constant gradient – how to make a simple good fade?

[Simon Ubsdell]

Twirl open the Gradient editor and adjust the Y Start and End values to be further apart (or the X values if you are using a horizontal gradient).

The default is for the Y Start to be 100px and the Y End to be -100px which is a bit close for most purposes.

Increasing the Y start value (in a positive direction) and decreasing the Y End (in a negative direction) will stretch out the gradient.

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

[Tad Newberry]

Thanks a bunch, Simon! Ya, that’s’ it…and i’m curious, too, why they default it the other way.

Now, i’m looking for a quick easy way to have the edges of a photo or images fade off to transparent all around the edges in Motion. Any ideas on that one? Of course, i’ve played around with making a mask, softening the edges, etc., but it seems like there oughta be a quicker way???

thanks for helping out a bonehead!
__________________________

FCS3
2.66 GHz Quad-Core Mac Pro
6GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120
…and a few TeraBytes o’ storage
(then it’s on to PetaBytes, ExaBytes and MosquitoBytes!)

[Simon Ubsdell]

[tad newberry] ” i’m curious, too, why they default it the other way”

I guess they had to set the default somewhere – if you make a square or rectangle that is 100 pixels high then the default value works perfectly. If you bear that in mind it’s easy to work out the right numbers for your chosen shape.

Don’t forget that if you want something different as a “default” that you can easily call up, you can set the Gradient to how you’d like it and then save it as a preset using the Save Gradient option in the Inspector.

[tad newberry] “Now, i’m looking for a quick easy way to have the edges of a photo or images fade off to transparent all around the edges in Motion. Any ideas on that one? Of course, i’ve played around with making a mask, softening the edges, etc., but it seems like there oughta be a quicker way???”

It’s pretty quick to select your layer, select the rectangle mask tool, drag it out to the shape of your image, then feather the mask. I can’t think of a quicker way I’m afraid.

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

[Don Eitner]

I was thinking about this tip from Mark Spencer about using a gradient mask.

[Simon Ubsdell]

[Don Eitner] “I was thinking about this tip from Mark Spencer about using a gradient mask.”

I don’t think that what Tad was asking for though – as I understand it he wants to feather the edges “all round” hence my suggestion to simply use the rectangle mask tool and feather it.

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com

[Tad Newberry]

both perfect solutions. thanks for the help. i need to use masks more. they can be pretty darn powerful when you know what you’re doing…

THANKS!

thanks for helping out a bonehead!
__________________________

FCS3
2.66 GHz Quad-Core Mac Pro
6GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120
…and a few TeraBytes o’ storage
(then it’s on to PetaBytes, ExaBytes and MosquitoBytes!)

[Simon Ubsdell]

A pleasure to help 🙂

Simon Ubsdell
http://www.tokyo-uk.com