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Transparency Tool > Use on more than one side of image?


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Hi

I am using the transparency tool on a photo in designer. The purpose is to have the photo fade to transparent near the edge. Works fine. 

Question is how to I apply the effect on other edges of the photo? When I do now it just moves the transparency to the new location. 

I would like both edges fade to transparent.

Help please ?

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7 hours ago, ChuckTollefsen said:

I would like both edges fade to transparent.

1. After applying the transparency, group the photo (i.e. create a group with just the photo in it) apply transparency to the group in the opposite direction.

or

2. Add a mask to the photo, then using the Fill Tool apply a gradient to the mask layer, set the middle node to pure white set the 2 end nodes to black


There are several other ways to do this also

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To add to carl123’s answer above, here’s a simple example using just the Transparency Tool.
With the Transparency Tool and your layer selected, on the Context Toolbar press the button shown by the red ‘wonky ellipse’ and create stops as shown: Red arrows 0% Opacity, Purple arrows 69% Opacity (a better value could be chosen), Yellow arrow 100% Opacity. You can change the values of the opacity and stop distances to whatever looks best for you.
This method sometimes doesn’t give a great result (as you can see in my example) but it’s quick and you only need one layer.

Annotation 2020-02-02 100821.png

Annotation 2020-02-02 100752.png

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Another method would be to create rectangles at either edge, add an fx: gaussian blur and change the layer blend mode of the rectangles to Erase. This method also lets you add transparency to all four sides which cannot be done with the transparency tool... yet! It also gets round the banding that can be sometimes seen.

Screen-Shot-2020-02-02-at-10-40-16.png

A twist to this method is to combine the transparency tool and the use of rectangles
yIEjLi.png

You could also use a rectangle with no fill and a wide stroke and fx: gaussian blur that but the rectangles method is a bit more controllable.

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After a little bit of experimentation I found this technique which seems to be a nice way of getting a fade at each side. Not quite what the OP had in mind but worth posting anyway in case it is useful to anyone. It has the benefit of being self-contained so the image can be easily manipulated without taking the extra rectangles into consideration.
The top picture in my image is just a smaller duplication of the other picture to show what it looks like without the selection box.

Note 1: Sometimes there is a very feint line along one or more edges of the fade but it seems to export okay.

Note 2: This only works on a white background.

Annotation 2020-02-02 122705.png

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Looks like a neat effect too Garry 

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Always good to have different ways of doing things.
That said, I think the technique you posted has better general flexibility so that’s the one I’d probably recommend here.
(I don’t really like using the Transparency Tool for stuff like this as I can never seem to get a nice-looking result, e.g. the banding you mentioned.)

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  • 3 months later...
On 2/2/2020 at 4:43 AM, firstdefence said:

Another method would be to create rectangles at either edge, add an fx: gaussian blur and change the layer blend mode of the rectangles to Erase. This method also lets you add transparency to all four sides which cannot be done with the transparency tool... yet! It also gets round the banding that can be sometimes seen.

Screen-Shot-2020-02-02-at-10-40-16.png

A twist to this method is to combine the transparency tool and the use of rectangles
yIEjLi.png

You could also use a rectangle with no fill and a wide stroke and fx: gaussian blur that but the rectangles method is a bit more controllable.

You stated, "Another method would be to create rectangles at either edge, add an fx: gaussian blur and change the layer blend mode of the rectangles to Erase. "  It appears you have compounded rectangles.  Could you please give a more detailed explanation of what you did?  Thank you.

RickyO
APhADe and APu user
New User as of Mar, 2018
(Still stumbling along given too many directions at any given moment)
Windows10 platform

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