How to Create a Transparent Gradient in Photoshop

[robh21046457]

I am trying to create a transparent mask for the selected image by adding a transparent gradient to the mask layer. Try as I might, I cannot figure out how to do it.. Any ideas where im going so wrong on this.

Cheers

Rob

[robh21046457]

When I do as per the video instead of adding a gradient to the mask layer, it adds the tranparency to a new layer above the chosen layer I want it ot be on.

[michelew83603738]

The video is playing very small and is hard to see on my screen. That said, it doesn't look like you are going to the gradient tool itself, which is the tool you need to be in. Select the gradient you want from the gradient tool and while in the gradient tool, click and drag across your image or within the selection (however you are using it). Making sure you have first selected the mask.

[Bojan Živković · Accepted solution]

Wrong way. It seems you are trying to use Window > Gradients panel. Try to activate Gradient tool as already explained in reply above, then choose gradient from the Options bar and lastly drag gradient on canvas while mask is selected in the Layers panel. You can either use transparent/black or white or black to white gradient.

[Conrad_C]

A problem seen in your video is that the actual Gradient tool is not shown in your Tools panel. I am guessing your Tools panel has been customized, because the Gradient tool appears in the Tools panel in all of the default Photoshop workspaces.

So the first thing you want to do is add the Gradient tool back to your Tools panel, and then you will be able to use it.

The gradient icon below your Tools panel is not the Gradient tool; as Bojan has noticed, that is the Gradients panel. The reason the Gradients panel doesn’t work on a mask is that as you have seen, it adds a Gradient preset in the form of a new gradient fill layer — the same as if you choose Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. However, the Gradient tool is able to create a gradient on a layer mask.