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This lesson demonstrates how to blend two images together utilising just Layer Blending
Modes. To work along exactly, you are welcome to download the images I am working with Here. Unzip the file and open the contents onto Photoshop’s workspace.
An advanced blending tutorial utilising a Displacement Map - can be found here
Setting the Default Workspace
To set the default workspace, from the top menu, choose Window then choose Workspace then click Default Workspace.
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
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From the top menu of Photoshop, choose File then choose Open. Navigate the subsequent Open dialogue, locate, then highlight the photograph of your choice, and click Open. Your choice of photograph will then open onto Photoshop’s workspace.
If your portrait image is coloured, convert it to black and white as described in my lesson Here, then rejoin this lesson with Chapter 2.
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Now, from the left-side toolbar, activate the Move Tool. 
And drag your choice of texture image onto the portrait image. In the Layers palette, you will notice the texture image layer is above the Background (portrait) image, as illustrated below-right.
 
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Now, from the Layers palette, click the tiny arrow highlighted below, and the following Blend Mode list will display. Clicking different Blend Modes will alter the way the top layer blends with the layer beneath it. 
Note
The Blend Mode list above is CS3’s, and blends are slightly different than earlier versions - as explained Here.
Different photographs produce unique effects; for example - changing the Blend Mode from Normal to Overlay, produces the following effect. In addition, altering the Layer Opacity will produce different blend strengths - therefore, for unique blends, experiment with both the Blend Modes and the Opacity slider.
Blend Modes Explained In Detail Here!
Layers Explained In Detail Here
Darken Blend Mode
Changing the Blend Mode to Darken (and reducing the Layer Opacity to 49%) created the following blend.
 
For the following effect, I changed the Blend Mode to Overlay. However, if you find the blinds are too bright - simply lower the Layer Opacity.
A variation of the blinds effect, (creating a shadowy effect) is produced by dragging the blinds image onto the portrait image - then clicking Ctrl then your keyboard’s i key. This inverts the (blind) image’s colours. Again, experiment with different Blend Modes and find a look you like.
Invert Colours Tutorial.
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Prior to flattening the layers, the texture can be repositioned over the portrait utilising the Move Tool. Move Tool - Lesson Here! Additionally, either image can be resized, or repositioned, utilising the Free Transform Command - Lesson Here!
Tip
Remove extraneous areas of texture using the Eraser Tool Lesson, or Layer Masks Lesson.
 
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Apply a Sharpening filter to your portrait image. To do this, (first left-click the portrait layer in the Layers palette to highlight it), then from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Sharpen and select a sharpen filter that works best for your image. My Sharpen Images Lesson can be found Here!
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Have fun experimenting with different photographs, Blend Modes, and Layer Opacities - perhaps painting the subject’s eyes with vivid colours - as demonstrated in my lesson Here. When you are happy with your work, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image, and save your work.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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