Array

How to blend Layers in Photoshop and select faces with masks

Colin Smith

Subscribe on YouTube:

Blending layers with faces in Photoshop

This Photoshop tutorial will show you how to combine images together to make a composite. I will show you a tip that helps automatically isolate faces to make posters and things, you can also use this for retouching.

This is how you make images like the one I quickly threw together here.

1. Combine 2 images into one document. Here is a simple tutorial to combine images

See the face on the layer above the background

2. Lets isolate the face

Choose the Channels panel

Hold down Ctrl/Cmd and click on the red channel.

3. This will load a selection of the reds. It will grab all the reds, which exist in some degree in every skin tone.

4. In the layers panel

Press Cmd/Ctrl+J to copy the selection to a new layer

step 5

If I hide the other layers, you can see what we copied from the red channel.

In some instances, you will get the opposite result. If this is the case, go back to the selection step 3 and press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+I to inverse the selection.

step 6

Turn back on the face layer and background and hide the duplicated face layer (Layer 1)

Click on new layer mask for the original face layerm you will see a nmask.

step 7

Choose the gradient tool and black to white as the gradient.

Set it to linear and Normal blending mode

Drag the gradient through the face

You will see a nice even blend

Turn on the top fac layer and it will add some opacity to the face, whicle keeping the smooth blend on the rest of the image

Using the same technique, I created this fake poster

 

I hope you found this useful. Check out the quick video at the top for more detail and tips.

Thanks

Colin

 


PS Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media for more tips.. (I've been posting some fun Instagram and Facebook Stories lately)
You can get my free Layer Blending modes ebook along with dozens of exclusive Photoshop Goodies here photoshop goodies for free

8 thoughts on “How to blend Layers in Photoshop and select faces with masks

  1. Ann Bricker
    October 5, 2022 at 7:55 am

    I rarely use the channels. After watching this I think that will change. Thanks Colin.

  2. Eternal Treasures In Time
    October 5, 2022 at 1:01 pm

    That was really nice–Thanks so very much for sharing and making it so UN-complicated!
    Respectfully and Blessings

  3. De
    October 5, 2022 at 5:39 pm

    Thanks Colin, enjoy your tutorials.

  4. Paul D Hanseen
    October 6, 2022 at 12:27 pm

    thanks FANTASTIC

  5. Anna Bruyns
    October 8, 2022 at 10:46 am

    am ready for the challange

  6. October 8, 2022 at 7:08 pm

    Learned a new lesson, I done it. Thanks for this nice tutorial.

  7. Henry
    November 2, 2022 at 3:17 am

    Thank you so much Colin, this is a great hack.
    I love your tutorials.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

How to use Structure Reference in Adobe Firefly to upload a photo or a sketch to guide ai image generation. 

In this tutorial we will share some techniques how to shoot and retouch for a high-key effect in architectural photography....

How to replace sky in Photoshop, sky replacement new features and free sky images from Adobe.

Copy link