Photoshop Elements or Photo Impact Question

[chaoscent]

I have Photoshop Elements and Photo Impact. I am trying to do something that I think should be easy to do but I can't figure it out. I have played around for hours and not having success.
I would like use a clip art as a back ground picture. I would like to lighten it by about 50%. I don't want to change the colors, make it black/white or change the balance in any way. I just want it to be lighter by about 50%? Can anyone tell me what simple trick I am missing? I am trying to finish making up the autograph cards and I want faint backgrounds and it is taking me hours to get them looking somewhat lighter and then the colors are off.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
Penny

 

[rumblytumbly]

Penny,

In PSE you'll create a white layer. Create your clipart layer over the white layer. Make sure your clipart layer is selected. Directly above where your layers are stacked is a menu that says "Opacity". There is a slider button that you can slide down to decrease the opacity of the clipart layer. You can make it anywhere from 0-100% opaque. Lastly, add whatever layers you want on top. Your clip art layer will need to be a separate layer to decrease the opacity. Hope this helps.

Kari

 

[Dom13]

Never tried Kari's way. Will have to experiment with that one.

You may want to try reversing the layers on Kari's idea and make the white layer translucent. I've never done that but it's what popped in to my head as I was reading Kari's idea.

I usually go to the Enhance menu, select Color, then Hue/Saturation and use the Lightness slider to adjust my web backgrounds. Usually find around 65-75% works best.

 

[chaoscent]

I will try them both. Thanks so very much. The more I try to do, the more I find I don't know. BUt it is fun learning.
Thanks, Penny