Help with gradient transparency

[Sdashiki]

Maybe the term I am looking for is wrong...but...

basically I have an image that I want to have the bottom of blur into transparency so as to gradually see the background color underneath.

The image goes on the top portion of a poster, and as you look from top to bottom the image fades away in essence.

how the hell do I do this in Photoshop, I am at a loss for doing it in any fashion other than some fancy blurring, history brushing and tweaking.

there has to be a better way.

 

[grapes911]

Photoshop has a built in gradient tool. It may be under your paint bucket. Select it and go up towards the top bar and change the gradient style to "Foreground to transparent. You can adjust the other setting as you see fit.

 

[dops7107]

Add a layer mask to the image layer, and draw a gradient from black to white using the gradient tool. Make sure this layer is above the background layer!

See attached. The layer mask is the gradient next to the thumbnail of the top layer. Add a layer mask by selecting the layer and then click the second-to-left button at the bottom of the layer palette (at least in PS7).

HTH

 

[Sdashiki]

ill give it a try

edit: works thanks alot!

 

[grapes911]

Add a layer mask to the image layer, and draw a gradient from black to white using the gradient tool. Make sure this layer is above the background layer!

Is this considered a more professional way to do it? I'm a PS novice myself.

 

[dops7107]

Is this considered a more professional way to do it?

I'd like to think so

The main advantage is it remains fully editable and can be disabled/renabled as required.

 

[ATD]

Is this considered a more professional way to do it? I'm a PS novice myself.

Yes. It is very easy to look like a Pro in Photoshop if you follow one simple rule, keep your file as flexible as possible. For example, use Masking instead of the Eraser. Use Adjustment Layers instead of Adjustments. Retouch on a layer above the image. Dupe and hide the layer that you run filters on so you can go back to the original if you need to. If you can easily undo almost anything even after you close and reopen the file you are working like a Pro.

 

[Sam/B]

the way I do it is to make a selection in your case use the rectangle selection tool over the bottom half of your image then right click on it and select 'feather':

play around with the settings try it at 10 and 50 until you get the amount of gradient you like once you click ok you have to press the delete button before doing anything else (your feather wont show until you click delete), looks like this then:

use the freehand lasso tool with layers of images under it to create some really nice looking gradients if you don't over use the effect

 

[ATD]

the way I do it is to make a selection in your case use the rectangle selection tool over the bottom half of your image then right click on it and select 'feather':


play around with the settings try it at 10 and 50 until you get the amount of gradient you like once you click ok you have to press the delete button before doing anything else (your feather wont show until you click delete), looks like this then:


use the freehand lasso tool with layers of images under it to create some really nice looking gradients if you don't over use the effect

That's good way to do it but I might suggest you do that same thing on a mask thats on the layer (fill the center area with black on the mask) instead of the image itself. That way if you don't like it later you didn't throw away the image, just change or throw away the mask.