Masking Question

[Susan - s3js]

I am relatively new to PS, well sort of. I was dragged kicking and screaming from Digital Image Pro when Microsoft decided Windows 10 did everything it's premier graphics program did. DIP did a lot of things PS does with only a click. PS is often not that friendly and sometimes it hates me. It sur4 has a big learning curve - but it also does some really cool things I could never accomplish with DIP so I'm kinda happy I had to convert!

I have been trying to find a way to take a photo, soften the edges out to transparent and leave the center. I have been unsuccessful with using the gradient tool. Is there a tool in PSCC 2021 that will do this? I thought I saw somewhere in a drop down that said "fade" but can't find it and it might not be what I need. Is this done was a vignette - but doesn't that have hard edges? How do I accomplish that in this program? I am self-taught on most of it. Sigh - I wish MSU offered the Photoshop classes for the Graphics Design department at night. I guess most students don't want evening classes.

Help!

 

[tjscraps]

I would play with the Feather tool under Select --> Modify. I would select the part of the photo you want to remain clear, then invert the selection - Ctrl-Shift-I or Cmd-Shift-I I think? Then hit delete after you've put in your feathering, and it should give you gradual soft edges without having to use a brush.

 

[Susan - s3js]

I would play with the Feather tool under Select --> Modify. I would select the part of the photo you want to remain clear, then invert the selection - Ctrl-Shift-I or Cmd-Shift-I I think? Then hit delete after you've put in your feathering, and it should give you gradual soft edges without having to use a brush.

I'll have to play with this to understand how to set the parameters. More fun! Thanks!

 

[Vicki Robinson]

Lots of scrappers use purchased "clipping masks" for this. You can see those I sell in m shop here. In particular, look at the products called Photo Masks 01 — 04.

I have some quick tips on how to use clipping masks here and some info on how to make your own masksusing brushes here.

 

[taxed4ever]

Vicki's photo masks are amazing! I would suggest trying to use a soft brush one that has painted type edges to get a nice soft effect on your photo too. I also play around with the layers style blending options and press alt/option (mac) while hovering my mouse over the sliders on the bottom this gives you the ability to to tweak things just a bit more than if you slide the the entire button, here's an example

 

[Nickel]

Great tip Trudy but have also have to click the Alt(Option in the Mac) toets to get those 2 triangles.

 

[taxed4ever]

opps yes that is what I meant to say as I too work on a mac LOL

 

[Susan - s3js]

Thanks so much, y'all! Hopefully I will learne all the ins and outs of PS one of these days. Yeah, uh-huh, uh-huh! Good luck with that huh?

 

[Kythe]

I am not a big fan of hard edges unless I and going to frame a photo.
One way I soften edges is to 'cheat' a little. I take a purchased photomask or paint with soft edges and layer it overtop of the mask I want to use so that the soft edges hang over the mask that you want to use. Then I either leave it like that or erase the inner parts so the center of the mask isn't quite so dark. Merge the layers when you have what you like. I keep a folder of any mask I make by doing that.
The other way is to use a soft artsy brush at a lower opacity and brush away the hard edges.

 

[Susan - s3js]

I do use paint as a mask on a regular basis and love the look of it. I think maybe I just overthink this. With DIP it wasn't easy to use masks because all you could do was fill them, but that's probably the same this. The photo edge were are built in, though, and I loved that!

 

[LSlycord]

I haven't used masks since I came back to scrapping so this is on my list to do again. This was perfect timing for this thread.