Photoshop Question...

I have a small question about using Photoshop Elements 3.

If I have a layer, and I want the entire layer to fade from 0% transparency to 100% transparency (like a gradient), how do I do that?

I use the GIMP, but I'm pretty sure that it will work the same way. You'll either use a "Quick Layer Mask," or the regular mask. Make a mask for the layer you're working on, and then apply a black-to-white gradient on the mask. That should fade it from 100% to 0%, or vice versa. I'm not sure which is opaque and transparent.

Are you doing animation? Or what are you doing?

Yeah, what I'm trying to do is make a wallpaper for a friend with several overlaping layers, but I want the smaller pictures to fade so the larger, central picture is seen.

If I have a layer, and I want the entire layer to fade from 0% transparency to 100% transparency (like a gradient), how do I do that?

Layer masking. Select the layer you want and hit the "Add Layer Mask" button in the Layers pane. This will create a layer mask for the current layer, which will appear as a second thumbnail in the Layers pane. This thumbnail will have to be selected to modify the layer mask, but it's automatically selected when you first create it. Select the gradient tool and make sure it's set to black and white. Now drag the gradient tool across the canvas. The darker part of the gradient is the part that will fade out.

Originally Posted by F3

Layer masking. Select the layer you want and hit the "Add Layer Mask" button in the Layers pane. This will create a layer mask for the current layer, which will appear as a second thumbnail in the Layers pane. This thumbnail will have to be selected to modify the layer mask, but it's automatically selected when you first create it. Select the gradient tool and make sure it's set to black and white. Now drag the gradient tool across the canvas. The darker part of the gradient is the part that will fade out.

Is that with GIMP, because I'm using Photoshop Elements 3 and I'm not sure if that is a feature that I have.

^Of course Elements 3.0 has that feature. I use masking, and I also use Elements 3.0. Wouldn't be PS without it.

You would expect Photoshop Elements 3 to have it, since Adobe invented the feature for Photoshop.