Gradient Guide

At its core, gradienting is a method in the building process that adds detail to otherwise bland surfaces. In the past before recent gradient techniques were developed there was a over-reliance on depth, or a use of haphazard 'splatter' texturing to create interest. In recent years however, an increasingly greater emphasis is placed on reducing depth and excessive structural detail in favour of realistically rendered gradients. The purpose of this guide is to inform the reader on how this technique is achieved.

Preliminaries:

1. All in-game images used in this guide are located on the ArdaCraft server and are accessible via /warp GradientGuide. It is recommended to view these for yourself as it helps visualize the techniques explored in this guide in a more engaging way. The in-game guide follows this entry chronologically.
2. If you wish to skip directly to the meat and potatoes, then begin at Techniques - however beginners are advised to read the entire guide for a better understanding.

Overview

Gradients, blending, texturing or transitioning all refer to the same basic concept. It is a process in which one value (or tone) is transitioned to another from A -> B -> C. In drawing, this can be thought of as shading or in painting as blending. No matter the medium, the goal is always to tidily transition between light and dark details to create a harmonious effect. In Minecraft we refer to this as gradienting, and it is achieved by mixing a number of blocks in a sequential order to create a seamless and tidy blend.

While the concept of blending blocks together seems simple enough, in practice it can be difficult to master.

Realism and design

Weathering patterns

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Design principles

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Techniques

Drip

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Cluster

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Line

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