Re: Newbie question: Transparent gradient
Thanks to all who replied. I finally got it to work. The missing piece of information in everything that I had been trying is that, unlike any other GUI-based program I have ever used, it seems that there are Gimp functions that one cannot find by wandering through the menus! The trick was to discover that I had to do an alt- click to be able to edit the layer mask, which I eventually discoevered in the Gimp manual, when I did a PDF search on "layer mask". I could find no menu item that allowed me to do this, just the alt-click trick. Thanks for everyone's help. Doc Evans
Re: Newbie question: Transparent gradient
"So how do I get the alpha channel visible so that I can edit it?" you ask. It sounds like you want a layer mask. Try this: 1. Make sure your small layer is active. 2. In the Layers & Channels window, select "Add Layer Mask" You will see a new thumbnail appear next to the thumbnail for your small layer. 3. Click on this small thumbnail. That selects the layer mask as the active image, even though you won't see any other change. 4. Try various gradient fills in this layer mask. You will be able to see the effects if you hava another layer visible below the layer with the layer mask. Hope this helps --Jeff
Re: Newbie question: Transparent gradient
Hi Doc, Right click on the layer in the layers dialog, create layer mask. Edit that, then right click on layer and apply layer mask. Alternately, click on the quick mask selection, and draw a black-white gradient across the mask. Quick mask back to selection, and cut. I'd also suggest checking out http://www.gimp-savvy.com if you are looking for a more approachable manual. The author has really done an excellent job on this book (you may consider buying it even after viewing it online in its entirety). Happy GIMPing, Seth Burgess [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- "D. R. Evans" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > OK, I'm sure this is simple, but I spent a couple of > hours last night > trying to figure out how to do it. I also looked in > the User Manual, > but basically I find that pretty close to > incomprehensible. > Experience shows that I understand what it tries to > tell me only > after I've figured it out for myself. > > Anyway, here's the simple question: > > I have a small layer sitting on top of the stack. I > would like to > "fade" the image contained in that layer, left to > right, so that one > side (the right side) is completely opaque and the > other side (the, > er, left side, I guess) is completely transparent. > > So far I figured out that I need to add an alpha > channel (which I > think I've done OK), and then I probably want to put > a simple left- > right gradient in that channel, but I'm blowed if I > can figure out > how to edit the alpha channel. It doesn't appear in > the list of > channels on the Layers, Channels, Paths dialogue, > but I'm pretty sure > that I've created it OK. > > So how do I get the alpha channel visible so that I > can edit it? > > Thanks so much for any help. And remember, I'm a > newbie so please be > nice to me. > > Doc Evans __ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays! http://calendar.yahoo.com/
Re: Newbie question: Transparent gradient
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (2000-11-13 at 1629.40 -0700): > I have a small layer sitting on top of the stack. I would like to > "fade" the image contained in that layer, left to right, so that one > side (the right side) is completely opaque and the other side (the, > er, left side, I guess) is completely transparent. I think what you need is a layer mask. It the appears as another thumbnail near the layer it is attached too. It works as a gray image, deciding what is trasparent and what not. Search the docs about how to use layer masks, or Grokking the Gimp site, it is a tech used a lot for logos and compositions. GSR
Newbie question: Transparent gradient
OK, I'm sure this is simple, but I spent a couple of hours last night trying to figure out how to do it. I also looked in the User Manual, but basically I find that pretty close to incomprehensible. Experience shows that I understand what it tries to tell me only after I've figured it out for myself. Anyway, here's the simple question: I have a small layer sitting on top of the stack. I would like to "fade" the image contained in that layer, left to right, so that one side (the right side) is completely opaque and the other side (the, er, left side, I guess) is completely transparent. So far I figured out that I need to add an alpha channel (which I think I've done OK), and then I probably want to put a simple left- right gradient in that channel, but I'm blowed if I can figure out how to edit the alpha channel. It doesn't appear in the list of channels on the Layers, Channels, Paths dialogue, but I'm pretty sure that I've created it OK. So how do I get the alpha channel visible so that I can edit it? Thanks so much for any help. And remember, I'm a newbie so please be nice to me. Doc Evans
