PS help please - transparent gradients

[kybo]

Evening all,

I have an image which basically consists of a union jack in the upper half and plain sky in the lowwer half of the picture.

I'm trying to apply a gradient that will start in the centre of the image and gradually, working downwards vertically, make the image more transparent until it is completely see-through at the bottom.

I am using CS5 and have selected the gradient tool and then selected a transparent gradient (I've tried the one that has the transparent checkerboard pattern all over it and the one that combines a black corner with the checkerboard pattern).

Whatever I try I just cannot get the lower half of the image to gradually go transparent.

I hope I've explained it well enough

Any help/step through instructions appreciated.

Many thanks,
Scott

[Pixel Pusher]

Have you tried a layer mask and then put a standard vertical gradient on that?

Your "content" layer might need an empty layer below it first.

With black as your foreground colour, that should wipe the image away to nothing.

[McMacro]

Here goes. Lets pretend this is your layers:









p.s. when dragging your gradient, keep your finger on shift and the gradient will lock on to whatever axis you pull your mouse

Edited by McMacro on Wednesday 14th March 23:16

[Pixel Pusher]

Well your answer put mine to shame....

[McMacro]

I find pictoors normally help (well, for me anyhow)

[kybo]

I haven't done anything like that.

I've just been opening my pic and either applying the gradient tool directly on to it or on to a copy of the original layer. All it's been doing is applying a black gradient to the bottom of the image.

It had me a bit stumped, tbh

I'll follow those instructions to the letter - can't really go wrong with that.

Thanks for taking the time to post such a detailed walkthrough

Scott

Edited by kybo on Wednesday 14th March 23:23

[McMacro]

Let us know how you get on. It's good to get closure on these types of posts, and very useful for others to find via PH's amazing search

[Pixel Pusher]

McMacro said:

Let us know how you get on.

[205alive]

When you select the gradient tool after making the layer mask as described, make sure you're selecting the 'foreground to transparent' gradient preset as indicated. I think that option only becomes available after you make the mask but I can't check, not at my mac.

[kybo]

McMacro said:

Let us know how you get on. It's good to get closure on these types of posts, and very useful for others to find via PH's amazing search

Kudos!

How simple it is when you know what you're doing

Followed your "pictoors" and it was so simple to do. Desired results achieved in less than 5 minutes!!

Many many thanks,

Scott

[McMacro]

Good stuff, happy to help Scott

[kybo]

205alive said:

When you select the gradient tool after making the layer mask as described, make sure you're selecting the 'foreground to transparent' gradient preset as indicated.

Yes, that was the one I was selecting, but didn't get the results needed as I wasn't creating the layer mask.

Oh, and holding shift when you drag to get it absolutely vertical - I'd never have figured that one out. Excellent addition to the walkthrough.

Thanks all,

Scott

[McMacro]

Cool.

Lesson #2 is changing a nissan 350z in to a convertible



Give me a few days to post the walkthrough!

[kybo]

McMacro said:

Cool.

Lesson #2 is changing a nissan 350z in to a convertible



Give me a few days to post the walkthrough!

It'll take more than a few days to create the walkthrough!!

That's really impressive stuff. I'm always amazed by what can be achieved with PS. Absolutely amazing stuff.

Maybe my first lesson should be a little, er, simpler?? Still a beginner, despite knowing about/using layer masks now, lol

Cheers,
Scott

[K12beano]

"Can someone change the wheels on it for me....?"

[McMacro]

K12beano said:

"Can someone change the wheels on it for me....?"

In tutorial format only

[kybo]

McMacro said:

Cool.

Lesson #2 is changing a nissan 350z in to a convertible



Give me a few days to post the walkthrough!

How long does it take to do radical changes like that?

Re-phrased - How long DID it take to do that Nissan?

I must admit I was a little 'nervous' about posting this question, as I had seen what had happened to that 'can you blur the background of this Veyron' pic, and what had befelled him, and so many others before him.

Many thanks,
Scott

[McMacro]

I think this took around 10 hours (on and off). It was back in the day when we used to do photoshop battles on another forum.

No need to be nervous about asking questions. It's the sneaky ones asking us to do it for them that's annoying. We should really have a photoshop wiki for things like this. In fact...

[K12beano]

McMacro said:

In fact...

Great idea. And we need links to other resources. Personally I tried to learn from the "Down and Dirty..." books, Photoshop TV (although that's all very high level detail these days, doesn't help with the basics) and stuff generally from the Matt Klowkoskis of the interwebnetworld....

[Pixel Pusher]

K12beano said:

McMacro said:

In fact...

Great idea.

Absolutely. The more info the better.