images that gradually fade

off into the background color

[ifyouonlyknew]

can anyone here tell me how you would create a professional looking image that gradually fades to white. I've seen this done all over but I can't figure out how it's done and what programs you can use to do it.

[knighty]

there are two main ways to do this.

1. Create an animated gif (there are loads of shareware programs) and have say 5 frames with each one more tranpsparent thant the previous one.

2. Use Flash and have your image either fade with a motion tween to alpha or just have a white block on another layer which starts off in Alpaha and then tweens to opaque.

[toolman]

There's some new javascripts that are doing this type of effects. Check over at HotScripts.

[ifyouonlyknew]

thanks I'll check that out

[mivox]

If you have PhotoShop, you can use the alpha channel to creat a fading image...

Create a new layer for your image. Open the alpha channel for that layer, and fill it with a gradient fading to transparent. Then create a new background layer in whatever color you'd like. The image should fade along with the alpha channel gradient, leaving the background color showing through.

[minnapple]

Or in photoshop, make a selection using whatever tool creates the shape you are looking for.

Feather the selection the width you want the image to fade.
Inverse the selection and use the "back key" located above the enter key to blow the background out.

You can add a layer bellow, white or otherwise for a fill color.

[ifyouonlyknew]

Thanks for the information, it's all a little over my head because I'm definitely not a graphics guy. I downloaded a demo of PSP does anyone know how I can do it in that? or should I download a photoshop demo (if there even is one) and try it that way?

Thanks

[minnapple]

The Photoshop Studio Techniques - Book by Wilmore - rates high with me.

Graphics is not a cut and paste technolgy, there is a learning curve.

[mivox]

Try a Google search on:
PSP "Paint Shop Pro" tutorial transparency

I've never used PSP, but I know there are a LOT of help/how-to/tutorial sites out there for it.

[Bolotomus]

I think there is some confusion here as to what the original poster meant when he said "fade."

Is it fade as in an animated presentation where black letters start to turn dark grey, then grey, then light grey, then white? Or is it fade, in the sense of a "color gradient" which transitions smoothly from one color into another?

Bolot

[mivox]

Heh... I was assuming as in 'color gradient,' obviously, but the first two answers hint at where to go to find out about animations. I'd say, since he refers to Paint Shop Pro, that he isn't talking about animated effects.

[knighty]

Well look at the title of the origional post:

"images that gradually fade
off into the background color"

I think that is pretty clear that he is refering to some kind of animation. Paint Shop Pro which I used to use all the time many moons ago has a built in animation package which can easily perform this kind of fade out.

[mivox]

LOL! Ahh... but does that mean fade gradually over time or fade gradually across the image? ;) Perhaps ifyouonlyknew will check back on the ol' thread and let us know what he really meant....