Saturday, August 16, 2008

Blend I

Through this tutorial, we'll be trying to achieve something like this:


(Click for bigger version)

Firstly, these are the three images I will be working with:
One
Two
Three

Choose your base image, the one that will be the main focus of your blend. Mine will be this image.

I duplicated this base and hid the top layer. Stretch the bottom layer until the dark grass at the bottom is no longer see on the canvas.



Next, blur this stretched layer by:
Filter >> Blur >> Gaussian Blur (20 pixels)
Filter >> Blur >> Motion Blur (0 Degrees, 300 pixels)

Unhide the top layer and set this layer's Normal at 60% Opacity. Now, my canvas looks like this:



Next, I am going to take this picture.

Flip it horizontally (Edit >> Transform >> Flip Horizontal) and place it at the top left corner of the blend. Set this picture's layer to Soft Light at 40% Opacity.



Erase away (or use a layer mask) the parts that cover the main picture.



I am now going to take the final picture, place it at the blank place left on the canvas and set it to Soft Light at 100%. Do the same and erase the parts that cover the other pictures.



Next, make a new layer (Ctrl-Shift-N) and fill it with black. Set this layer to Color at 40% Opacity. Make another new layer and fill it with #361449. Set this layer to Overlay at 100%. (Feel free to change the opacity of this purple layer to the dark and lightness of your taste) The canvas now looks like this:



Add some text. Whatever you like. I wrote "Dance" in a font called Arabella and "for the love of" in one called Blue Melody.

Now, if you look at the blend, the bottom of the blend looks far too dark (the grass portion). Create a new layer and set it to Screen at 20%. Take the linear gradient tool. Make sure your foreground colour is black and your background colour is white. Drag the gradient tool from the top of the blend to the bottom, extending beyond your canvas.



Now, if you want to alter the colour or something, feel free to do so by:
a) stamping all the layers (Ctrl-Alt-Shift-E) and changing the colour balance of that layer (Ctrl-B)
OR
b) going to layer >> adjustment layer >> selective colour and change the settings with the preview box ticked so you can alter everything till you like it.

Voila! You are done. Not that hard, eh?

Picture Credits go to HBrush[dot]com