blend modes

Deke’s Techniques 008: Reflecting a Face in Shattered Glass

Submitted by deke on 22 February 2011 - 8:15am.
Deke’s Techniques 008: Reflecting a Face in Shattered Glass

This week I take a photo of an everyday average woman screaming her brains out and double-map her onto a photograph of shattered glass (both from the Fotolia image library). Is she singing so loudly she breaks a mirror? Or is she a photo stuck behind the glass, shouting to get out? I ask those questions twice more inside the video, so please enjoy my repetition. Read more » 

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Deke’s Techniques 007: Blending Textures onto a Face

Submitted by deke on 15 February 2011 - 12:15pm.
Deke’s Techniques 007: Blending Textures onto a Face

Today's technique is all about mapping a couple of textures onto a portrait photograph. The textures in question happen to be a bit of alabaster and a travertine tile (the images hail from the Fotolia image library), but they could be anything. And it's all accomplished using Photoshop's advanced blending options. Read more » 

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Blend it Like McClelland

Submitted by LouBrz on 25 January 2011 - 6:15am.

Two of the more obvious ways to combine elements from different layers in Photoshop are: A) to erase or use a layer mask to reveal content from the layers beneath and B) to reduce a layer's opacity and make it translucent. These are powerful and ultimately straightforward techniques. But there's a third option. Photoshop's blend modes let you go far beyond what alpha-based transparency alone can do. Blend modes permit layers to transform each other's appearance.

photoshop-blend-modes-lead
(All photographs hail from the Fotolia image library.)

In Chapter 28, "Blend Modes Revealed," from the Photoshop CS5 One-on-One: Mastery video course on lynda.com, Deke clearly explains what blend modes do, how they work, which are the go-to modes to try first, and which ones are essentially useless. The chapter is so packed with examples and details that this article can serve only as a condensed introduction. But a rich introduction it is, packed with lots of insights and advice. Read more » 

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Martini Hour 060, In Which Colleen's Head Comes Precariously Close to Exploding over Blending Options

Submitted by colleen on 8 April 2010 - 12:15am.

How many people do you know who can spend a whole non-hour "hour" explaining the intricacies of one panel of one Photoshop dialog box, while sipping cocktails, and remaining as suave, charming, and entertaining as ever? I only know one---my good buddy Deke. And this week he gives us an expert tour of the Blending options inside the Layer Styles dialog box settings that appear when you double-click on any floating layer. There's a great deal of power there, and Deke is just the guy to gently and comprehensively guide you through it.

Come along and see where this expert exploration takes us: Read more » 

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Martini Hour 005, In Which Colleen Proves She Paid Attention in College

Submitted by colleen on 10 March 2009 - 1:05am.

Yes, my friends, it's time for another relaxing frolic in the frothy foam of Martini Hour. Oh, I know, one doesn't usually associate martinis with frothiness, but in this episode the lounge I dusted off my blender to whip up some Ramos Fizzes in homage to this week's theme: Blend modes.

And while the drinks may be sweet and frothy, the discussion is crisp and clarifying as a classic olive-laden martini. Here's what we whipped up for you:
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