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Inspiring
September 14, 2018
Question

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

  • September 14, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 3541 views

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,

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    2 replies

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    September 14, 2018

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

    chiara11Author
    Inspiring
    October 21, 2018

    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".

    macpawel
    Participating Frequently
    September 14, 2018

    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

    chiara11Author
    Inspiring
    September 14, 2018

    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.?)