Photoshop help needed

[thermidorthelobster]

I thought I'd ask you nice people here before throwing this over to the wolves of Usenet.

I want to create a gradient layer mask in an irregular shape.  The easiest way I can see to do this is to draw a standard black-white gradient in an irregular shape and then convert it into a layer mask.  But...

I can use the gradient tool to draw a straight light-dark gradient at an angle, or around a circle, but I can't work out how to draw an irregular gradient.  Imagine for example drawing a triangle with a light colour in the middle, dark colour on the outside and a gradient between the two areas.  Or drawing an ellipse (not a circle) with light on the inside gradiented to dark on the outside.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
David

[Bob696]

Use a mucking great brush with as much feathering on it as you can then click off the edge of the picture. It will take practise but it works.