Blending/blurring edges of images into the background.

[thebiggfella]

Can anyone tell me the best way of blending/blurring edges of images into the background? What I would like to do is create a nice background using various effects then cut out pieces of other images such as faces, cars or whatever and put these onto the background.

As you know, it's not easy to get the edges of the images you are cutting out perfect, so blending just the edges with the background will help get over this, plus I think it will be a nice effect if done well.

I just thought of another question relating to the above. When I've been messing around with cutting bits of images and pasting them onto a background, I found that I could move around the image I've just cut to get it in the right place, but ones that I've cut and pasted previously seem to be fixed. Is there any way of moving around the previously cut and pasted images as there is with the current on that's just been cut or copied? Hope that makes sense! Thanks. Glynn.

[Helio]

First of all, you can use the :LinearGradient: tool to blend edges, to do so click on :AllColorChannels: so that it turns to :AlphaChannel:. Or you can use the Alpha Mask plugin (hmm, I don't see an icon for that).

Also, if you paste images on a new layers (:AddNewLayer:), you will be able to move them individually.

[thebiggfella]

Thanks for the quick response Helio. It sounds just the ticket. I'll try it out later when I've got the chance. That's a great signature by the way! Can I be a pain and ask how you did it? I'm looking to do one eventually, but being new to this, don't really know where to start to achieve something like yours. Thanks. Glynn.

[jpope]

Another one that may help you is the Feather Plugin.

[thebiggfella]

Thank you Jeremy. I'll give that a look too. I've just been having a look at the gradient method. Tricky (for me being new to this) but hopefully I'll get the hang of it.

[thebiggfella]

Well, I've had a look at both methods suggested above. The feathering effect does not give enough of a blending effect even on 5 pixels, though it does improve the edged of the pasted image hugely.

I've been trying for the past hour or so to blend the edges using the gradient process but for some reason cannot get my head round it. Do I need to do each edge on a new layer? I'm sure it will 'click' at some point but it ain't yet. Can anyone point me in the right direction here with the gradient method? Thanks. Glynn.

[Helio]

Actually, I think that the Alpha Mask Import plugin that I mentioned above is going to work much better, since you will be cutting out objects. The gradient method works well with boxy things.

To use the plugin, first understand that everywhere that there is black in the mask will be transparent. Everywhere there is white will be un-altered (opaque). Everything that is in between will be semi-transparent to some degree. So, following those guidelines, make the mask by covering everywhere you want the image to be transparent with black (on a new layer, of course), and every where you would like the pic. to show white. Then, to get smooth blending, blur the mask very slightly. Next, cut the fineshed mask into a new document and save it. On your original picture, open the plugin, select your mask image, and done!