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As an alternative to utilising Layer Masks; this lesson demonstrates how to blend images using The Eraser Tool, The Blur Tool and Layer Blend Modes. To work along exactly, download the start images Here. Unzip the file and open the contents onto Photoshop’s 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. 
Thank you Kris from Paint Shop Stop for creating the woman’s face brush tip.
1/
Open your start images onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Tip
Grab each photograph’s top-right menu, and drag it diagonally, upwards - to display its outer grey canvas.
Tip: Quickly resize the image’s grey workspace by pressing Ctrl then tap the Plus or Minus keys.
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Now, activate The Move Tool.
Then double-left-click, and drag the snow covered beach image onto the blue sky beach image.
To save PC resources, delete the original snow image.
Your Layers palette will resemble the following - ensure this (top) layer remains active.
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Then from the toolbar, activate The Eraser Tool, and set the following attributes into its Options bar. Set Basic Brushes, as illustrated below; then double-left-click to set the following Hard Mechanical 48 Pixels brush.
Note
During this lesson, you will be constantly changing the Opacity, Hardness and Size (Master Diameter), of your brush Tip: Quickly alter the brush size by tapping your keyboard’s left, or right, square bracket keys.
Begin by erasing part of the snow image - subsequently revealing the underlying layer. If you need to undo your steps - from the top menu, choose Edit then Step Backwards, or click a previous snapshot in the History palette.
Now, reduce the Opacity and Hardness sliders - as illustrated below.
 
And very carefully, remove and blend the hardness between the two images - this is a technique that quickly improves with practise.
As you work, keep adjusting the settings, and brush size.
 
Tip
Changing your brush from a Hard to Medium or Soft, provides better control.
Tip
Final blending of the transition line between the two images requires very low Opacity and Hardness settings - apply the tools one click at a time, until you have successfully faded the area.
After you have successfully blended your images, you are ready for the next step.
4/ The Blur Tool
To further blend the transition line; from the toolbar, activate the Blur Tool.
And set the following attributes.
Now, carefully swoop over the transition line, to blur and fade it further. Ensure you do not touch any other part of the image.
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Still working on Layer 1, (from the Layers palette), change its Blending Mode from Normal to Luminosity - or experiment with different blending modes. Blend Modes lesson!
Luminosity Blend Mode changed my image to the following.
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Now, highlight the transparent face image, and (with the Move Tool), double-left-click it, and drag it onto the blended image. Note: You can resize it with the Free Transform command. To access the Free Transform command; from the top menu, choose Edit then choose Free Transform. Alternatively, press Ctrl then T. A (vector) transformation bounding box will immediately surround your image; now, resize your image by left-clicking and tugging one of the eight outer boxes - then press your Enter enter key to commit the change.
To help with the blending process, from the Layers palette, change the transparent face’s Blending Mode from Normal to Luminosity.
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Activate Layer 1, and reduce its layer Opacity from 100% to 66% - or thereabouts.
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When you are completely satisfied with your result; from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image - then save your work as explained Here!
Wendi E. M. Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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