Using inner glow to mask edges

MD
Posted By
michal_dvorak
Jun 13, 2007
Views
2048
Replies
11
Status
Closed
Hello,
Is it possible to use inner glow effect as mask to fade out edges of image? Thanks,
Michal

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EH
Ed_Hannigan
Jun 13, 2007
I suppose anything is possible. What exactly are you trying to do?
MD
michal_dvorak
Jun 13, 2007
Hello,
thanks for reply.
I’m trying to fade image into background image by making edges of the foreground image gradually more transparent. However I don’t want to use radial gradient as I want only few pixels from the edge to be affected.
The image is complex so I’m trying to avoid using brush.

Black inner glow effect seems perfect for this purpose, however I don’t know how to move the effect into mask layer. Is that possible?
Thanks again
BG
barry_gray
Jun 13, 2007
Blur the layer mask?
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Jun 13, 2007
Right-click on the Layer Style "f" and choose Create layer. That will give you the glow as a layer that is Grouped with the object. Ungroup it and make a Layer Mask from it.
MD
michal_dvorak
Jun 13, 2007
Thank you very much for useful tips.
I’ll now look into how to make layer mask from regular layer and I’m done 🙂

Thanks again,
Michal
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Jun 13, 2007
One way: on the object’s layer click on the icon on the bottom of the palette to make a blank Layer mask. On the glow layer select All, Copy. In the blank mask, Paste.
MD
michal_dvorak
Jun 14, 2007
Thanks again.
I was trying to that but when I pasted, new layer was created instead of pasting into the mask. Now I found out that layer mask needs to be open in the active window (alt-click), then it works great.
Thanks, I hope, one day I will be able to help others as well 🙂 Michal
CA
C_AM
Jun 14, 2007
Have you thought about just using your feather feature?

Assuming your object has a transparent layer below it, Select/Select all, then using the "Move tool (V)" just shift the object slightly to get the marching ants to slip down to surround the object closely.

Now Select/Feather and when the menu opens select the number of pixels you want to fade. Then Select/Invert and then Edit/Clear. That will remove everything within the Inverted capture area (anything outside your object) and it will fade (make slightly transparent) the number of pixels you selected within your object.
MD
michal_dvorak
Jun 14, 2007
Thanks C AM
That is very useful tip, however in this situation I was looking for more control. I needed certain part of the background to fade certain number of pixels into the image. The inner shadow worked perfectly for this situation. I will remember your method for some other time as it is faster and more efficient.
Michal
C
chrisjbirchall
Jun 14, 2007
Michal. See my answer to a similar request: chrisjbirchall, "Creating a Banner with blended images…" #3, 14 Jun 2007 2:04 am </cgi-bin/webx?14/2>
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Jun 14, 2007
Still, you should learn how to Paste into a mask. One way is to Alt-click on it in the Layers palette to isolate it and then Paste, Another is to choose it in Channels, turn on visibility and Paste.

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Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

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