How to make a background gradient on half of the image

[enginestar]

Say I have an image with white background.

I want to add a gradient starting just outside the image which then fades in to the edge.

What's the best way to do this?

I did it by using my uneducated amateur way.... I made a copy of the image... made a gradient... copied the result and then put on top of the image and then cut out one side.

See the images below for what I mean:

I'm guessing there are better ways to do what I want?

I want to do for left and right and also maybe top and bottom.

How can I best do this?

I watched a youtube video... but it shows only how to use the gradient tool for the whole image.

I tried playing with the tool... and starting from a section... but it doesn't quite work.

Thanks.

 

[v_kyr]

38 minutes ago, enginestar said:

I want to do for left and right and also maybe top and bottom.

Well with seperate linear gradients you would need to setup four of them then, instead you can just use two (a horizontal and vertical) linear one which deals with both left/right and top/bottom. - Here is a horizontal one on a white rectangle which does it in one linear for left and right side. You can adjust the handles to use an equally distance (in percent %) for the flow in one gradient and so adjust the middle white space width to overall show.

[enginestar]

Thanks for the reply

Is there a way of just editing the exiting image and adding the gradients?

Instead of doing what I had to do and make a new images, make the gradients, paste over the existing image and then cut out the middle? (Hope that makes sense!)

[Alfred]

Instead of cutting out the middle, put the image layer on top of the gradients layer and set its blend mode to ‘Multiply’. This will make the white background behave as if it’s transparent, allowing the corresponding parts of the gradients layer to show through.

[enginestar]

Just tried. Thanks

That works I suppose 🙂 

I still need to edit 2 images and place on on top of the other.

And making gradients, I need to make sure I avoid the object in the middle.

I thought there would be a better way.

[Alfred]

1 hour ago, enginestar said:

And making gradients, I need to make sure I avoid the object in the middle.

How about using an ‘Outline’ effect instead of a gradient fill? The attached file shows the result of applying an outline with the ‘Contour’ fill style to the original picture layer.

 

Outline-fx-contour.afphoto

[enginestar]

Looks OK.

Gradient is better though I think... need the colouring to be subtle.

I've been playing around and using the method you mention

It's not the end of the world needing 2 images.

Now... I just duplicate the layers.

Say I'm doing left and right...

I duplicate 2 copies.

On the left I do a gradient

Then multiply blend with above layer

Then do the right gradient and also multiply blend with the above layer (which is the first gradient)

I'm 100% sure this is NOT the right way. LOL.

It's working for now. 😎 

[enginestar]

2 hours ago, v_kyr said:

Well with seperate linear gradients you would need to setup four of them then, instead you can just use two (a horizontal and vertical) linear one which deals with both left/right and top/bottom. - Here is a horizontal one on a white rectangle which does it in one linear for left and right side. You can adjust the handles to use an equally distance (in percent %) for the flow in one gradient and so adjust the middle white space width to overall show.

How do I get 2 gradients on one layer?

I'm having trouble getting this.

[Fixx]

1 minute ago, enginestar said:

How do I get 2 gradients on one layer?

I don´t think you can,.. instead use two layers and make center transparent. Also, you can apply grad to a pixel layer selection which makes it behave like pixel selection .

I also tried to make partial grad a while ago. I could not really make it as easy as on PS, but seems easiest is to set last control point 100 % transparent which makes grad layer invisible after that point. Also, grad applied to pixel seems to work ok.

[j3rry]

10 minutes ago, enginestar said:

How do I get 2 gradients on one layer?

I'm having trouble getting this.

 

[Alfred]

38 minutes ago, enginestar said:

Gradient is better though I think... need the colouring to be subtle.

You can change the radius of the effect and the colours of the nodes to make it as subtle as you like.

[enginestar]

@j3rry OMG... absolutely amazing video. I have learned something new. 🙂 

@Alfred I think your last suggestion solved my original question... but thanks to all the replies... I've learned so much more. 👍🏼 

[v_kyr]

3 hours ago, enginestar said:

How do I get 2 gradients on one layer?

I'm having trouble getting this.

The above is just one gradient with left side and right side fade in.

You can also instead of white color let the middle part of the gradient be transparent, so the white background shines too. With middle transparency in gradients you can place another one then top to bottom. Aka a linear gradient which runs horizontal and another one which runs vertical then. So the whole looks finally as to be faded in from all sides, left & right and top & bottom by using two gradient linear fills.