pst-grad:Gradients

v. 1.06 – 2006/11/27

Herbert Voß∗
July 11, 2007

Abstract
pst-grad is also one of the older and smaller packages. It provides
only one fill style. A gradient could be created with the macros known
from PSTricks, too, the use of pst-grad offers advantages though, since
one does not need to take care of the calculation of the intermediate colour
values.
This version of pst-grad integrates the function of the pst-ghsb
package, which supports the HSB color model.

Contents
1 Introduction 2

2 Parameters 2
2.1 gradbegin . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.2 gradend . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.3 gradlines . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 gradmidpoint . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.5 gradangle . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.6 GradientCircle, GradientScale and GradientPos . . . . . . . 4
2.7 GradientHSB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

∗ Thanks to Lars Kotthoff and Angelo Rossi for translating this documentation!

1
1 Introduction
All parameters are only available when gradient is used as fill style. There are
further packages which support such fill styles, especially for circular gradients
(pst-slpe).

2 Parameters
Table 1 shows a compilation of the special parameters valid for pst-grad.

Table 1: Summary of all parameters for pst-grad and pst-ghsb

name values default
gradbegin <colour> gradbegin
gradend <colour> gradend
gradlines <value> 500
gradmidpoint <value> 0.9
gradangle <angle> 0
gradientHSB false|true false
GradientCircle false|true false
GradientScale <value> 1.0
GradientPos <(x,y)> (0,0)

2.1 gradbegin
gradbegin denotes the parameter as well as the starting colour, which is a little
bit confusing here.
\newrgbcolor{gradbegin}{0 .1 .95} % default

Consequently this starting colour can be changed by redefining the colour

or by an assignment through the parameter.
\newrgbcolor{gradbegin}{0 0 1}
\definecolor{rgb}{gradbegin}{0 0 1} % requires color/xcolor package
\psset{gradbegin=blue}

1 \begin{pspicture}(5,3.5)
2 \psframe[fillstyle=gradient,gradbegin=white
](5,1.5)
3 \newrgbcolor{gradbegin}{0 1 1}
4 \psframe[fillstyle=gradient](0,2)(5,3.5)
5 \end{pspicture}

2
 • gradbegin should be defined as RGB colour, since a faultless function for
CMYK or gray scales is not warranted in every case.

• ConTEXt users change the colour with

\definecolor{rgb}{gradbegin}{r=0,g=0,b=1}

2.2 gradend
gradend is not the counterpart to gradbegin, for it is the colour which is
reached at the relative point gridmidpoint. In every case it is ambiguous as
gradbegin again.

\newrgbcolor{gradend}{0 1 1} % default

Changes can be made differently again.

\newrgbcolor{gradend}{1 0 0}
\definecolor{rgb}{gradend}{1 0 0} % requires color/xcolor package
\psset{gradend=red}

1 \begin{pspicture}(5,3.5)
2 \psframe[fillstyle=gradient,gradend=white
](5,1.5)
3 \newrgbcolor{gradend}{1 0 0}
4 \psframe[fillstyle=gradient](0,2)(5,3.5)
5 \end{pspicture}

• gradend should be defined as RGB colour, since a faultless function for

CMYK or gray scales is not warranted in every case.

• ConTEXt users change the colour with

\definecolor{rgb}{gradend}{r=1,g=1,b=0}

2.3 gradlines
A gradient is nothing but a string of coloured lines. The width of those depends
only on the resolution of the monitor resp. the printer in the end. But since
this is very user-specific, pst-grad allows any number of lines, which can be
changed through gradlines.

3
 1 \begin{pspicture}(5,4)
2 \psset{fillstyle=gradient,linestyle=none}
3 \psframe[gradlines=5](5,1)
4 \psframe(0,1.5)(5,2.5)
5 \psframe[gradlines=1000](0,3)(5,4)
6 \end{pspicture}

2.4 gradmidpoint
Denotes the relative point where the colour gradend is reached. Then it is
proceeded in reverse order.

1 \begin{pspicture}(5,4)
2 \psset{fillstyle=gradient,linestyle=none}
3 \psframe[gradmidpoint=0](5,1)
4 \psframe[gradmidpoint=0.5](0,1.5)(5,2.5)
5 \psframe[gradmidpoint=1](0,3)(5,4)
6 \end{pspicture}

2.5 gradangle
gradangle determines the gradient angle of the straight line.

1 \begin{pspicture}(5,4)
2 \psset{fillstyle=gradient,linestyle=none,
gradmidpoint=0.5}
3 \psframe[gradangle=0](5,1)
4 \psframe[gradangle=45](0,1.5)(5,2.5)
5 \psframe[gradangle=90](0,3)(5,4)
6 \end{pspicture}

2.6 GradientCircle, GradientScale and GradientPos

With the option GradientCircle circular gradients can be created. The radius
can be influenced through GradientScale and the centre with GradientPos.
The specification of the coordinates refers to the based coordinate system, which
is given by the pspicture environment as a rule.

4
 1 \begin{pspicture}(5,4)
2 \psset{fillstyle=gradient,linestyle=none}
3 \psframe[GradientCircle=true](5,1)%
4 \psframe[GradientCircle=true,GradientScale
=3](0,1.5)(5,2.5)%
5 \psframe[GradientCircle=true,GradientScale
=2,%
6 GradientPos={(4,3.5)}](0,3)(5,4)%
7 \end{pspicture}

Figure 1: Shadow games. . .

5
2.7 GradientHSB

1 \newcommand{\Fig}[1][]{%
2 \begin{pspicture}(5.5,5.5)
3 \psframe[#1](5,5)
4 \end{pspicture}}
5 \newhsbcolor{ColorA}{0 0 0.7}
6 \newhsbcolor{ColorB}{0 1 0.7}
7 \newhsbcolor{ColorC}{.5 0.8 0}
8 \newhsbcolor{ColorD}{.5 0.8 1}
9 \psset{fillstyle=gradient,gradientHSB=
true}
10 \Fig[gradmidpoint=1,gradbegin=ColorA,
gradend=ColorB]
11 \Fig[gradmidpoint=0.5,gradbegin=ColorC,
gradend=ColorD]

6
7
 1 \definecolor{ColorA}{hsb}{0.7, 0.1, 0.8}
2 \definecolor{ColorB}{hsb}{0.7, 0.9, 0.8}
3 \definecolor{ColorC}{hsb}{0, 0, 0}
4 \definecolor{ColorD}{hsb}{0, 0, 1}
5 \definecolor{ColorE}{hsb}{0, 0, 0.5}
6 \definecolor{ColorF}{hsb}{0, 1, 0.5}
7 \definecolor{ColorG}{hsb}{0, 0, 0.5}
8 \definecolor{ColorH}{hsb}{0.99999, 0, 0.5} % As it’s cycliç 1=0 !
9 \definecolor{ColorI}{hsb}{1, 1, 1}
10 \definecolor{ColorJ}{hsb}{1, 0, 0}
11 \definecolor{ColorK}{hsb}{0.99999, 1, 1} % As it’s cyclic 1=0 !
12 \definecolor{ColorL}{hsb}{0, 1, 0}
13 \definecolor{ColorM}{hsb}{0.99999, 1, 1} % As it’s cyclic 1=0 !
14 \definecolor{ColorN}{hsb}{0, 0, 1}
15 \definecolor{ColorO}{hsb}{0, 0.6, 0.7}
16 \definecolor{ColorP}{hsb}{0.99999, 0.7, 0.7} % As it’s cyclic 1=0 !
17 \definecolor{ColorQ}{hsb}{0.3, 0, 0.8}
18 \definecolor{ColorR}{hsb}{0.3, 1, 0.8}
19 \definecolor{ColorS}{hsb}{0.6, 0.3, 0}
20 \definecolor{ColorT}{hsb}{0.6, 0.3, 1}
21 \psset{fillstyle=gradient,gradmidpoint=1}
22 \Fig[gradbegin=yellow,gradend=green]
23 \Fig[gradientHSB=true,gradbegin=ColorA,gradend=ColorB]
24

8
25 \Fig[gradbegin=green,gradend=yellow]
26 \psset{gradientHSB=true}
27 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorC,gradend=ColorD]
28

29 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorE,gradend=ColorF]
30 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorG,gradend=ColorH]
31

32 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorI,gradend=ColorJ]
33 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorK,gradend=ColorL]
34

35 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorM,gradend=ColorN]
36 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorO,gradend=ColorP]
37

38 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorQ,gradend=ColorR]
39 \Fig[gradbegin=ColorS,gradend=ColorT]

References
[1] Hendri Adriaens. The xkeyval - package.
CTAN:/macros/latex/contrib/xkeyval/ , 2006.

[2] D. P. Carlisle and S. P. Q. Rahtz.

The keyval - package.
CTAN:/macros/latex/required/graphics/[Link] , 2001.

[3] Denis Girou. Présentation de PSTricks. Cahier GUTenberg, 16:21–70,

April 1994.
[4] Michel Goosens, Frank Mittelbach, and Alexander Samarin. The LATEX
Graphics Companion. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading,
Mass., 1997.
[5] Laura E. Jackson and Herbert Voß. Die plot-funktionen von pst-plot.
Die TEXnische Komödie, 2/02:27–34, June 2002.
[6] Nikolai G. Kollock. PostScript richtig eingesetzt: vom Konzept zum
praktischen Einsatz. IWT, Vaterstetten, 1989.
[7] Rolf Niepraschk and Herbert Voß. PSTricks - mehr
als nur ein alter Hut. DANTE 2004 in Darmstadt,
[Link] , 2004.

[8] Sebastian Rahtz. An introduction to PSTricks, part I. Baskerville,

6(1):22–34, February 1996.
[9] Sebastian Rahtz. An introduction to PSTricks, part II. Baskerville,
6(2):23–33, April 1996.
[10] Timothy Van Zandt. PSTricks - PostScript
macros for Generic TEX, Documented Code.
CTAN:/graphics/pstricks/obsolete/doc/src/[Link] ,
1997.

9
[11] Herbert Voß. Three dimensional plots with pst-3dplot. TUGboat, 22-
4:319, December 2001.
[12] Herbert Voß. PSTricks – Grafik für TEX und LATEX. DANTE –
Lehmanns, Heidelberg/Hamburg, forth edition, 2007.
[13] Herbert Voß. The pstricks-add - package.
CTAN:/graphics/pstricks/contrib/pstricks-add/ , 2007.

[14] Herbert Voß and Jana Voß. The plot functions of pst-plot. TUGboat,
22-4:314–318, December 2001.
[15] Michael Wiedmann. References for TEX and Friends.
[Link] , 2004.

[16] Timothy van Zandt. pst-eps: Exporting eps images.

CTAN:graphics/pstricks/generic/ , 2003.

[17] Timothy van Zandt. [Link] - a loop macro, that supports fixed-
point addition. CTAN:/graphics/pstricks/generic/[Link] , 2004.
[18] Timothy Van Zandt. The pst-plot - package.
CTAN:/graphics/pstricks/generic/ , 2004.

[19] Timothy van Zandt. PSTricks - PostScript macros for generic TEX.
[Link] , 2006.

[20] Timothy van Zandt and Denis Girou. Inside PSTricks. TUGboat, 15:239–
246, September 1994.

10
Index
gradangle, 2, 4
gradbegin, 2
gradend, 2, 3
GradientCircle, 2, 4
gradientHSB, 2
GradientPos, 2, 4
GradientScale, 2, 4
gradlines, 2, 3
gradmidpoint, 2, 4

Paket
pst-grad, 1
pst-slpe, 2
Parameter
GradientCircle, 2
GradientPos, 2
GradientScale, 2
gradangle, 2
gradbegin, 2
gradend, 2
gradientHSB, 2
gradlines, 2
gradmidpoint, 2
pst-grad, 1

RGB, 3

11