Okay so I am not a beginner. I've used photoshop for years, but shamefully I've never used masking to its true potential and even when I have I've never fully understood how it works.
After switching from Adobe Draw (which i used Ai to finalise drawings) I've strated to use Fresco (which only has PSD export) so -
I want to be able to put a gradient on a fill layer. The same way I'd be able to on Ai.
On Ai I would - Make a shape (in this particular case a block fill of the 'sky', highlited with marching ants 1st pic) and i would simply select that shape/layer and throw a gradient fill on it. voila.
But on photoshop I can't get it to work as simply.
I can put a gradient OVER it, by using a new layer with gradient on and using 'alt' to only effect the layer below - 2nd pic) but this would include the original colour fill & not as a gradient fill alone. I know there must be something with masks to make it work? but I just dont understand how to get there.
I can live with using the method Im using, but i feel there must be a simpler/better worlflow out there.
2 Correct answers
Your second image does not show that you have used Alt-click to clip the layer with the gradient to the sky layer below so you need to do that.
To prevent the original sky layer showing through - just make sure that the gradient is using opaque colours rather than opaque to transparent
If you do want to use a mask they are simple - where the mask is white the layer shows, where the mask is black the layer is transparent. So you can click on a mask in the layers panel then paint (over the im
...
If you used the gradient tool on a pixel layer - then no it is not editable.
However, if you add a gradient fill layer (Layer >New Fill Layer > Gradient) then that remains editable, just by clicking on the icon in the layers panel
Dave
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Replies
Your second image does not show that you have used Alt-click to clip the layer with the gradient to the sky layer below so you need to do that.
To prevent the original sky layer showing through - just make sure that the gradient is using opaque colours rather than opaque to transparent
If you do want to use a mask they are simple - where the mask is white the layer shows, where the mask is black the layer is transparent. So you can click on a mask in the layers panel then paint (over the image) with black , white, or grey to get the transparency you want. Similarly you can select an area and fill the mask with black or white as appropriate.
Dave
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