Gradient on layer mask not fully hiding layer

[BigEricUSA]

See attachment. (I'm using PS 24.5.0 on OSX Monterey 12.6.7)

I have a white BG and a vertical black bar on another layer.

Add layer mask, then add a black/white grad to the mask.

I can still see the bottom section of the vertical bar. It's as if the black part of the gradient isn't 100% black.

Blend mode of the mask is Normal. Makes no difference if I change to classic gradient.

I'm not using a "Foreground to BG gradient, it's set to B/W.

What am I doing wrong? Surely the black section of the mask should fully hide the bottom section of the black bar...?

S

[BigEricUSA]

Measuring the section that should be hidden shows it to be only 98% white...

[Michael Bullo]

Have you checked the Options bar running along the top of Photoshop when you are using the Gradient Tool...
Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%

[BigEricUSA]

(Thanks for responding)

Yes, absolutely.

Can you make it work as expected...?

S

[Michael Bullo]

No worries. Thank you. Are you definitely drawing the gradient within the boundary of the document? You aren't starting the gradient just outside the document boundary?

[BigEricUSA]

Yes, have a look at the first attachment. The gradient is entirely within the document.

You're sounding as if you can't replicate the issue...? Is that right?

S

[Michael Bullo]

I agree that your gradient looked correct in your screen capture but I wanted to be sure. Things are working perfectly at my end so I don't know what might be wrong. Hopefully someone else has the solution. Best of luck.

[BigEricUSA]

Thanks for taking the time to doing it your end...

Did you actually measure the bottom section of the black bar or just eyeball it...? I'm wondering if it's a screen calibration thing... It's only a matter of 2%.

[Michael Bullo]

No worries and thank you.
I measured it precisely and I'm getting by default what you want.

[BigEricUSA]

Michael, would you mind having a look at the file I attached below, just to see what you make of it?

[Michael Bullo · Accepted solution]

I’ve reviewed the mask within your TIF file. At the bottom of the image where it should be pure black (0,0,0) it is actually extremely dark grey (4,4,4). So while your file setup is correct your mask doesn't contain a pure black.

A quick and nasty fix would be to click once on the mask to give it focus. Press Command/Control + M to bring up the Curves dialog box. Then drag the black point slightly to the right.

I still suspect that there is something wrong when you are drawing the gradient on the mask. I know you said you are using Black to White. As a test, perhaps try using Foreground to Background but manually set those colors yourself to black and white.

[BigEricUSA]

Michael,

Weirdly, you're right. If I hit D for Default Colours and then use the F/B grad, it works as expected. Every other setting for the tool is the same.

This is a bug, surely...?

[BigEricUSA]

If I set black as my FG colour and use the FG/Transparent grad, it works as expected too...

[Michael Bullo]

@BigEricUSA  Did you try resetting the Photoshop Preferences?

1. Open Photoshop's Preferences:
     macOS: Photoshop > Preferences > General
     Windows: Edit > Preferences > General

2. Click Reset Preferences On Quit

3. Click OK in the dialog that asks "Are you sure you want to reset preferences when quitting Photoshop?"

4. Quit and relaunch Photoshop.

https://helpx.adobe.com/au/photoshop/using/preferences.html

[BigEricUSA]

Michael,

Thanks but I try to avoid resetting prefs like the plague... Takes me days and days to get back to where I was! 🙂 You've reminded me to do a backup of the prefs though 😉

[Michael Bullo]

I totally understand and good call on the backup

[Michael Bullo]

Hey that’s great. At least you now have a technique that works.

Perhaps you should try resetting the Photoshop Preferences and see if that solves the issue of Black not being truely black.

[BigEricUSA]

I'd be interested to know if anyone else can replicate this issue... In case it matters, my graphics card is an 

AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB

[Jeff Arola]

It's really tough to evaluate from just a screenshot.

Can you post the actual file somewhere like drop box or similar service?

[BigEricUSA]

Thanks Jeff. Try this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lCkYMEO2j9WqnCVSM4BGo2_M35kJzyU-/view?usp=sharing

[BigEricUSA]

Attached actually...

[BigEricUSA]

This one is using PS 24.6.0. Didn't reaslise there was an update. Issue still remains for me...

[mglush · Accepted solution]

Hi!

I believe Michael was correct. I tried to replicate your problem, but I came up with no ghosting at the end of the gradient. You may have had a very dark gray selected instead of black and that is why you are fighting this issue. Also, did you check to make sure that your gradient had no alterations--no color stops added along the gradient itself?

Here was my result:

I don't think it was an issue with the program, but an issue of what color you originally had selected to make the gradient! 

Michelle

[BigEricUSA]

Michelle, 

I'm not selecting the colours, I'm choosing the B/W gradient. It's when I *do* choose the colours that things work correctly.

However... you did lead me to check the black in the B/W preset gradient and it's *not* black! See attachment.

Now my question is: How do I reset the B/W gradient to a proper black?

[BigEricUSA · Accepted solution]

Ok, to answer my own question...

I did an "Append Default Gradients" (See attachment). This added the default gradients again below my existing gradients. Now the black in the B/W preset gradient is a proper black again. I then deleted the original set of default gradients to tidy things up.

Thanks for everyone's input! 🙂 Way to go round the houses!

I wonder how the preset got corrupted...?