Photoshop : Tutorial - Using A Gradient With A Layer Mask

By Jennifer | May 15 2007 |

Here’s a method to use a gradient with a layer mask in Photoshop to produce a very cool effect. Layer masks are great because they allow you to make dramatic changes to an image without damaging any pixels in your original picture.

So to get started, what we’re going to do is use a layer mask to blend a normal colour photograph with a filtered version of the same photograph. We’ll use a gradient in the layer mask to make the photograph gradually blend from colour to the filtered black and white.

1. Open an image, I’m using this fairly bright pink photo of a child, who looks like he’s had an electric shock!.

2. Press Ctrl + J (Cmd + J for the Mac) to duplicate the layer.

3. Give the new layer a descriptive name (I used “Filtered”).

4. Select the layer named “Filtered” and choose Filter > Sketch > Graphic Pen.

Make any adjustments to you like in the Graphic Pen filter dialog box and then click OK.

4. With the “Filtered” layer selected in the layers palette, choose Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All

In the layer palette you will see the thumbnail of layer and a thumbnail of a white square. In between the two thumbnails you’ll see a link icon. This tells us that the layer mask is linked to the image.

5. Press D to set the foreground and background colours to their default of white and black.

6. Select the gradient tool and in the tool options bar, make sure that the selected gradient is the first one in the drop down box, i.e. Foreground to Background.