The sliders have no effect in the Color preferences, with no button to turn off initial background color. There’s nothing in the Help menu on how to do it.

i wonder why nobody replied to this so far. i mean it is such a huge concern among CG professionals around the world. in many big studios they’re trying to get this work and there’s imense research on this as i type this post.
come on people, let’s all focus and solve this problem like now! let’s place other matters (such as making product-designs, films and games, researching core features, etc) on second place and deal with gradient backgrounds. they represent a huge leap in technical achievements…

It`s very simple.
press Alt+b and you swich between different backgrond colour schemes…

I also spent way too much time looking for how to turn the viewport gradient on.

From Maya Help:
“To open the color editor

1. Select Window > Settings/Preferences > Color Settings.
2. The three tabs control different color uses and work slightly differently:
* The General tab lets you change user interface and view panel colors, including the view background color.”

That’s all they tell you, not a word about how to enable the NEW gradient feature.  When you open the general tab to change the user interface colors, the 2 sliders are there to set your gradient, but again, no checkbox to turn gradient on, no mention that it exists or a hint to do the alt+b switch. 

If you look up Maya Hotkeys in help you can eventually track down the alt+b option this is what it says “Changes the background color to light gray (standard), dark gray, or black “.  Again, no mention of the NEW gradient feature.  It’s a good thing I read forums or I would’ve never known how to get this thing going, and it is a nice feature to add a more pleasant background and reduce eyestrain.  Autodesk major failed on providing the necessary help for such a simple addition.

Window>Settings/Preferences>Preferences
Then go to Display on left hand menu>Turn Background gradient on or off

I wish it would be possible to customize the colors of it, or even create a whole custom gradient using the many gradient tools that are already in Maya.

Braden99 18 November 2008 07:49 AM

Window>Settings/Preferences>Preferences
Then go to Display on left hand menu>Turn Background gradient on or off

Yes, this is nice to know after the fact. But again, the only reason I knew of the gradient was because of forums.  Unless I’m blind the gradient effect was not part of the new features section in 2009 help.  Also, if you look up Display Preferences in help, it ends with Shade Templates and makes no mention of Background Gradient.  Poor job of Autodesk updating their Help file.  How is anyone supposed to know about this, psychic powers??

rebb3 18 November 2008 08:28 AM

I wish it would be possible to customize the colors of it, or even create a whole custom gradient using the many gradient tools that are already in Maya.

It is possible.  Go to Window>Settings/Preferences>Color Settings>General tab>3D Views there are 2 sliders there to set your gradient colors. A gradient checkbox there would’ve been nice too.

Ooooooh ! Well that is very nice. Thanks for pointing that out :).

I want to know hot do gradent effect on object by using color

I have 2009 unlimited and hotkey alt-b changes from lightgrey, to gradient, to black, to dark grey, and back to lightgrey

EDIT

Oh, ok, do this select your model and assign a new lambert, then in the attributes next to color, select the checkered box, once opened, click the ramp shader, then change the colors.