Blend edges of Smart Object into background?

[thePixelPixie]

Hi there,
I have a smart object and would like to make the edges blend or feather into the background somehow. How would I achieve that? Thanks in advance.

~Laura

 

[Tom Mann]

There are other, more conventional methods (ie, a feathered selection), and I don't know whether this method could be adapted to work with smart objects, but one of my favorite edge blending techniques is to:

a) Select the added object.

b) Selection / modify / boundary, and set the width of the boundary shell to an appropriate size, not too thin and not too thick. Note: depending on the situation, one might have to locate the boundary area outside of the added object. In that case, do "selection/modify/expand" followed by "selection/modify/boundary" to work on the right area.

c) Use content aware fill to fill in the boundary.

Depending on the situation, sometimes this works beautifully (and saves one a bunch of work), other times, like many applications of content aware fill, it can put all sorts of junk in that area, but when it works, it looks great.

Just my $0.02,

Tom M

 

[IamSam]

Hi there,
I have a smart object and would like to make the edges blend or feather into the background somehow. How would I achieve that? Thanks in advance.

~Laura

Hey Laura, it's hard to offer advice about blending without actually seeing the object, smart or otherwise, that your referencing. I've found that almost all objects are different and the blending techniques may vary. If it's not a problem, do you mind posting the image?

 

[thePixelPixie]

Sure. I'm assuming you just need to see the *sort* of object it is? Or do you want me to post the actual smart object itself? In case it's the former, here's the area I'm trying to blend...

I just want the edges to not be quite so pronounced. More rough edges, almost "grungy". It's made up of an image inside a clipping mask, and then another group of shapes on top (which I sliced using the "path/divide objects below" feature in Illustrator. Those two groups were added to the Photoshop image itself as a Smart Object.

 

[IamSam]

Thanks!

A smart object only preserves an image's source content with all its original characteristics which enables you to perform nondestructive editing to that layer, but it's still just an object within the composition. So, the layer appearing in your layers panel will edit just like any other layer. It's only when you want to edit the actual content of the SO would you double click and make changes to the .psb file.

EDIT: Sorry, I did not see the text below the image..........give me a minute.

 

[IamSam]

I would just add a layer mask to the layer and use a soft brush to soften the edges.

Something like this. I partially blended the edges.

 

[IamSam]

Or a grunge brush on the layer mask.


Mind you, these are quick and dirty examples.

 

[IamSam]

Does this make sense?

Ok, let me try this. Here I have made myself a smart object from my example above.
I am blending one edge of my SO into it's BG by using the layer mask.

 

[thePixelPixie]

Ok. I think I understand! Thank you!

 

[thePixelPixie]

This is what I wound up with. Thank you for the pointers!