1. Open a new file and type a word
2. Bring in a photoshop image and place it over the word, send the image to back
3. Move the image until you like the way is placed over the word you typed
4. Shift click the image and the word you typed so both are selected
5. Object - clipping mask - make deselect everything
6. Make a rectangle that is only slightly larger than the type - cover the type completely
7. With the rectangle still selected go to the gradient palette, the default setting is okay change the gradient angle to 90 degrees
8. Expand the type layer in the layers palette (click on the little arrowhead or triangle)
9. Important - pointer in the selection area to the right of the (group) sublayers - shift click on the circle
10. Look at the bounding box of your image - this means both the gradient and your image mask are selected
11. Transparency palette choose make opacity mask from the transparency palette menu
(arrowhead to right). Click invert mask reverses the effect of the fading on the type
(found on transparency palette itself).



Masking on several objects

1. Place the objects in the same layer and move the masking shape to the top of the layer
2. Close all sublayers, then select the layer name and choose object-clipping mask-make
3. All the objects will be masked by the top object

Making a shadow

1. Group the object, for which you want a shadow select the object and select the reflect tool
2. Click once where you want to reflect the shadow, this sets the origin for the reflection
3. Choose a spot in object and ...
4. Drag down while holding the option key
5. Change the color of the shadow. You may have to send "shadow" to back and size the shadow
6. Use the shear tool, click the base point again
7. Click and drag left or right to set angle of reflection. IF you are playing with shadows, when the sun or light is low in sky, the shadow is long and vice versa when more direct light (means the shadow is shorter).