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Author Topic: Gradients - Use or Not?  (Read 4871 times)

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GreenKnight37

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Gradients - Use or Not?
« on: November 29, 2005, 12:17:53 am »
Calling all Vector experts and people who have used/printed gradients!

Should I or should I Not use gradients when doing a vector image?  How well do gradients ultimately print?

Right now I'm at somewhat of a dilemma.  In my Megaman vectorization, the red center of the blaster and the red on the helmet have a transparent, red glow quality to them.  But when you convert it to vectors, that look is incredibly hard to capture.  It simply requires far to many layers to get the subtle variation of color of the original image.

I can do a much better job by using gradients though.  I can use a quick gradient for the subtle red transitions, throw a vector layer or two over it if needed for glares and highlights, and it looks really nice.

So again, the question goes out to anyone who has used gradients in their work or has printed gradients.  Do they come out alright?  Are there any tips/tricks to making them so they will print clearly at a higher success rate? 

Or should I simply avoid gradients like the plague and spend lots of time messing with subtle shades of red?  (Be warned, I'm a bit of a perfectionist so this is really driving me nuts!)

headkaze

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2005, 01:26:53 am »
I'm no expert on vector art, but why not use a gradient? This is mathematical represenation of graphics, so you are going to get a smooth gradient. Vector gradients will look better printed than trying to manually draw each level of colour.

Pixelhugger

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2005, 01:57:25 am »
Gradients in general are not the problem when printing. The specific colors that you choose may be, though if you use a printer with a wide color gamut (like mamemarquees) you shouldn't have a problem. If you try to create a gradient by hand, drawing bands of successively lighter or darker colors, you'll definitely see the stripes.

Illustrator can create glows and drop shadows from vector information that print beautifully.

If you choose to use gradients just make sure you use a printer that can handle them, particularly if you are designing in RGB (as opposed to CMYK). I use mamemarquees and recommend the people I design for use them as well because I trust their ability to reproduce the color ranges I use as faithfully as possible (any printer gets some shift). I really wouldn't recommend anyone else. Classicarcadegrafix sometimes does get banding (solarizing) across the gradients I use, and I wouldn't touch Kinkos with a ten foot pole. In short, your bigger concerns should be not exceeding the color gamut available to your printer (most will flat out choke on an RGB file with lots of vibrant color) and secondly picking a printer you trust who is willing to work with you. FWIW I don't think I've done ANY arcade art that didn't rely very heavily on the use of gradients, period.  ::)
Project mega thread HERE

Felsir

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2005, 09:55:28 am »
Gradients work very well, as Pixelhugger explained. There are a few things to keep in mind though: the use of gradients must suit your image. What I mean is this: if you have an image with many hard edged colours, don't get tempted to use a gradient for one or two details. Such gradients might look out of place.
In the right place gradients can be used with great effect (examples: Jarett's Space Paranoids graphic, Pixelhugger's design)

In some images gradients work fine, other images may look stronger without them. Compare my Frankenstein art with my Dangergirl art. The first is stronger without gradients, the second would look horrible without them.


Frosty

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2005, 03:38:23 pm »
(examples: Jarett's Space Paranoids graphic,

A little off topic, but is the Space Paranoids design vector artwork or raster?
« Last Edit: November 29, 2005, 03:49:33 pm by Frosty »

GreenKnight37

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2005, 09:44:54 pm »
Thanks for the great replies.

In particular, thanks for the image links, Felsir.  I couldn't remember which graphics had used gradients off the top of my head and didn't have a chance to search last night, so you saved me a bunch of time!

So my decision...use gradients!  I'm only going to be using it for 2 portions of the design, but in my mind and for me to personally be happy with what I'm creating, I think they're necessary. 

Final pics to come shortly in the proper Megaman thread :)

Felsir

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2005, 01:59:02 am »
(examples: Jarett's Space Paranoids graphic,

A little off topic, but is the Space Paranoids design vector artwork or raster?

Tricky - the characters are modelled in 3D software and then rendered. Thus it is a mix since the image is rendered to whatever resolution was required without loss of quality. Since it was scratch made artwork this is a very good route since it enabled him to create and position the scene until he was happy about it. If this was a scan, it would be relatively easy to vectorise afterwards (all straight lines) and one would definetly use gradients in that vectorised image. Raster or vector I added this image as example since it used gradients so well.


So my decision...use gradients! I'm only going to be using it for 2 portions of the design, but in my mind and for me to personally be happy with what I'm creating, I think they're necessary.

The gradients in the Megaman image are very simple and don't distract from the image. IMHO you made the right choice.

Frosty

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Re: Gradients - Use or Not?
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2005, 11:37:22 am »
I went back and check out the post, and the artwork is bitmap (300 dpi JPEGs).  Which makes sense, as most modeling apps will let you export high-res raster images, too.

It's great art, for sure--all the hallmarks of good vector illustrations (clean lines, etc.) and a little bit of Photoshop finishing on there, too.  Those 'glows' and lens flares are tough to make look good in Illustrator or Freehand...