Nov 07
Gradient background effect
2005 at 05.19 am posted by Veerle
Sometimes you want to use an image but the background looks a bit boring or the dimensions don’t fit the required end result. Maybe my tip might help you out. Select a part of the image and reverse the selection (command + i / control + i).
In my example I’ve selected a circle in the center of the clock. Click on the “Create new fill or adjustment layer” icon at the bottom the Layers Palette. Select a suitable gradient and a gradient style for example “Reflected”. Click OK. Add a Layer mask to this layer (icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette) and use the brush tool to create a smooth transition from the background to your image.
Play with the Layer modes to see what effect suits best. Voilà, that’s it : easy, simple and very effective in a lot of circumstances :-)
8served
1
I think you misspelled “Voilà” didn’t you? ;)
2
Remi, I was listening to violins in the background :-P
3
Thanks for the tip! I’m far from being a designer and I always appreciate such tips.
The layer modes are still something quite “obscure” for me and therefore I’m not using them a lot. You mention the following: “Play with the Layer modes to see what effect suits best”. I’ve followed several tutorials about Photoshop and I’ve always heard that kind of remarks when speaking about layer modes. Is there a less empirical (or more predictable) way to choose which mode to use?
4
@Pat, the problem is that there is no common rule of usage in this, it’s pure a matter of experimenting and see which result you get. Even after a lot experience the outcome is still often a surprise with most of the layer modes. It’s a bit unpredictable and that’s what I like about it.
5
@Veerle, that’s what I was wondering but now I have the confirmation from an experienced designer! Thank you! :-)
6
The blend modes are a bit of a gamble, but you can go into it with a slight idea of the effect. For example, “muliply” adds the values of the existing color and the blend color together, which always results in a darker color, Screen always does the opposite resulting in a lighter colour. With a bit of an experiment, you can figure out what to expect.
7
Hi there…
I juste discovered your blog and I’m simply amazed about the quality of its content. A very nice place to come again… ;)
Cheers…
Prom’
http://promethee.blogspot.com
8
Great blog Veerle, I love the design, very clean and very soft for square eyes that stare at screens all day : )
Inspiring work you do.
Stéphanie