promoted to color by a downstream color node
Which map of the texture set this node edits. Every other map passes through unchanged. Shown while a texture set or a library is wired
How the gradient blends over the background
How strongly the gradient shows over the background. 0 returns the background unchanged
Shape
Gradient shape
Rotation offset for the angular gradient (degrees)
Horizontal center of the gradient (0 = left, 1 = right)
Vertical center of the gradient (0 = top, 1 = bottom)
Horizontal scale factor. Smaller = wider gradient, larger = tighter
Vertical scale factor. Smaller = taller gradient, larger = shorter
Normalized start X position (0 = left, 1 = right)
Normalized start Y position (0 = top, 1 = bottom)
Normalized end X position (0 = left, 1 = right)
Normalized end Y position (0 = top, 1 = bottom)
How the gradient extends beyond its bounds
Color
Add error-diffusion dithering to reduce visible banding on subtle gradients
Color space used to blend between gradient stops
Direction taken around the hue wheel between stops.
- Shorter: pick the shorter arc (default).
- Longer: pick the longer arc; useful for two-stop rainbows.
- Increasing: hue value monotonically increases.
- Decreasing: hue value monotonically decreases.
Number of color stops in the gradient. Additional stops s2..sN are injected dynamically
Stop 0 normalized position
Stop 0 color
Stop 1 normalized position
Stop 1 color
Mask
How the connected color image is read as a mask
How the mask is sized when it doesn't match the image
Usage Tips
Section titled “Usage Tips”- Wire a gradient into Composite’s mask input for a smooth transition between two images.
- Angular gradients make color wheels for hue reference images.
- Each stop in the gradient editor has its own Pick Color button, which samples a color from anywhere on screen (not just the canvas). Stops also edit from the keyboard.
- Set Color Mode to Grayscale for a single-channel gradient: each stop becomes a gray level and the editor preview switches to grayscale. Useful for height fields, displacement sources, and soft masks. In a 32-bit project each stop’s level is full precision, and a grayscale gradient looks the same as at 8-bit in every interpolation mode; see Gray levels keep full precision.