Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
In the Adjustments panel, you see a gradient whose colors are based on your current
foreground and background colors. That gradient is the map that Elements made of
the lightness/darkness values in your image. Click the triangle to the right of the
gradient thumbnail, and then choose a gradient. (If you want your image to include
color, pick a colored gradient rather than a black- or gray-to-white one.) Elements
automatically replaces the colors in your image with the equivalent values from the
gradient you chose, so you can click around in the gradient libraries and watch your
image change.
Figure 13-26. The Gradient Map Adjustments panel. Click the tiny arrow to the right of the
thumbnail (where the cursor is here) to see a drop-down menu of available gradient pat-
terns. If you want to make changes to the gradient you chose, click in the thumbnail itself to
bring up the Gradient Editor (page 470).
The panel's Dither checkbox adds a little random noise to make the gradient's trans-
itions smoother. The Reverse checkbox switches the direction in which Elements ap-
plies the gradient to the map. For example, if you chose a red-to-green gradient, re-
versing it would put green where it would have previously been red, and vice versa.
It's worth giving this setting a try—you can get some interesting effects.
