Create a color gradiant map to use with Paint Synthesizer

[Tony Bouttell]

Hi, Is it possible to create a gradient map to use with Paint Synth?

I have some B&Ws and low contrast images I want to use as my source but I want to paint with a palette I can define.

As an example:

The MSG preset Coral 3, has 3 gradient maps listed under "Grad", in the "Advanced MSG Editor". 

Is there a way to create or use one of those maps under the "Paint color Source" found in the Paint Synthesizer Editor?

How would I do this, if it is possible?

[Synthetik]

How specifically do you want to do the mapping of the color gradient for the painting?

You could convert the color gradient to a color palette, and then use any of the color palette mapping options under Color Mode in the Paint Color Source control panel. So you could luminance index map off of it for example.

You can use Edit : Palette : Generate from : Color Gradient to generate a color palette from a color gradient.

There are context menus for the MSG color gradients (control click them on a mac) that allow for copying them to the source color gradient, or vice versa, or import-export.

I suppose we could think about adding a luminance index map option to the source menu options for the source gradient, if that's what you are really looking for. There are (path, fixed, and random) options now in that source sub menu.

[Tony Bouttell]

My image is grey scale and I want to map it to a color gradient map, so when I paint the colors I you get on the canvas would be from the color gradient map.

[Tony Bouttell]

sorry that should read:

"so when I paint, the colors I would get on the canvas, would be from the color gradient map"

[Tony Bouttell]

I worked it out and can now use other palettes and gradient maps.

I'd completely forgotten about the Source area tool. That is what allows one to import gradients and palettes.

[Synthetik]

I guess i always assumed that people who wanted to do color palette mapping would use a MSG preset for the Color Palette Map ip op to do the palette mapping, and then just load that MSG preset output as a luminance index palette mapped modified source image if they wanted to do it for painting. But we can build it more directly into the source area color mode  options in the gradient tab in the source area if there's interest in working with it directly there.

It's pretty easy to do in MSG, as shown in this tip.

[Tony Bouttell]

Under the Edit/Palette and Edit/Gradient menus, it is possible to generate a new palette or gradient. This feature can be incorporated in a Paseq.

Under Source, it is possible to import and export a gradient and a palette. This feature does not appear to have ability to be recorded and played back in a Paseq.

Including an import/export feature under Edit/Palette and Edit/Gradient would allow one to switch palettes in a Paseq. 

Being able to switch palettes, I think, would be a great feature to have. Is this something that could be done easily?

[Synthetik]

Different action steps in a PASeq can be using different palettes. If you turn on the 'Save Color Palette' option in the Paint Color Source control panel of the paint synthesizer, then the color palette used when the action step was recorded in the PASeq will be played back.

There is an equivalent 'Save Color Gradient' option in the Paint Color Source control panel of the paint synthesizer.

For ip op action steps, there is a Pal/Grad playback parameter you can use to control this.