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Graduated Filters?


G

GreyArea

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Hi, all.

Can someone tell me how to combine a filter with a gradient so that the filter effect is on, say, the top of the image but not the bottom? Say I want to apply a Pixelated Mosaic effect to the top of an image and have it slowly transition, becoming less and less pixelated toward the bottom where it's not pixelated at all. How do I do that? I've tried searching for tutorials on Youtube, but all I ever come up with are Camera Raw or Lightroom tutorials. Is this not possible in just regular old Photoshop (CS6)?

Thanks very much, everyone.
 
My suggestion would be to have two layers, one the original and one the image with filter effect. Now apply a layer mask to the top layer. Then get the gradient tool and experiment with a black to white gradient across the layer mask.
 
No, no one forgot to attach images. It's customary to expect that you would try the methods we gave you. But as I see you are unfamiliar with Camera Raw, then you wouldn't be able to try Hoogle's method. BTW, you haven't attached your image either :devilish: .

If you have CS6, of course you have Camera Raw. Go to your file menu, choose browse in bridge. Once you get to bridge, you will see your image folders. Open one, click on an image, choose the icon above that looks like a camera aperture. That will take you into bridge. As for the graduated filter, I haven't used it and can't help with that. Hoogle could explain or you could look for tutorials since you have a use for it.

Are you new to Photoshop? Or just to the CS versions? Regardless, you need to learn more of the secrets of PS. If you are a beginner, I strongly advise you to learn the basics: selection methods, layer masks, using blend modes and standard filters, text essentials, etc. You have to learn to walk before you can run, much less fly!

Here is an example of the use of a gradient on the filter mask in PS. You can also use a soft black brush to remove the filter effect in places, or a white brush to add it back in places, such as her curls to the right of the eyes.

Make a layer copy.
Turn this into a smart object and apply the desired filter effect.
Click inside this filter mask and set your gradient as you desire. I put in an extra stop so that I have black in the middle and white on each end.
By doing this and running the gradient only across her eyes and nose, the filter effect is everywhere but those places.

Give it a try. And post your image.

gradient.jpg
 
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I'm relatively new to PS. I've been fiddling around with it for a few months, now, including taking an online training course from DigitalTutors.com. I like to think I'm fairly proficient for a beginner, but I've never heard anything about Camera Raw. The training video series never mentioned it.

That picture of the little girl didn't look like the effect faded from one part of the image to another. It looked like it just covered the whole thing.

I don't have a picture to post. I wasn't talking about a specific image. The example I gave was just that; an example. I just wanna know how to do it. I don't have any specific plans for how I'll use it once I learn; it just seems like there must be a way to do it.
 
Actually, the filter effect does fade. Look at the curls on the side if you can't tell from the eyes and the nose. Now I have made a composite so you can see the filtered face and the face with gradient applied. Then I took a soft white brush to the filter mask and replaced some of the effect: in her hair and on her cheek.

gradient_compos.jpg
 
Perhaps I don't have your eye for detail, but the nose and eyes are the only parts of those photos that don't look identical to me. Whatever effect you used does not appear to fade out from top to bottom or from one side to the other. Did you do a circular fade around the eyes and nose? I'm trying to create an effect that affects the image in one area and then fades out completely into the opposite area.

Camera Raw doesn't seem to do me any good. You can adjust the exposure, contrast, highlights, and so forth, but it doesn't look like you can use any effects; at least I don't see any kind of effects menu.
 
Spruce:
No, that's not what I'm after. Again, I want something where one side of the image has, say, a pencil sketch effect over it, but the effect fades on its way toward the other side and the other side isn't effected at all. Get it?
 
Oh, my God, ibclare, I owe you an apology. You posted exactly the solution I was looking for early on; the bit about using a gradient on top of a layer mask. I guess I just didn't read it very carefully before dismissing it. That does exactly what I want. Boy, is my face red. Sorry. Many thanks. (^_^)
 
NO problem. I made a triple gradient when you only wanted 2. So, was I being a smart ass? Probably, lol. My apologies to you too.
 
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