Here is another approach yet also a bit fiddly and its using a Gradient Overlay Layer Style
Start with your object in which you want a gradient surrounded by transparent pixels.
Add a pure white layer above it and make it a clipping mask:
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Turn on Layer Styles, chose Gradient Overlay and set the type of gradient to Angle. When you start it may not have the right gradient colors or position yet that is pretty easy to fix. In this example note that the gradient starts in the wrong center point.
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To move it, you just click in the image window (anywhere) and then click and drag the gradient until the center point is where you want it (at the tip at the bottom):
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To get the colors you want you click on the gradient and it opens the gradient editor where you choose the colors and position of the colors. For short sweeps you want it crunched to the left side (or right side if you reverse the gradient):
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To adjust the starting point of the gradient you change the "Angle" number to line the start point with the edge on the left of this object.
Then iterate with the gradient editor to fine tune in the gradient beginning color and ending color you desire.
The one thing that I think is a bug is once in a while I cannot drag the center of the gradient to where I want. If I close the Layer Styles panel and reopen, then it allows me to move the position of the center of the gradient.
What's nice about this is if you have the same shape and want a different gradient, you can copy the two Layers and just change the Layer style. Here is where I made it a rainbow gradient using the settings in the gradient editor as such:
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One other nice feature of this. If you are using the Layer Style panel for anything else, when you reopen it, it starts right where you left off which is nice if you want to use that as a starting point for your next gradient.
This approach does take getting used to so it's not necessarily easier at first, yet pretty powerful
Just another approach to consider
John Wheeler
