I've made gradients in PSP 7 and PSPX and the steps are identical in both programs, so I'm assuming that holds true for PSP8 and PSP9.

The most time-consuming part of making gradients is finding a mix of colors. In the past, I've just used an image that I liked and pulled colors from it with the eyedropper tool to make a palette to work with. The example shows the colors I used to create the Spice Gradients set.

But I've also found inspiration from the Color Schemer Gallery.

Step by step, here's what I do to create a new gradient set:

1. Create your color palette. I make a new 100x100 image for every color I want to use, and fill it with the chosen color.

2. When you're done, switch the color fill to gradient fill and select a gradient to open the Material Properties dialog box.

3. Click on "Edit."

4. The Gradient Editor dialog box will pop up. Click on "New."

5. You will next be prompted to name your new gradient file. After doing so, click "OK." You will be returned to the Gradient Editor dialog box.

6. This is the point where you choose your colors. A default gradient consists of the "fore" color and the "back" color. Click on the "fore" icon, then on the custom color selection block. This will let you choose, with the eyedrop tool, a color from the palette you created earlier.

7. Choose the "back" color in the same way. You now have a default gradient blend. If you're satisfied with the result, click "Close." You'll be prompted to save the gradient again. Save it, then click "OK," and you have a new .pspGradient file.

That's the basics.

If you want to add more than two colors to a gradient, or adjust the way the gradient looks, you can do so in the Gradient Editor dialog box, either while creating the new file or later by editing an existing file.

* You can move around the little "fore" and "back" pentip icons (under the gradient color bar) to change how the gradient looks.

* Clicking anywhere beneath the gradient color bar will create a new pentip icon and you can then add more colors to the original gradient. In the third example image, you can see that the gradient I'd clicked on to open the dialog box had three colors in it: pink, white, and gray. Moving around any of the pentip icons will adjust the gradient.

(( Edited to add that you can also choose colors by clicking on the little pentip icons, which you'll need to do if you're making a gradient from more than two colors. ))

* You can add transparency to your gradient as well, if desired. I've never bothered with this, though.

The .pspGradient file only works in PSP 8/9/X, but you can export it to work in PSP 7 and PS in .grd format. The .grd files that I export in my PSPX work in PSP7. I'm told they work in PS as well, though I can't vouch for that 100% since I don't use any version of PS.

To export, choose a gradient to open the Material Properties dialog box, click "Edit", and then "Export." You can export the file to whatever location you'd like and rename it as well, if necessary.

If you have any questions, please ask and I'll try to help.