Feather function under selection main menu, or "selection refine" options, not affecting rasterized images

[Scripto]

When attempting to apply a feather to a image, neither the feather function under the main selection menu, or the option under the selection refine, are applying a feather effect of an image that has had the background removed.  Please see the screenshot (planet Pluto, the black box behind is a vector image in a separate layer for clarity).

I have rasterized the image and I am in Pixel Persona.

My system: Windows 10 v. 22H2, Intel Core i7-9700k CPU@3.6 GHz, 16 GB Ram, 64-bit

I've read the relevant helps section and searched You Tube, but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, thank you for help -

[walt.farrell]

You can't see the feathering in that screenshot. You would need to make a copy (Ctrl/Cmd+C then Ctrl/Cmd+V, or Ctrl/Cmd+J) and then look at the result.

Example: This is like what you have:

and here it is after I do a Ctrl+J and examine the resulting layer by itself:

 

[Scripto]

Hi Walter,

Thank you for your quick response, but I'm still messed up.  After making a copy, pasting, and deselecting, the copy I'm left with has no feather, but the entire image has become transparent even when I turn off the black box layer, please see photos, and thank you again for your help

[NotMyFault]

feather selection is not the best approach in this specific case.

You always need to convert this selection into a mask, or use copy/paste, not allowing the easily adjust the radius later.

 

If you want a circular shape with feathered edge:

• add a circle
• add a circular gradient
• set both points to white
• add 3rd node near edge where you want the feather to start
• select node at edge
• reduce color opacity of that node to zero
• Nest this shape into masking position of your pixel layer
• adjust the gradient node position to taste / as needed

 

 

 

[Scripto]

Not my fault (great name ... I'm assuming you had many occasions to use it?)

Thank you for your solution but I have three questions: 1. won't that leave a white halo around the object?  If I want to .png this object and place this object in another project with a busy background or another color, it won't blend in (?) 2. What about a freeform object (not symmetrical geometry?) 3. I'm just starting with Affinity after my DrawPlus program died, and I like the improvements a lot, but if this program has a function that doesn't work, shouldn't it be fixed?  As I recall, I was able to feather any object easily in the DrawPlus FX menu with no problem.

[NotMyFault]

56 minutes ago, Scripto said:

Thank you for your solution but I have three questions: 1. won't that leave a white halo around the object?

no. It will perfectly blend. Did you try yourself? You don't need to trust my words

56 minutes ago, Scripto said:

2. What about a freeform object (not symmetrical geometry?)

Then you need a different approach.

1. Duplicate the freeform shape. (duplicate linked to ensure it will update later you adjust the shape)
2. Add gaussian blur, nested to masking position of duplicate
3. nest the duplicate to masking position of original layer.
4. adjust blur radius as needed.

 

56 minutes ago, Scripto said:

, but if this program has a function that doesn't work, shouldn't it be fixed? 

Yes I totally agree. But I'm only a paying customer, not Affinity / Serif staff.

[NotMyFault]

57 minutes ago, Scripto said:

Not my fault (great name ... I'm assuming you had many occasions to use it?)

Yes 👍🏼

except when I'm in err - happens only 41 times. day.

[Scripto]

Not My Fault -

This is a great solution - thanks!

Provided screenshot of final hierarchy in Layers; selecting the Ellipse Layer and the Gradient Tool allows for further editing