What It Does
Gradient8 generates gradients using 2 to 8 control points. Each point acts like a color-emitting light source with adjustable position, color, and radius. This approach lets you create complex gradient blends that aren’t possible with After Effects’ standard linear or radial gradients. The plugin includes animatable noise and supports multiple color spaces for smooth, natural color transitions.
Key Features
Up to 8 gradient points. Each point has independent color, position, and radius controls. You can start with 2 points and add more as needed, building gradients that blend multiple colors from different areas of your composition.
Three color space options. Choose RGB for straightforward color mixing, HSV for smooth hue transitions in colorful gradients, or OKLCH for perceptually uniform interpolation that produces natural, visually consistent blends.
Two interpolation methods. Smooth Blend creates gentle, balanced transitions between points. Gaussian Blend produces soft, focus-like gradients with natural falloff, similar to light sources.
Animatable noise. Add dynamic texture to gradients with controls for strength, density, and evolution. Useful for organic backgrounds or textured overlays.
Interpolation strength control. Adjust how aggressively colors blend between points, giving you fine control over the gradient’s appearance.
16-bit and 32-bit support. Version 1.4 added support for high-bit-depth color, making Gradient8 suitable for professional color grading workflows.
The interface is minimal and focused. All controls fit in a single panel without unnecessary complexity. Useful for motion graphics backgrounds, title treatments, color overlays in VFX composites, and anywhere you need more control than standard gradient tools provide.
Who It’s For
Motion designers working on title sequences, brand animations, or abstract backgrounds. VFX artists who need custom gradient overlays for compositing. Anyone who regularly finds After Effects’ built-in gradient tools limiting.
Pricing
Gradient8 costs $29 for a single user license or $38 for a floating server license. A trial version is available. The developer occasionally offers upgrade pricing for previous customers.
