Gradient with a subtle spotlight

[Susie]

I'm not really sure what to call this effect, so I'm not finding any tutorials while googling. Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to create something like this?

 

http://6outof5.com/

http://madebytinder.com/

http://www.bythepond.co.uk/

 

See how the background has a very subtle gradient and an area of light within? How is that done??

[falkencreative]

Probably the easiest way to do this is:

 

-- fill your background layer with the darker color

-- create a new layer, and select a circular/oval area using the Elliptical marquee tool

-- fill that area with your lighter color, and then deselect the selection

-- blur the layer using the Gaussian Blur tool

[virtual]

Pick the gradient tool on the top menu bar there are 4 different types - use the 2nd one radial gradient and set the foreground and background colours. Then click and drag from the middle to the edge - you might have to inverse the colours to get the lighter one in the middle. If you want a more subtle gradient, double click the coloured gradient in the top toolbar and you can add colours to it.

 

If you need a tutorial Google - Photoshop radial gradient.

Edited February 18, 2010 by virtual

[krillz]

the first page deosn't look like a gradient to me, more playing with different shades of the color to get a light effect, often used in posters.

 

try this, fill the background with the color you want to use, let say grey #383838, now slect the brush, a big blurry with hardness 0. select a slightly lighter grey and apply it into the middle.

You should now have something very similar to the first url.

[lm]

Seems like: Filter-Render-Lens Flare applied with hight brightness and then opacity to almost max...

[virtual]

Just depends how you do things in Photoshop I guess...

[falkencreative]

Just depends how you do things in Photoshop I guess...

One nice thing about Photoshop - though confusing sometimes - is that there are often multiple ways to do the same thing.

[virtual]

Absolutely Ben, just wasting time while I wait for the 180 second thing to go away....