Fading a profile

[Ace Bigalow]

O.k., so what i am wanting to learn to do is take a profile and put it in a background and then fade the back of it into the background. The way I have attempted to do this is to add a layer mask and lower the opacity and do it that way, but I can never get it to come out right. What is an easy way to do this?

I will try to find a sample pic. to show what I am talking about.

*edit* kinda like this.....

[bill110]

something like this?
If so psd attached. gradients and blending modes.You can mess with the starting and ending points of the gradients to darkem out where you want.

[Ace Bigalow]

Originally Posted by bill110

something like this?
If so psd attached. gradients and blending modes.You can mess with the starting and ending points of the gradients to darkem out where you want.

thanks brotha... Reps on recharge.

[DrayeArt]

When you layer transparencies, you could add a glow filter too.

[joshbond]

eraser tool?

[Pariah]

I was also thinking you wouldn't need much more than the eraser tool for the first pic.

[DrayeArt]

dodge and burn would work also.

[tx51210]

gradients in layer masks give nice even fades or use a huge soft brush and reduce the opacity to mask them out.

[Ratty]

Alpha channels and layer masks is what id use.

[Ars0nist]

it just depends on the pics you are using....gradient masks work well and eraser with a soft brush with a lower opacity works well on alot of pics.

[Ace Bigalow]

Never done a gradient mask before. Think I will see what all the fuss is about.

[Ace Bigalow]

So when I use a gradient to mask versus a brush, do I use black to white or black to transparent?

[Kewish]

It doesn't matter so long as the mask starts as white. If you start it with black must use black and white gradient!

[Kewish]

Did you get it to work?