Gradient Skewing

[mnawij]

Hello All 

I am having a problem understanding the gradient vector skewing/movement... I am trying to recreate an InDesign file from an IDML file that I imported and the vector gradients did not hold.  In the InDesign dialog all that is needed is a degree angle from a base point, mine was 120degree.  I forgot to upload the files so I could show a sample here, I will try and remember to do it tomorrow.  Just any basic guidance to start with would be of help to me.  BTW, kudos to the IDML import, only got about 70% of the file correct, but it was enough of a starting point that only about 25 minutes of fixes saw everything done except these gradients and bevel emboss filter from Indesigns picture frame filter... which I am looking into g'mic filters to see if I can recreate.

Thanks.

mnawij

[a.l.e]

if you are using a "modern" 1.5.x, can you please upload the idml file to the bug tracker?
https://bugs.scribus.net
explaining what went wrong...

if you mark the ticket as private, only the developers will be able to see the file.

[mnawij]

Yes I am using 1.5.2 on OSX 10.9.5 and I will upload it soon.

[GarryP]

I've just started looking at Blend for Visual Studio and was reminded of this thread.

I think it would be great if we could have a gradient tool like that shown in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G05Q4zSBOY8&list=PLBDF977B2F1DAB358&index=8 (skip to around 2 minutes 20 seconds). It looks basic at first but then the features shown - from around 3m40s - look really useful (and this is just a UI building tool!).

Apologies for "thread crashing" but I thought it might be of interest to someone.

[mnawij]

+1 to GarryP, the gradient tool needs work... It is not intuitive enough for designing IMHO and needs much more flexibility.

mnawij

[mnawij]

Here is the gradient I am trying to recreate in scribus.

Regards,

mnawij

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[utnik]

hi mnawij


i'm not sure, what your gradient schould look like. (the .pdf file shows two independent linear gradients...)


if the idea is just a radial gradient, take a look at my screenshots.
in scribus 1.4.6 you need four color stops (there's always one at the endpoints of the gradient vector.)
in scribus 1.5.3 ou can fill the rest with 'extend' → 'pad'.

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[GarryP]

I agree mnawij. While the gradient tools are fine for most needs, when you want to try anything a bit more creative they can get quite awkward to use (and sometimes they just don't work properly).

Your PDF does - as utnik said - look like it's made up of two linear gradients which isn't possible in a single object with Scribus but you can create two shapes (a quarter-circle at the bottom-left with a rectangle underneath, each with its own linear gradient) and overlap them. You would have to play around with the gradient stops and vectors to get them looking just right. (See my attached - quickly and crudely made - example.)

And to add to what utnik said: You can create the radial gradient in 1.4.6 with just three stops, just drag the left-hand stop to the right instead of creating a new one along the gradient. (However, sometimes it can look like the area of the gradient where the stop is is a bit darker then the surrounding colour. I don't know if that shows up on printing, or whether it's my set-ups that are to fault, or just my eyes deceiving me.)

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[mnawij]

Ooops, it is two separate linear gradients, each color represents a shape.

mnawij

[mnawij]

Utnik, it is that move vector option screen that I do not understand...what does each one of those options represent?

mnawij

[mnawij]

They are actually two linear gradients within separate shaped clipping masks (see attached for gradients out of mask).  I think the move vector might be what I need but I have no idea how to use the dialog box and a quick look through google last night I could not find much help on that dialog box.

Thanks for the assistance to date,

mnawij

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