So you want to make gradients but don't know where to start. Maybe you saw a nice gradient background somewhere and wondered how to make one yourself. Or you're just tired of googling "CSS gradient syntax" every single time. Whatever brought you here, let's fix that.
What Actually Is a Gradient?
A gradient is colors smoothly transitioning into each other. That's literally it. You see them in sunsets, app backgrounds, packaging design. They're everywhere once you start noticing.
Three main types you'll use:
Linear
Colors flow in a straight line. Think of a horizon at sunset.
Radial
Colors radiate from a center point, like ripples in water.
Conic
Colors rotate around a point, like a color wheel.
Why Use a Gradient Tool?
You could write CSS gradients by hand. Gradient syntax isn't fun though. Angles, color stops, rgba values—it's tedious. A visual tool lets you just drag colors around and see what happens.
Plus you can export in whatever format you need. CSS, PNG, SVG, whatever. Make it once, use it anywhere. Check out our guide on choosing between PNG and CSS gradients if you're not sure which to use.
Your First Gradient in 60 Seconds
Stop overthinking it. Here's what you do:
- Pick two colors. Any two. Blue and purple. Orange and pink. Doesn't matter.
- Choose linear gradient. It's the easiest to start with.
- Adjust the angle. Horizontal, vertical, diagonal. Try a few.
- Add more colors if you want. Click the bar to add color stops. Drag them around.
- Export it. Copy the CSS or download an image file.
Note: Your first gradient will probably look bad. That's fine. Make ten gradients, delete nine of them. You'll figure it out.
Common Mistakes
❌ Too many colors
Start with 2-3 colors. More isn't better. It just gets messy.
❌ Bad contrast
If you're putting text on top, make sure it's readable. Test it with both light and dark text before committing.
❌ Random color picks
Some colors blend into ugly brown or muddy gray. If that happens, pick colors closer together on the color wheel.
Export Formats
Which format you need:
- CSS: For websites. Lightweight, scales perfectly.
- PNG: For everything else. Presentations, mockups, social media.
- SVG: When you need scalable vector graphics outside of CSS.
- JPG: Only if you need small file sizes and don't need transparency.
Want more details? Read our full comparison: PNG vs CSS Gradients.
Bottom Line
Gradient tools are visual editors. They save you from memorizing syntax and doing color math. Drag colors, adjust settings, export.
That's it. The rest is practice. Make bad gradients, make good ones, whatever. You'll get better at it.
Ready to create your first gradient?
Try our free gradient maker tool – no signup required. Create linear, radial, and conic gradients, then export as CSS, PNG, SVG, or WebP.
Start Creating Gradients →