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How to Craft and Utilize Custom Gradients in Google Slides
Steps to Create and Use Custom Gradients in Google Slides
Step 1: Open the document
The first step you need to take is to launch the Google Slides software.
To add a Gradient or solid color, click on the thumbnail in the preview window on the left. If it's highlighted in yellow, that's a signal to activate it.
Next, move to the workspace, select Background (displayed in red).
Note: When you hover over it, if the content displays 'Change Background', that's how Google Slides lets you know what function this button performs.
Step 2: Explore the Background tool
Click on 'Background', the 'Background' window will appear.
Select 'Image', you'll see the 'Choose image' button allowing you to add images to Slides backgrounds.
Besides the 'Color' option (displayed in red), Google Slides offers 2 color fill options for the background: Solid and Gradient.
Solid is the basic color fill tool. You click to select a color swatch and apply it to the background.
If you want to add similar images or colors to slides in your presentation, click on Add to theme. Now, Google Slides will automatically apply the image or color synchronously to slides compatible with the background.
If you click on Gradient Options, you'll see a different color palette. The color swatches are similar to the options in the Solid menu but the difference is the Gradients (displayed in color gradients).
The 'Custom' option at the end allows you to create custom gradients.
To initiate Custom Gradient, click on 'Color swatch'.
Here is a display for the soft yellow color option.
After selecting the color you need, click on Custom, then choose Custom Settings.
Step 4: Explore the Custom Gradient tool
In the 'Custom Gradient Setting' command, you'll find a variety of options.
The Review window allows you to preview how the Gradient will look before applying it to the background.
Appearing at the top of the settings are the drop-down menus Type and Center:
- Type lets you choose the type of Gradient you want to apply to the background.
- Center lets you change the position of the gradient and how colors appear on the page.
- Gradient Stops below these 2 drop-down menus allow you to add or remove stops and change their colors in the Gradient.
Additionally, there's a gradient stop slider below where you can adjust the balance of each individual color relative to each other.
Below, you'll see the Cancel (cancel changes) option. Press OK to accept the cancelation of changes.
Step 5: Modify Previous Gradient Stop
Make sure you always have 2 color stops in your Gradient. They're located on the right and left side respectively. These color stops cannot be removed and can only be replaced with other colors.
Suppose you want to change the outer color of this gradient to bubblegum pink.
To do this, ensure that the corresponding stop point seen in red in the illustration below is highlighted with a light blue surrounding.
Next, proceed to and click on the color circle Gradient Stops to select a template.
If you don't have bubblegum pink color to add to the Gradient, you can create them.
Once you've selected a color, scroll down and click on 'Custom'.
Now, you'll be taken to the color picker screen and choose any color you desire. You can also adjust the transparency and brightness of the selected color.
After finishing, you press OK. Press Cancel if you want to discard the changes.
Step 6: Adding a Gradient Stop
If you want to make your gradient more complex, you can use more than 2 color stops.
Click the Add button to add a stop, Google Slides will automatically create a new stop in the middle of your gradient bar. It will take the color in the center (in this case, a light pink color).
To change the color of this new stop, check the activated gradient stop.
Then, go to the drop-down menu of color templates and choose a color you desire. You can use pre-made templates or custom colors.
To get an exact blend of colors, choose a light blue. Unlike the stops on the right and left, the middle stop isn't locked in place so you can move it back and forth on the slider.
In case you want more blue and yellow but less pink, move the blue stop towards the pink color.
If you dislike this new gradient stop, make sure it's activated, then click Remove, Google Slides will remove both the stop and its color.
Step 7: Adjusting static stop without moving it
If you want more of these colors than others, it can be quite laborious as the stops on the left and right cannot be removed.
However, to expand the range of yellow gradient stops, click to activate it, then choose Add. Now, another yellow color stop will be created right next to it, highlighted in blue.
Then, you can move this new stop along the gradient bar to adjust the yellow output.
You can easily tell if a stop is movable if they're circular, and if they appear square, they're non-movable stops.
Step 8: Some final finishing steps
After tweaking the colors, select Type and Center to adjust the gradient direction.
If you're not satisfied with your Radial Gradient, you can change it to Linear via the Type section.
If you want to change the center of the gradient, you can alter its position through the Center section.
For this gradient, let's keep it Radial, but change the Center direction to Top left. This makes it look similar to a Linear Gradient.
Once you've finished adjusting the gradient, click OK.
Step 9: Final Check
After you click OK, Google Slides will exit the Gradient Editor and bring you back to the slideshow, completing your new Gradient.
If you want to apply this gradient to all slides in the presentation, click on Background > Add to theme. Now, the new gradients will be applied to all slides in the slideshow with the corresponding background.
That's all the detailed information about Creating and using Custom Gradient in Google Slides. Hopefully, this article by Mytour has provided you with useful insights. Additionally, if you have any queries or questions such as How to create Google Slides, readers can leave their comments below the article.
