Simple Steps to Make a Gradient in MS Paint

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An easy-to-follow guide to making a background that changes color in Paint

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Last Updated: May 20, 2023

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Using "Resize and Skew"

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Editing Colors Manually

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Video

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Q&A

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Think only fancy programs like GIMP and Photoshop can make gradients? Well, think again! With a bit of messing around, Paint can give a gradient just as good!

Things You Should Know

Use a line tool to draw a line diagonally across the page, then use the bucket to fill one side.
Select "Resize and Skew" button and change the horizontal value to 1.
Select "Resize and Skew" again and change the horizontal value to 500.
Repeat changing the value to 1 and then to 500 to make your gradient as large as you want it!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using "Resize and Skew"

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The color can be any that you want, but in this case, black is used.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Editing Colors Manually

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To do this, start with one color.
Make sure it's different enough that you can see it, but not so different that it will look choppy.
If you are making a blue-purple gradient, for example, start with blue and make it gradually more purple.
This method takes a really long time, but it also allows you to blend the gradient in any direction. It will be worth it.

Community Q&A

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Question

My height keeps changing with my width. How can I keep this from happening?

Odina Rose

Community Answer

When you go to the "Resize and Skew" part, there's a box that's labeled "Maintain Aspect Ratio." This box keeps the ratio between height and width the same, so unchecking it will allow you to change one measurement without changing the other.

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Question

When I change the horizontal the vertical changes, too. How do I only change one?

Community Answer

If you see under the horizontal and vertical values there is a check box that says, "Maintain aspect ratio," untick that.

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Question

How do I use a gradient in a certain section? I am drawing a character and want her hair to be a gradient.

Community Answer

First, you would make the gradient in another image and save it. Next, you would open the image with the character. Make the hair a color that's not the same color as the background or any color that anything else is using, and change Color 2 to that. Turn on "Transparent" selection from the "Select" drop-down menu. Do the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+A, and cut the image. Ctrl+A selects the whole image. Press the drop-down menu from the clipboard. Choose "Paste from" and choose the image with the image. Resize the gradient if you need to. Then do Ctrl+V to paste the original image. Move the image so you are satisfied with the gradient.

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