Feathering/Soften/Blur edges (integration of ready-to-use cropped pngs)

[chiara11]

Hello,

I have a question about feathering/soften edges when integrating pngs with transparent background that are already cropped. I saw a feathering tool when I cropped images myself, but where can I find "soften edges", "feather edges"  or "edge blur" tool for pngs that have been imported as cropped "ready-to-use" transparent pngs? What is the best way of integrating such pngs, making it look as if it were part of the background?

I have adjusted the tone/color/curves... etc, used slight transparency or some Gaussian blur on the whole image, but how can I add transparency or blur JUST to the edges (I mean without having to do it manually with half-transparent eraser or dodge tools, which would seem a but cumbersome and nonpractical)? I have worked with a totally different graphic program before, and had not worked with Photoshop for more than 10 years, so I am not yet so familiar with the new CC interface. Help would be very much appreciated (also other tricks on how to integratesuch pngs in a natural looking way would be great)!

Thanks,

[macpawel]

Open your image,

Draw Selection as you need - here is rectangular selection

Use Select&Mask Panel to adjust Feather as you need

Confirm these setting and add Layer mask to your image

Save as PNG

pawel

[chiara11]

Thanks for your reply, does it also work that way in the case of a ready-to-use cropped png (e.g. transparent png of a bird -already cropped- which I want to place into a tree, but need to make it look more natural by softening/blurring the edges of the bird.?)

[D Fosse]

Layer Mask > From Transparency. This gives you back the layer mask, which you can then modify (blur/expand/contract) with Select and Mask.

[chiara11]

Hello again,

Thanks for your reply, I have tried your suggestion (as I mentioned, my question refers to ready-to-use pngs of animals, already cropped and with transparent background, which I have embedded into my nature background, but I need to refine & soften the edges to integrate them better, so that it looks more natural). Even if the correct layer with the animal is selected in the "Layers" window, I cannot choose "Layer Mask > From Transparency", as it is not available in the drop down menu - I can see it, but cannot select it... I only have "Reveal All" and "Hide All" as options.

When I crop an image myself in Photoshop, the option "From Transparency" can be selected, but whenever I embed ready-to-use pngs (which already have a transparent background) I cannot select this option.

Does anyone know how to proceed that case? THANKS!

[chiara11]

PS: I meanwhile can optimize the edges of most pngs in my project via Layer Mask > From Transparency & "Select & Mask"... however, one picture was not a png, but an imported ready-to-use PSD file (animal on transparent background), there I cannot select "From Transparency", just "Select All" and "Hide All"... 

A few days later I found out that I just have to rasterize the layer, after having done that step, I can create a Layer Mask "from Transparency".