Fade one graphic into another?

yeahh. I'm a graphic design dummy.

[Philosopher]

So I have one image that is a picture taken horizontally/landscape. What I am wanting to do is begin fading the picture into the background I have set, but I have no idea how to accomplish this in Fireworks (or any other graphics program for that matter).

I can do the basic stuff, but I just can't figure this one out. I'd just pay a designer to do it, but I am wanting to do this on a number of images for testing a design so it would really be best if I could figure out how to do this on my own.

Basically about 3/4's across the picture image it should begin simply fading into whatever color I have the canvas set at.

Any tips for a graphics dummy? :)

[Beagle]

I've never used Fireworks. In Paint Shop, I'd use a gradient - using the background color, if it's a solid color. If the background's not a solid color, I'd try creating a mask with the gradient, although I can't say I've ever done that.

[akmac]

Simplest way would be to have two layers-your background color in the back-image on top-then erase (top layer) using a large brush with a feathered edge. Your background color will show in the areas you erase, and you can vary the gradient with the brush size or feathering.

[jessejump]

You can apply a mask to the top layer and use a white-to-black gradient on the mask.
Where the mask is white, the top layer shows; where it is black, the underlying layer shows; grays show partial transparency.

[stever]

In Fireworks:

Commands -> Creative -> Fade Image

[Marcia]

>>>Commands -> Creative -> Fade Image

It's that easy in Fireworks? Which version would that be, and how far does that capability go back with Fireworks versions?

[Philosopher]

Wow...yep...it is that easy (at least in version 8)

Thanks for that!

[bunltd]

Marcia - 6.0 had it.

LisaB