Photoshop – Basics: Blending and layer masks.
 
 

To blend an image by blurring it’s edges to create a seamless transition is sometimes very useful when making any sort of graphic. Usually I use it for larger stuff like headers, wallpapers and banners or any sort of collage. Layer masks are also very useful when you want to erase areas without using the eraser.
 
 

Blending and Layer masks
Again – this is a tutorial I originally wrote to Ilaria in an e-mail, but it turned out pretty good I think and I thought it would be a good thing to share it.
 

1.
Click thumb to open image
 

I opened up a cap from callie89 to have something to work with. Oh! Look! It’s Justin being all bad-ass with his cowboy hat and sultry look. *pets tummy* FOCUS!
 

Ok. See that arrow? That’s the button for “Add Layer Mask”. Keep it in mind.
 

2.
Click thumb to open image
 

As you can see in my Layers Pallet I have created a background layer underneath Justin. This is so that you’ll see what I’m doing. 😉
 

One of the basic uses for layer masks is for when you want to blend stuff together. I pick the “Lasso” tool from the tools pallet and draw a rough circle around Justin.
 

3.
Click thumb to open image
 

NOW! Click the “Add Layers Mask” button. The stuff outside my selected area vanished and in the layers pallet a black and white image shows up that has the same area that vanished in black. That’s our mask! You have now “masked out” part of the image and what’s showing is actually the layer underneath it. In this case the white background.
 

4.
Click thumb to open image
 

Well. The mask might be good and all – but it’s ugly if we want to blend it in. So go up to “Filters” – “Blur” – “Gaussian Blur” and adjust the blurriness until you feel it looks pretty. Important to note here is that the layers mask MUST be selected. If it’s not the image itself will be blurred. To make sure, click on it in the layers pallet.
 

Now the image is all blended into the background.
 

5.
Click thumb to open image
 

Something else that’s cool is that you can pick and choose what part of an image you’d like to show.
 

Go to the tools pallet. See to it that black is set as a foreground and pick the square shape. See to it that the layer mask is selected and draw a black square over everything! Now it’s gone, and the thing you’re left with is the layer underneath.
 

6.
Click thumb to open image
 

Pick a brush. Set the foreground to white and see to it that the layer mask is selected. Use the brush on the white “blank” canvas. Peekaboo Justin!
 

Stuff to remember: Black=erases White=brings back
 

The last two steps also applies for erasing parts of an image. Instead of filling the mask with black, fill it with white and use a black brush with the mask selected and “erase”.
 
 

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