Blend With a Difference

This tutorial will show you how to combine two photos into a surreal looking scene of one image projected onto another. We will not use layer blending modes or layer masks like most tutorials you see, the method shown here is another option to fine-tune your images.

To start with open up two images roughly about the same size. They do not have to be pixel perfect. Then get the images in the same document. The images which I have used were taken from istockphoto.com but you can find free sites what offer images like sxc.hu.

Now that you have both images combined into one document, click on the very most top layer (this will be the top image, double click on the image in the layers pallet.) This will open up the layers style but with a twist it will go to the main blending options. Do you see down in the blending options at the bottom there are two bars?

Like in this image:

What you need to do now is go down to the very top one of the two and click on the black arrow. Here is where the tip comes in hold down ALT when over it and you will be able to split the arrows in two. Play around with the settings. It will make the black in your image disappear.

The next thing to do is to do the same with your white until you are happy with the settings. This make the white leave the image. Note this is not going to look that impressive yet.

This is what my image looks like now at the moment:

Can you think what we are going to do next? Well if it's done correctly we are going to do the same to the bottom line. Do the same with the white and the black handle's and remember to hold down ALT when moving them.

This is how my image looks like now after I have added the second line to it:

The next and final step is to add a layer mask! To do this click on it on the layers pallet ( it looks like a envelope with a circle on it if you forgot.) I know I said that we would not use them but I lied. This is just to really touch the image up in areas that need it. The bulk of the work we've already done in the previous steps. Also you can add effects that you no doubt have seen from our other tutorials here at SweDesignz :)

Final image:

Click to enlarge