Gradient Map Problems

Guys, I have a big big problem!!


I dont know why but, I cannot apply a gradient with a transparency for my gradient map! Is this the way it si supposed to work? I really Really want to apply the gradient with transparency, thus so all my black gradient bump map turns transparent. Please HELP!

not really sure what you're trying to ask here...but if the gradient is on its own layer - have you tried lowering the layer opacity and it didn't work?

if i were you.... i would do what Mihai said and then play about with the layer modes for both layers..... that might give you the effect you want?

Ok I suppose you guys didnt try it.

What I am asking is, can you apply gradients with transparecy as gradient maps? Try it.

I guess I'm not very clear as to what you actually want to achieve - what a gradient map actually does is - it parses the color information in your picture and replaces the active colors using the colors (or shades of grey) in your gradient as target. So unless your image is transparent - it cannot be aplied as a transparency You can add transparency to the gradient map if it is noise - but it all depends on what you want to achieve. I suggested lowering the opacity of the gradient - set on its own layer because you can get away with it this way - if your target image just needs color fading - but you can "fake" the transparency if you lower the opacity or the target layer - assuming you don't work on your base layer - the background ....

if you would be more explicit in what your purpose is maybe we could provide you with better answers - what black gradient bump map are you talking about? what is it for? maybe there's a better way to do it that than a gradient map

OK here is what I am doing in simplified terms.

I wrote some white text on a black bascground. Flattened the image. Gausion blurred the inside and then sligthly gausion blured the whole image. Then I used levels to set the output to 128, thus making the blacks neutral grey. Then I saved this image and used it as a displace map later. Next, I undid the levels and I made a alpha channel where I copied the entire image, this will be used as a bump map (Lightning effects). Next I opened a new image with some stripes on it. I applied displace on it and used the saved grey text to displace, giving me a realistic displace with stripe bending. Then I made a new layer, set it to overlay and filled it with grey (Neutral in overlay). Then applied lightning effects on it and used the alpha one as a bump map. This gave me a realistic bump map on my text.

[NOW FOR THE PROBLEM]

I then created a new layer on top and copied my alpha 1 channel to it. Now I wanted to apply a gradient mask to wipe out my blacks while still colouring the rest of the shades with the gradient, thus the left most gradient colour should be transparent and in being so would wipe out my blacks, while at the same time the transition to the white layers would give me the colouring from the rest of the gradient colours within the gradient map.

Here is where I have noticed that I cannot use a gradient with transparency in gradient maps and thus the black does not get annihalated. So I though, If I cannot use the transparency, I will set my left most colour in the gradient map to grey, then apply a oveylay blending mode to the gradient map layer and the grey will go away. And sure that works, but, ait changes the other colors in the gradient. I also though how about if i place screen on the gradient map target, the white letters on black background, it should wipe off the blacks, and sure it does do that , but my colors go unrealistic for the gradient map.

Ok now you know what I am doing, can you help me?

what is your objective here? maybe we can find a different approach. there always is about 20 ways to do the same thing is PS.

The objective is to colourise the dispace map cllear distortion to a bluish grass like structure

ok I followed the steps until your problem - this is what I came up with -



now - as to your problem - I am unclear as to what exactly you mean - "wipe out your blacks"..to what? there is nothing underneath - Its all on one layer. where would you want your grass-like structure to appear?

LOL... I just seen the grass .. it meant to be glass hehehehe..

anyway yeah what you did is ok.. now say I want to colourise only the leters with a gradient map.. and at the same time wipe out my blacks in my gradient map target. Thus for the gradient map target If I use a transparent color on the left end of the gradient map gradient, the gradient map will apply it to the blacks and walla .. done all the blacks wiped and the shades of grey through to the white would be applied with the rest of the gradient colors. BUT! the gradient map gradient does not allow for transparency, thuius i cannot wipe it .. the only solution I have is to apply a mask to the gtradient map and the gradient map tarhget and I get the wipeout of the gradient map target blacks. Get me now? =P