137. Blending Guide
xtine005 asked me to do a general guide for blending, so here we go. (Although I know she makes fantastic graphics herself) I will explain this for beginners, so I will do a lot of explaining (hence the "& other wisdoms" ;D). You've been warned.
Content:
1. The Tools
2. Overview
3. The Basics
3.1 Cutting out with Vector Masks
3.2 Cutting out with the Pen Tool
4. The Techniques
4.1 Blending with cutouts
4.2 Blending by using different Blend Modes
5. Putting it all together
6. Large graphics vs. Icons
7. Some last words...
1. The Tools
I use PS CS4, but this should be translatable to most other programs. Also as I expierenced a couple of weeks ago you need a responsive mouse to get precise results. It should be an obvious thing, but really, it isn't. xD
2. Overview
There are two different techniques I use for making blends:
- Cutting out (Vector Masks or Pen Tool)
- Using different Blend Modes.
So first, I will show you how I cut out images with two different techniques, then I will show you how you my two techniques for blending. If you are familiar with methods to cut out images, then you can skip that section and go straight to the blending techniques.
3. The Basics
3.1 Cutting out with Vector Masks
This is the most important technique for me, I use it 99,9% of my graphics. So I can never stress enough how amazing Vector Masks (often also referred as Layer Masks) are.
Choose the picture that you want to cut out. Preferable is something that has a clear background, or at least a clear distinction between object and background. I'll take a picture as an example that isn't too easy to cut out (the hair is tricky) but also not too bad (also I have already done that I'm too lazy to make something new. ;D).
I used in this wallpaper:
Copy the base and set the original base to invisible or create a new layer underneath the copy and fill it with a contrast color, this will make it easier to see how accurate you are cutting.
Now let's back to the duplicated image. Apply a vector mask.
Select a black rounded brush - I usually start with a big hard round brush, and then vary in size for the details. Make sure you have the vector mask selected (there will be a small box around it) and paint over all the parts of the image you want to cut. Don't worry if you delete to much - change your brush to white and paint over the part you want to make visible again and voilá it appears! That is the wonderful thing about vector masks, there is nothing that can't be undone.
I usually zoom in to do that - but it's helpful to make a stop from time to time and look at it in normal size, because sometimes it happens that something is cut out perfectly to the last pixel when in close-up, but it looks weird when you look at it in normal size. So while it is always good to be exact, there are often times when you have to cut away something that actually belongs to the object to make the cutout look good. For example I cut a lot away from the hair, because otherwise it would look even more artificial than it looks now - but I will come back to hair in a minute.
This is what it should look like right now. Don't fret if it takes a while, it's a tedious work (and I hate doing it) but the results are worth it. It is a much cleaner way to cut out images than with the Magic Wand Tool for example, which is done with a couple of clicks, but usually you have ugly fringes.
Coming back to hair. The cut looked much too harsh, so as a final step in the wallpaper, I again used the vector mask method and used a soft brush with a low opacity to soften the edges. So always vary with the brushes. But these kind of things I'd do in the end, if possible, because then you can see best what works for the graphic and what doesn't. I used a lot of lights and gave the whole wallpaper a soft look, so the soft hairline worked much better. But if I had a solid background with a harsh look the soft hairline would have been out of place.
First cut vs. Wallpaper:
So, yeah, I can't stress enough how amazing and important that technique is too me. :D
3.2. Cutting out with the Pen Tool
I only use this technique when I can't get something right with the brushes. I personally think it works best on straight lines, where it can be tedious to keep a steady hand with the brushes. But you can also use it for the whole picture.
Again apply a vector mask. Select the Pen Tool.
Set new Anchor Points along the edge of your object. Now, this is a little tricky, but with a bit of trial and error you'll get a handle of it. You can adjust the points and the lines created between the points with certain keyboard combinations (I know that they changed from PS 7.0 to CS4 - so these might not be the same with every program. Don't fret, there are lots of tutorials for every version.) but I usually use one: Strg + click on an anchor point let's you move that point and adjust the line. By just clicking on the anchor point you can delete it. This is quite useful because I tend to make more points than necessary.
Do this until you have a smooth line along your object.
A little sidenote, depending on which option you have selected for the Pen Tool (you might encounter that you create a shape layer with the foreground color, which can overlap the line you are working on - just lower the opacity. It can be quite useful to increase the opacity again to look how accurate you are working though.
Back to our anchor point line. You will have to close that line, so connect the the first with the last anchor point (a little circle will appear next to cursor when you hover over these points). Now, right-click and select "Make Selection" (You don't have to change any of the options). Now you have nice selected and can use the Paint Bucket tool on the vector mask and cut out the background. The result should be more or less the same as with the first technique.
It's really a matter of taste when it comes to question of using the Vector Layers with the Brush or the Pen Tool. I usually use the former, but especially on straight lines, such as arms or objects like a table it is easier and faster to use the Pen Tool. Then I use a combination of these two. Also with the brushes you have the possibility to vary in the harshness of the cut, with the Pen Tool you can't.
4. The Techniques
4.1 Blending with cutouts
Okay, I know this is supposed to be a Guide on Blending, so now we'll finally start with it.
Technique 1 is using cutouts. So you have learned how to cut out objects before, now just use two or more cutouts and paste them over each other, as I did here:
After a lot of coloring and some textures it looked like this:
Now, it is easier to cut out your pictures if you already have a composition in mind. In this case I knew what I wanted to do, so I took the three base images and pasted them on my canvas as they were. Then I started resizing and arranging them. If you cut out then your job is much easier, because you leave the parts that are covered by others be and focus on the rest. Also it gives you already a better idea if you need softer edges as in this case, etc.
If you need/want to play around it is definetly easier to cut out first and try arranging them later.
But either way, usually cutting out for blends is a process and you will probably want to make changes all along the way until the graphic is finished. But that's the great thing about vector masks - you can always change them.
4.2 Blending by using different blend modes
Now, cutting out is one method of creating a blend. Another (and much faster and much easier way - yay!) is to play around with blend modes and layer settings.
This blend is a good example:
Now what did I do? I simply slapped all the pictures from Jessica Alba's fabulous photoshoot on my canvas. I set all layers, except for the bottom layer, to lighten and played around with the sizes and arrangement.
Lighten usually is the best mode for blends, except for bright pictures, then you might want to try set them to Darken. But all blend modes can achieve interesting results, so play around and go crazy and you will get a fabulous result in the end, promised!
Now we have the basic concept of our blend, but most likely there will be parts covering other parts that you don't want covered, so we go back to our beloved vector layers and use a soft brush to get rid of all those parts.
In this case I kept a lot of the lightning and it makes the whole thing more organic than if I'd just cut out image beside image, so to speak. That is what you are trying to reach with this kind of blend, you want it to feel organic, it shouldn't look like there are just a bunch pictures slapped on and playing with the parts of the other picture is always a good way to achieve that.
This technique usually works best with images that have a similar coloring, because using a specific blend mode restricts you in your possibilities of coloring. For example I often use Soft Light Layers in my colorings, but now try and apply a Soft Light Layer over a Lighten Layer. The results will probably not the ones you wished for. Also with changing the brightness of an image you change the area that is visible in Lighten Mode. And that is true for all other modes as well.
It is easier when you can color the blend as a whole and don't have to adjust single images (as I had to for example with that Draco/Hermione blend).
Which brings me to the next point...
5. Putting it all together
Arranging your pictures is the essence of a blend, but the feeling of this being one picture, one graphic, comes with the coloring. Blended pictures should in the end look like they belong together in the first place, to create a unity. I can't give you a tutorial on how to do that, because every picture is different.
If you blend similar pictures (like the Jessica-ones) then it's not a big deal, put it all together and then color it as one picture.
But if they are different, in my opinion it works best if you choose the reference-picture and adjust the others separately until they are similar to your reference picture. This will give you a base that you can then color all of them together to your liking as a next phase so to speak.
If I have pictures that I simply can't put together coloring wise, I go for the black and white option. :D
Examples:
Textures are also really helpful to polish a blend, because they can cover up sloppy cuts or what I like to call the seam, the lines were the pictures blend together. Sometimes it simply won't look that perfect. Put a texture over it and it will look half as bad.
I described the various techniques in separate steps, but in the process of making a blend I mix and merge the techniques as I go. There is basically no blend that I made without using at least 2 of these methods.
6. Large Graphics vs. Icons
xtine005 also wanted to know if there's a difference between big grapics and icons when it comes to blending. For me, not really.
Icons are usually easier to blend because you simply don't have to be as accurate, because you simply don't see a lot of things on this small scale that you do see on a big graphic. Also you don't have to worry that much about framing your blend, like you have to when making a wallpaper.
A good example for this is my Josh Brolin blend, I made the blend and it was all good. But I wanted to have it as a wallpaper and I had to think of a way to frame it, because it simply wouldn't work as a wallpaper otherwise.
Of course icons have the disadvantage that sometimes you can't fit all in that you want to include, without making it too small.
But these are more questions of overall composition and all types of graphics have advantages and disadvantages. But the techniques I use for blending are always basically the same.
7. Some last words...
Don't be afraid to experiment. Play around. Look for inspiration and try to create something similar (of course this doesn't mean copy and steal, but making graphics is all about inspiration and re-creating - correct me if I'm wrong but we all "rip off" ideas from another, that's how trends come into being).
And what I think is also important: share your work with others although you don't find it perfect. I assure you, you will get positive feedback (I get more positive feedback on the graphics I don't like as much as the ones that get less feedback) and this will inspire you to keep working. There's nothing like a nice comment to get the muses working in your favour.
If you made actually made it through this rambling disguised as a guide: Congratulations! And I think I am safe to assume that are as passionate about making graphics than I am. I salute you, likeminded spirit!
I hope this was helpful, despite all the "just play around with it"'s. If you have any questions/suggestions please don't hesitate to share.
And now I will shut up. Promised. :D