How do I do a half moon gradient?

[AgentGoodspeed]

Sorry for the cryptic subject line, that's the only way I know how to describe what I want to do.

Basically, I want to put a banner on top of a book cover but I want to fade it in with the image below. However, I don't want to do a linear gradient; I want to do a half circle of sorts. Bonus points if it's jaded.

Ideally, I would use the radial gradient, but inverted, and I don't know how to make that happen. Let me see if I can illustrate my question…

The pink area I'd want to fade out but not entirely delete. Thoughts?

[Ego Eram Reputo]

You'll need to use two layers

 

Base has the orange sweet cover. Fill the entire layer with orange + text.

 

Upper layer has the black heading.

 

Use Gradient Tool + Radial setting in Tool Bar. Also select the Transparency mode in the Tool Bar (http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/GradientTool.html)

 

Drag out a radial (transparent) gradient on the Upper layer from somewhere near the center of the layer.

[AgentGoodspeed]

Thanks, EER, but when I try to do this it does the opposite of what I want. That's why I'm baffled… If you look at the image below on the right, the portion that's showing is that portion that I don't want shown.



I want to fade/blend the top black layer in a crescent shape, in the middle. I tried cutting out that area and then blending only this new layer but the result was horrible, I still had the harsh cut from the original banner.

[Pixey]

Hi Agent G - here is a quick example of what I think you want.  Instead of using the rectangle, like in the image, use the rounded selection tool instead, if you want an arc shape.

 

 

Basically it's using the gradient on the Transparency mode with Primary color 'black' and secondary 'orange' and play with the Opacity of the black.

 

[IRON67]

I think, there is a quite easier solution:

 

1. Background layer with "sweet cover", orange until top edge

2. new layer with black banner, filled approximately upper half of the image

 

Then you choose the Eraser Tool   with an very big diameter, approximately three times of the image width and a hardness of ~70% to erase the lower three-quarters of the picture

 

Result:

 

Edited April 11, 2016 by IRON67

[AgentGoodspeed]

Thanks for your input, Pixey and Iron

Iron's idea is what I have in mind.

The thing is, this was just a two-color mockup to get my point across. The actual images I'm trying to blend are much more complicated composites.

What the hay, here's one of the covers I'm working on. The old version had no banner but now I want to add some branding for the series. However, I don't like the amateurish dichotomy of simply having the banner slapped on top…

[IRON67]

It's not really more complicated. You have to enlarge / enhance the lower edge of the banner graphic - maybe to the upper edge of the first word "The".

 

Maybe you have to rebuild the banner if there is no other version as what you showed us.

 

My result (not tried to find the exact font):

 

Edited April 11, 2016 by IRON67

[MJW]

I suggest making a black and white version of the gradient you want, then using BoltBait's Paste Alpha plugin to transfer the gray tones into the top layer as alphas.

[AgentGoodspeed]

@Iron your technique makes sense though I shudder at having to remake the banner graphic, I'm not exactly sure how I arrived at this conclusion anymore. Might keep this as a last resort.

@MJW I'm going to try this method and report back!

[IRON67]

@Iron your technique makes sense though I shudder at having to remake the banner graphic, I'm not exactly sure how I arrived at this conclusion anymore. Might keep this as a last resort.

 

I realized this example above in around 10 minutes. First I searched a little piece of metal texture, distorted it by "Jitter" and "Motion Blur", then I added a second layer with a radial color transition between light blue and dark violet, blend modus "overlay" and a third layer for the letters. Later I added "Vignette 2 by Ed Harvey".

[AgentGoodspeed]

I realized this example above in around 10 minutes. First I searched a little piece of metal texture, distorted it by "Jitter" and "Motion Blur", then I added a second layer with a radial color transition between light blue and dark violet, blend modus "overlay" and a third layer for the letters. Later I added "Vignette 2 by Ed Harvey".

 

Yeah, I was being facetious. I kind of know how I made my banner. I took a texture, did motion blur, played with the hue adjustments.

Come to think of it, because I can't seem to get the hang of paste alpha, I can expand my banner background by copying it a few times and making sure there are no seams.

 

Danke

I'll try that later…

[MJW]

What is it about Paste Alpha that's causing problems? As long as the gradient layer is the same size as the image layer, it should just be a matter of copying the gradient into the clipboard, selecting the topmost image layer, then running Paste Alpha. The Invert Calculation checkbox can be used if the alpha is opposite of what you want, so it doesn't even matter whether the gradient is white-on-black or black-on-white, or which of the two image layers is on top.

[AgentGoodspeed]

What is it about Paste Alpha that's causing problems? As long as the gradient layer is the same size as the image layer, it should just be a matter of copying the gradient into the clipboard, selecting the topmost image layer, then running Paste Alpha. The Invert Calculation checkbox can be used if the alpha is opposite of what you want, so it doesn't even matter whether the gradient is white-on-black or black-on-white, or which of the two image layers is on top.

 

To be honest, my relationship with graphic design and Paint.Net is a lot like owning a Ferrari; I can go fast and do a lot of things but I'm not quite sure how all the gizmos work yet LOL

First of all, alpha means transparent, right?

So when I do the gradient do I do it (primary/secondary) black/white, or black/transparent? Then do I paste alpha on the banner layer or a new layer?

 

My paste alpha results...

 

Edited April 11, 2016 by AgentGoodspeed

[AgentGoodspeed]

So I followed @Iron's method of widening the top banner and then deleting. I also applied a transparent gradient to blend in the pointy edges. What do you think?

I find it a little jarring because it doesn't necessarily go with the style from the rest of the covers, then again it draws the eye which I guess is the point of a brand...

[MJW]

To be honest, my relationship with graphic design and Paint.Net is a lot like owning a Ferrari; I can go fast and do a lot of things but I'm not quite sure how all the gizmos work yet LOL

First of all, alpha means transparent, right?

So when I do the gradient do I do it (primary/secondary) black/white, or black/transparent? Then do I paste alpha on the banner layer or a new layer?

 

Alpha is transparency (or perhaps you could say opaqueness). The higher the alpha value, the more opaque the pixel. A 0 alpha pixel is completely transparent; a 255 alpha pixel is opaque.

 

The default mode for Paste Alpha is to paste the grayness of the pixel in the clipboard as the alpha in the image. If the clipboard pixel is black, the corresponding image pixel will be made transparent; if it's white, the image pixel will be made opaque. This can be reversed by checking the Invert Calculation checkbox.

 

You should make a gradient image which is black where you want one image to show, white where you want the other image to show, and shades of gray in the transition region. Copy the gradient to the clipboard, then (with both image layers visible) select the top layer and run Paste Alpha. The transparency should either be what you want, or reversed from what you want. If it's reversed, check Invert Calculation. (Note, I could tell you which layer to put on top, but it's easier and less confusing to just put one of the layers on top, run Paste Alpha on that layer, and if the transparency is opposite from what it should be, check Invert Calculation.)

 

Click the question mark in the upper-right frame of Paste Alpha to get a concise Help Menu.

[IRON67]

So I followed @Iron's method of widening the top banner and then deleting. I also applied a transparent gradient to blend in the pointy edges. What do you think?

 

It's okay. Finetuning is always a good idea. But I never added an extra transparent gradient in my version. The Eraser Tool makes this transition for me. Try out different hardness values to find the right one.

Edited April 12, 2016 by IRON67

[AgentGoodspeed]

Thank you, gentlemen.

[AgentGoodspeed]

This isn't really on topic anymore but I thought I'd give an update about my project since you guys have been so helpful.

Anyway, I decided to go in a slightly different direction. Instead of trying to blend the brand with the image, which wasn't that bad, I went with a torn paper design:

[Pixey]

WOW!  You are a genius    .  

[AgentGoodspeed]

WOW!  You are a genius    .  

 

Now now, let's not get carried away with the truth compliments LOL

 

But thanks!

[pdnnoob]

That looks a lot more professional than a gradient ever would have. Nice work!

[AgentGoodspeed]

That looks a lot more professional than a gradient ever would have. Nice work!

 

Thanks!