How to Use the Gradient Texture Node in Blender

Creating a gradient in Blender using the Gradient Texture node allows you to seamlessly blend colors and materials across 3D objects. This guide covers the essential steps to set up the Gradient Texture node in the Shader Editor, control its position and orientation using mapping coordinates, and customize the color palette using a ColorRamp node.

1. Set Up the Shader Editor

  1. Select the object you want to apply the gradient to.
  2. Switch to the Shading workspace at the top of the screen, or open a Shader Editor window.
  3. Click New to create a new material if your object does not already have one.

2. Add the Gradient Nodes

  1. Press Shift + A inside the Shader Editor, go to Texture, and select Gradient Texture.
  2. Press Shift + A, go to Converter, and select ColorRamp.
  3. Connect the nodes as follows:
    • Gradient Texture (Color or Factor) \(\rightarrow\) ColorRamp (Fac)
    • ColorRamp (Color) \(\rightarrow\) Principled BSDF (Base Color)

3. Control Gradient Positioning

By default, the gradient may appear stretched or misaligned. To control its direction, scale, and placement:

  1. Enable the Node Wrangler add-on if it isn't already (Edit > Preferences > Add-ons > Node Wrangler).
  2. Click on the Gradient Texture node and press Ctrl + T. This automatically adds a Texture Coordinate node and a Mapping node.
  3. Set the Texture Coordinate output:
    • Use Generated for a gradient based on the object's bounding box.
    • Use Object for a gradient centered on the object's origin.
  4. Adjust the Location, Rotation, and Scale values inside the Mapping node to adjust the angle and position of the gradient. For a standard linear gradient along an axis, try rotating the Y or Z axis by 90 degrees.

4. Customize the Colors

  1. Click the color stops (the small flags) inside the ColorRamp node to change the gradient colors.
  2. Click the + icon on the ColorRamp to add more color stops for multi-color gradients.
  3. Change the interpolation dropdown (e.g., Linear, Ease, Constant) to adjust how smoothly or sharply the colors blend together.

5. Change Gradient Types

The Gradient Texture node offers several blend types accessible from its dropdown menu:

  • Linear: Standard straight gradient.
  • Quadratic / Easing: Smooth variations of linear gradients.
  • Diagonal: Gradients along two axes simultaneously.
  • Spherical: Creates a circular, outward-expanding gradient.
  • Quadratic Sphere: A spherical gradient with smoother falloff.
  • Radial: Creates a circular sweep around the center origin (ideal for clock faces or circular UI meters).