How to Fade in Photoshop
Open the first image in Photoshop., Make a new layer above the background layer., Copy your second image and paste it into the new layer., Add a layer mask to the layer containing your second image., Pick the gradient tool from the tool palette...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Open the first image in Photoshop.
Start by selecting "Open" from the File menu and browsing for the image on your hard drive.
Open it to load it into Photoshop.
It's easiest to get started if this first image is not a Photoshop image — this way, it will only have one layer.
However, you can always use the "Flatten" feature to combine all of the layers in the image into one. -
Step 2: Make a new layer above the background layer.
To fade two images into each other, we'll need to load a second image into its own layer separate from the first.
Click on the "New Layer" button in the "Layers" tab on the right to create a new layer.
The "New Layer" button is at the bottom of the "Layers" tab — it looks like a small square of paper with one corner dogeared., Select the second image you'd like to use (you can use ctrl+A to select the entire image; for Macs, use command+A), copy it to the clipboard, and paste it into the new layer. , To add a layer mask, click the Add Layer Mask button in the "Layers" tab.
This button looks like a small square with a circle in the middle.
Alternatively, select Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All from the menu bar.
Make sure that no part of your image is selected before you create the layer mask.
You can use the Select > Deselect button from the menu bar to undo any selections you currently have., Look for an icon in the Tool palette (which is on the left by default) that resembles a square whose color shifts from a light shade to a darker one.
If you can't find it, click and hold the paint bucket tool and use the gradient tool when it appears.
For our purposes, we want to use a black-and-white gradient.
Select this from the "Options" bar., Hold down the shift key and click at a point on your second image where you'd like the fade transition to start and drag in the direction you would like to create the effect.
Release the mouse button.
You should see your two images "blend" together smoothly.
Try experimenting with different line lengths with the gradient tool — the longer the line, the more gradual the fade effect. , Once you've gotten the hang of making one image fade into the other, try moving both images around in their layers until they're positioned for maximum effect.
Repeat the steps above to re-apply the gradient as needed.
Note that your first image will be classified as a background layer by default.
Photoshop doesn't allow you to move background layers, so, to get around this, hold down alt (option on Macs) and double-click on the word "Background" in the Layers tab. , The steps above have assumed that we have wanted to fade one image into another with a gradient effect.
However, if we simply want make one image transparent and lay it image over the other image, our task is a little easier.
Simply select the layer you want to fade and change the value in the "Opacity" box under the "Layer" tab to fade it.
Note that higher values make the selection less transparent, while lower values make it more transparent.
A value of 100% will make the image appear "normal," while a value of 1% will make it appear almost completely transparent. -
Step 3: Copy your second image and paste it into the new layer.
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Step 4: Add a layer mask to the layer containing your second image.
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Step 5: Pick the gradient tool from the tool palette.
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Step 6: Drag lines with the gradient tool to create a fade.
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Step 7: Reposition your two images as needed.
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Step 8: To fade an entire image
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Step 9: adjust its opacity.
Detailed Guide
Start by selecting "Open" from the File menu and browsing for the image on your hard drive.
Open it to load it into Photoshop.
It's easiest to get started if this first image is not a Photoshop image — this way, it will only have one layer.
However, you can always use the "Flatten" feature to combine all of the layers in the image into one.
To fade two images into each other, we'll need to load a second image into its own layer separate from the first.
Click on the "New Layer" button in the "Layers" tab on the right to create a new layer.
The "New Layer" button is at the bottom of the "Layers" tab — it looks like a small square of paper with one corner dogeared., Select the second image you'd like to use (you can use ctrl+A to select the entire image; for Macs, use command+A), copy it to the clipboard, and paste it into the new layer. , To add a layer mask, click the Add Layer Mask button in the "Layers" tab.
This button looks like a small square with a circle in the middle.
Alternatively, select Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All from the menu bar.
Make sure that no part of your image is selected before you create the layer mask.
You can use the Select > Deselect button from the menu bar to undo any selections you currently have., Look for an icon in the Tool palette (which is on the left by default) that resembles a square whose color shifts from a light shade to a darker one.
If you can't find it, click and hold the paint bucket tool and use the gradient tool when it appears.
For our purposes, we want to use a black-and-white gradient.
Select this from the "Options" bar., Hold down the shift key and click at a point on your second image where you'd like the fade transition to start and drag in the direction you would like to create the effect.
Release the mouse button.
You should see your two images "blend" together smoothly.
Try experimenting with different line lengths with the gradient tool — the longer the line, the more gradual the fade effect. , Once you've gotten the hang of making one image fade into the other, try moving both images around in their layers until they're positioned for maximum effect.
Repeat the steps above to re-apply the gradient as needed.
Note that your first image will be classified as a background layer by default.
Photoshop doesn't allow you to move background layers, so, to get around this, hold down alt (option on Macs) and double-click on the word "Background" in the Layers tab. , The steps above have assumed that we have wanted to fade one image into another with a gradient effect.
However, if we simply want make one image transparent and lay it image over the other image, our task is a little easier.
Simply select the layer you want to fade and change the value in the "Opacity" box under the "Layer" tab to fade it.
Note that higher values make the selection less transparent, while lower values make it more transparent.
A value of 100% will make the image appear "normal," while a value of 1% will make it appear almost completely transparent.
About the Author
Lisa Ferguson
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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