The Fabulous Fade - from the Digital Scrapbook Place September Newsletter

Digi-Scrapper Inspiration by Mandy

The Fabulous Fade.

Using a gradient mask to create a fast eye-catching graphic layout.

One simple yet effective tool in our digitalscrapbooking arsenal is the gradient mask. An easy starting point to try out a gradient mask is with a single photo faded into a background.
I created my layouts in both Photoshop (CS3) and Corel Paint Shop Pro X (the programs I use on my computer) but I am sure you will find gradient masks or the equivalent in the package you use.

Open your layout, position your background paper and add your photo layer. From your Layers Palette/Menu, add a layer mask.

Remember: masks work with BLACK and WHITE. Black will hide areas under the mask, and white will reveal. Shades of gray will give you the various levels of opacity in between.

In Corel Paint Shop Pro select the Flood Fill Tool (the bucket) and from the Materials choose the Gradient option. Click on the Gradient image to define its properties. Choose Linear, from the pull down options the black to white gradient, and angle it at 0 degrees. Click on your layout to Flood fill your Gradient Mask.

If your mask is too big to be effective – you can select the mask and move it or resize it. I chose to squash mine down, until I liked the effect of the water fading into the paper. I added my title and dropped that behind the gradient mask to fade it into the background with the photo.

In Photoshop, choose Gradient (hidden under the Paint Bucket tool) and from the gradient menu options select a linear gradient that goes from black to white, or black to transparent. On your layout, click on the mask to ensure it is selected, then click and drag the mouse in the direction of the fade.

Note: Hold down the Shift key while dragging the mouse to get a straight gradient.

Ensure that the gradient starts and ends in a place where the edge of the photograph is not visible through the gradient. It may take a couple of attempts to get the mask the way you envisaged it. If the edge of the photo is visible, you are taking you gradient too far, keep the end point within the edges of the photograph.

Both layouts were framed with edge overlays while added elements move the layout away from a pure graphic design to a fun, mixed styled layout. Next time you want something fast and fabulous… FADE!!!