1. In an image comprising a plurality of regions, including a first region including a visual element, a second region adjacent to the first region, and a third region adjacent to the second region, the second region disposed between the first and third regions, selected portions of the regions having a continuous luminance transition therebetween, a method for generating a soft-edge matte in the second region for the visual element in the first region, comprising the steps of: (a) specifying an inner outline to define an inner region of the image having a plurality of pixels, the inner region corresponding to the first region; (b) specifying a soft-edge outline to define a soft-edge region of the image having a plurality of pixels, the soft-edge region including an area of the image between the inner outline and the soft-edge outline, the soft-edge region corresponding to the second region; (c) establishing representative values for the pixels of the inner region; and (d) establishing representative values for the pixels of the soft-edge region.