QUICK TIP
Stay smart! When playing with images, especially during the initial deployment and arrangement
stages, keep your layers as Smart Objects. Unless you’re running out of hard drive space, resist the
temptation to Rasterize. You’ll be able to scale and transform with impunity, always maintaining the
original integrity of the images.04
BLEND MORE IMAGES
Place Paper.jpg (use Place Embedded in CC from here on out). Set to Overlay blend
mode and drop Opacity to 70%. Select the owl again and add a layer mask to this layer. Place
Mountains2.jpg and move it upwards. Set to Multiply blend mode. Option/Alt+click the layer
mask button to create a mask that hides everything. Paint with white to add. Place Tree.jpg,
scale down, position, and confirm. Set to Pin Light blend mode. Option/Alt+click the layer
mask button again, then paint with white to add.05
ADD SOME VIGOR
So far we have an icy mountain range and a skeletal tree. It
might be looking a bit bleak, so let’s remedy that. Go ahead and place
Trees.jpg. Position and confirm. Option/Alt+click the layer mask button
again to hide everything, then paint back with white to add. The lush
leaves will add some life and vigour to the emerging blend, and the
green is a refreshing addition to the palette. We’ll continue to add more
vitality with subsequent blending.06
RE INFORCE THE OWL
The owl has become buried under the
onslaught of nature images. It’s time to reinforce it.
Let’s make a duplicate of the owl – Option/Alt+click
and drag the original owl layer (with no Color
Overlay) to the top. Click the mask and fill with black
(with black as foreground colour, press Option/
Alt+Delete/Backspace). Now, paint back with white,
focusing particularly in the facial area to restore the
eyes and beak. Lightly paint white in other areas
such as the sides.07
BUILD UP IMAGES
Now that we’ve re-established the owl’s
features, let’s add more images to blend inside the
owl’s body. Place Base.jpg. Scale down and position
so that the arc of trees fits inside the bottom of the
owl. Confirm the place. Drop to 80% Opacity. Cmd/Ctrl+click the original Owl layer’s thumbnail, then
press the Add layer mask button. Paint black to fade
the top. Place Cliffs.jpg. Set to Soft Light blend
mode. Select the owl again and add a layer mask.
Paint black to remove unneeded areas.Photo editing
54 The Professional Photoshop Book
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