PROF VAUGHN: Okay, and this video is at using a gradient as a transparency mask.
So we think of layer masks as revealing or concealing using black or white paint,
and a range of grays.
We can use a gradient that is set from black to white to create a really subtle
blend inside of a layer mask.
This gives you a lot of blending opportunity.
So let's do a really obvious example first, I have a colour photograph open,
I'm just gonna do a layer adjustment, adjustment layer, I'll do it black and
white so you can have a quick view of how this might work.
So of course we know our adjustment layers come with gradients.
This is the effect, this is the- I'm sorry, they come with a layer mask.
That is the layer mask.
So if we wanted to use a gradient to blend in the layer mask as a method of
transparency blending, you could still use that gradient tool.
When you look at your gradients, you're gonna pick the black and white
version here.
So this is black and white.
Whether or not you reverse it is up to you, remember the way a gradient in a mask
with black and white will work; black is going to reveal,
white is going to conceal.
So, let's just do, um, let's do a radial gradient to see what this might look like.
I'm gonna click and drag, now remember I've made sure I'm on the layer
mask thumbnail.
So this is isolated, it's a pretty small gradient, let's make it a little bit bigger.
And it's pretty soft, but you can see I've got black and white now here in the middle
radiating out in my layer mask.
If you wanted to do a really weird, kind of, small spot, you could.
Let's look at a linear gradient, now I've sort of moved from black and white,
shifted it slowly into colour, because again the black and white in the layer mask is
revealing of concealing, so the white in this case is showing what's underneath.
So that is a a adjustment layer.
If we were thinking about using these, um, to perhaps make some actual editing
adjustments, we could think about not using them for creative purpose, but for
perhaps fixing an exposure issue.
So in this particular image, the land is well exposed, it has good contrast, but
the sky, because the sun is probably over here somewhere, is a little too bright.
It's a little bit blown out, we're losing out