Ok, I got a basic question about PS......

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

10/03/2006 05:06:14 AM · #1

Ok, i've submitted to roughly 20 challenges and I use PS regualrly. I get layers, masks, levels, curves etc, but what in god's name is blening and how do you use it? I know it's a basic question and has probably been talked about but I figured i'd ask instead of looking though the thousands of threads.

jdannels

Nikon D300s

10/03/2006 06:17:06 AM · #2

I think what you mean is blending. And I think it means using different layers with masks. For example using a curves layer specifically for the sky in a landscape and then erasing using a mask of the terrain on the bottom. You would take a black brush and paint onto the curves layer mask which would erase that layer and show what was done underneath it(i.e. minus the curves layer). You could also use a white brush to bring it back, the beauty of masks really. :) Or it could mean lowering the opacity of a layer to start to find a nice mix into the photowork below.
Atleast thats what I think it means but its very late, so maybe somebody else can explain it better. Hope this atleast mildly helpful.
joe

Artifacts

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/03/2006 06:24:50 AM · #3

I assume you mean 'blending'... It is a good question.

Blending is a multi-layer concept and deals with how one layer interacts with the others to create the final image. Several concepts come to mind:

1-Blending Mode and Layer Opacity
These are the most commonly used and are called general blending options. Defaults are 'normal' and 100%. Change these and it affects how that layer interacts or 'blends' with the others and apply across the whole layer. Reduce Layer Opacity to allow more of the layers below it to show through.

2-Blending Options
Found under 'Layers->Layer Style->Blending Options' this contain the general blending options plus a set of other properties you can change to affect how a layer blends with other layers.

3-Layer masks
You can paint with black or grey on the layer mask to block the affect of one layer and allow the layers below to show through. This is another form of blending that is selectively applied where you want it.

David.C

10/03/2006 06:25:51 AM · #4

First of all, blending is not a basic PS question -- it is probably the most misunderstood area of PS. There are several aspects of blending, but usually when someone speaks of the 'blending' of something they are referring to the Blending Modes.

The Blending Modes are available for each layer (and pens, brushes and a few other tools) and generally affect the Base layer (bottom) based on the value of the Blend layer (top) on a per channel basis for each pixel. Because they operate on each channel of each pixel independantly, they are often non-intuitive. Play around with them and if you have specific questions ask them. The main thing to remember while playing with them is most of them are rarely useful at 100% opacity. The effect of the blend is at it's fullest with the opacity at 100% and is probably more useful for any particular image at a lower value -- often very low. This is nothing new, the basic tools such as Contrast and Brightness are rarely used at their full adjustment either. In fact, most of the adjustment available in PS are the blending modes in use in ways that are common enough they were given more intuitive controls.

Besides the Blending modes, there is Opacity (or how 'solid' the layer is), which gives the blending of the Base and Blend layers weight. At 100% Opacity, the Blend layer has full weight, at 0% Opacity the Base layer has weight and ranges anywhere in between.

The Blend Options dialog is available for each layer, and contains several other midifiers to how layers are blended, but it is probably best to get a feel for what blending does unmodified before delving too far into that.

David

10/03/2006 06:55:51 AM · #5

Aha, ok. That helps alot. Now a technicality: when I use the black brush on my mask, it can't see it on the actual mask but i can see it on the little icon in the "layers" box. HOw can I fix that?

You guys are great. Thanks so much with the help.

Chris

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

10/03/2006 06:56:50 AM · #6

Oh and another tricky one. Is using 50% capacity of levels at full opacity the same as you using 100% level and 50% opacity?

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

10/03/2006 07:13:50 AM · #7

Originally posted by smyk:

You can reveal the mask alone by holding the [ALT] key and clicking on the thumbnail of the mask....at least in Elements 2, the version I currently use.

KaDi

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

10/03/2006 07:16:36 AM · #8

Originally posted by smyk:

Oh and another tricky one. Is using 50% capacity of levels at full opacity the same as you using 100% level and 50% opacity?

I doubt it. What you describe sounds analogous to the concepts of volume and pitch in music....Is it the same to sing a mid-tone note loud as it is to sing a high-note low? Seems like you could experiment with the ranges you describe and share what you find out...it's a worthy question.

David.C

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/03/2006 03:25:36 PM · #9

Originally posted by smyk:

Oh and another tricky one. Is using 50% capacity of levels at full opacity the same as you using 100% level and 50% opacity?

I'm not fully sure what you mean by '50% capacity of levels' as the levels dialog had no percentages, but in general I believe the answer is yes.

But let me qualify that. At 100% whatever effect is added (Levels in this case) is at the level it was adjusted to in the dialogs. Reducing the Opacity blends the Blend layer (levels again) witht he Base layer (image before levels) in a weighted average. For example, at 90% opacity the Blend layer is 9/10 of the result, while the Base layer contributes 1/10. At 50% opacity the result is a standard average of the two layers. At 0% opacity, the result is the same as the original. The key part to realize here is that has the opacity is reduced, the effect is made less and less, returning the image to the state it was in before the effect was made. The over all result of sliding the opacity from 100% to 0% is the same as sliding the levels slider back to where it was to begin with.

Actually, many rely on this in their use of layers. This is done one of two ways:
It is common to hear someone say they 'over did' the effect and then backed it off by fading it. This is done by applying the effect too strong and then reducing the opacity to reduce the strength until it is just right.

Taking the above one step further, some (including myself) reduce all new layers a bit before applying any effect to them. The amount varies, but I start out at 75%. This allows me to increase the effect a bit as well as decrease it without having to reapply it.

These allow the effect to be adjusted later in processing without having to reapply the effect (or worse, try and apply an adjustment to fix what was done before). Going back and making the adjustment again is not so bad when it is just an adjustment layer, but gets worse when it is a filter such as USM -- and quickly becomes a nightmare when using effects that are not part of PS (such as contrast masking) but are created by using many layers. Put all the layers into a Layer Set and adjust Opacity to adjust the whole thing.

David

violinist123

Canon EOS-6D

10/03/2006 03:38:56 PM · #10

You asking about Fill versus Opacity?