Transform, blend, and mask creatively

WANT COLOURFUL, MIND-WARPING BLENDS? COMBINE BLEND MODES WITH TRANSFORMS AND MASKS TO CREATE A FRACTAL-FUELED SYMMETRICAL DELIGHT.

2019-10-21 - [ DIGITAL DARKROOM ] [ ANDRE VILLANUEVA ]

FANCY CREATING AN intricate mix of colour and blended detail but lack a ton of hours to commit? Inspired by new-age mysticism and forged with key Photoshop features, this tutorial image will illuminate a method of rapidly self-blending fractal imagery in the quest to create a dazzling backdrop or even a stand-alone design that will draw viewers into its entrancing embrace.

Here you’ll compose a vibrant representation of a meditative inner-journey. The power generated is so intense that the essence is forcefully projected outward from the fellow at the centre of it all. To form the colourful blends and undulating lines of energy, you’ll take some fractal images and apply a quick flip-’n’-blend to produce a series of symmetrical panes. Blend these together to form an increasingly complex metaphysical mélange. Where things gets too muddy or convoluted, lighten the load by adding layer masks and controlling with gradients.

Engage adjustment layers and additional colour and blend modes at the top of the layer stack to tweak the look and explore other possibilities. After completing the tutorial, try using the techniques you’ve learned (and even some of the interesting panes you made) in future projects.

PLACE AND DUPLICATE

Open the first background image you want to layer. then, go to to File> Place [CC: Place Embedded], and grab the next file. Rotate, scale and position to fill the canvas before committing the place (press Return/Enter). Press Cmd/Ctrl-A to select the full canvas, then press Cmd/Ctrl-J twice to make two duplicates

FLIP

With the top layer selected, press Cmd/Ctrl-T for Free Transform. Right-click on-canvas, choose Flip Horizontal. Press Return/Enter to commit the transform.

BLEND AND MERGE

Using the blend mode dropdown above Layers, set the blend mode to Lighter Color. Now that you’ve blended, Shift-click the bottommost blend layer to select all the blend layers and press Cmd/Ctrl-E to merge.

INTENSIFY THE BLEND

With the merged blend layer selected, press Cmd/Ctrl-J to duplicate. Bring up Free Transform (Cmd/Ctrl-T ), right-click on-canvas and choose Flip Vertical. Commit the transform (Return/Enter). Set the blend mode to Screen.

ADD A COLOUR BAND

Click ‘Create new fill or adjustment layer’, choose Solid Color, #94c6ec. Click OK. Drop Opacity to 80%. Click the mask, press Cmd/ Ctrl+I to invert. Select the Gradient tool. Set the foreground colour to white and choose ‘Foreground to transparent’, Reflected style, 100% Opacity. Shift-click and drag vertically to add colour band.

PLACE, FLIP AND BLEND

Now you’ll create another symmetrical blend. Use steps 1-3 as a blueprint for working with gthe next image you want to add. After creating the blend and merging, set the resulting layer’s blend mode to Color Dodge so it can to fuse energetically with the existing image.

MASK WITH GRADIENTS

Tone down some of the brighter areas by adding a layer mask (click the Add Layer Mask button in the Layers palette) and introducing black to the mask. Here, reflected gradients (30-70% Opacity) are used to apply this reduction evenly and efficiently.

ADD RADIAL DETAIL

Place something circular, like the above, and scale and position before committing the place. Set the blend mode to Darker Color. If you like, add a layer mask and fade areas with black to help the layer jive better with the image. Use the Gradient tool again if needed. Try the Linear style (30-70% Opacity).

BLEND MORE

The more the merrier – add one or two more copies of the last image. You can either keep these in line with the other radial image or cut loose to add a pinch of asymmetry.

USE HUE/SATURATION

To introduce some chromatic variation, call up Hue/Saturation (Cmd/ Ctrl-U). Play with the Hue slider to shake up the colour. Optionally, adjust the Saturation slider, and tick Colorize if you want a single colour.

PLACE, FLIP AND BLEND

Do the flip-’n’-blend routine (steps 1-3) on the next image. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighter Color blend mode to banish the darker areas. If desired, add a layer mask and reduce in areas with black. Try the Gradient tool’s Radial style (here set to 100% Opacity).

RADIAL MADNESS

If you like, mix in further instances of the second last image you added. The Darker Color blend mode is once again used here, but feel free to experiment. Use layer masks where appropriate, and adjust with Hue/ Saturation to mess with the colour.

PLACE, FLIP AND BLEND

Do the flip-’n’-blend routine (steps 1-3) on another new layer. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighten blend mode. Mask to reduce in areas if desired. Linear, radial and reflected gradients are all employed here.

FORM FINAL BLEND

One last blend. Do the flip-’n’-blend routine on one more image. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighten blend mode. Option/Alt-click the Add Layer Mask button, then use the Gradient tool (Radial style, 100% Opacity) to add white, revealing the

DUPLICATE AND BLEND MORE

Duplicate (Cmd/Ctrl-J) the blend from the last step 1-2 times. Position/adjust these with the Move tool and Free Transform, and make use of the masks to be selective about what you want to show.

USE COLOR DODGE

Building up a few of the blends from the last step and then slapping another instance on top set to the Color Dodge blend mode can culminate in a deliciously blinding crescendo. By all means, mask out anything too retina-searing. If you like, see what happens with other blend modes.

ADD CIRCLE

With the Ellipse tool [CC/CS: set to Shape in the Options bar], drag out a white circle in the centre. Drop the Opacity to 40%. After placing the silhouette in the next step, you might want to check and see if this circle’s positioning or opacity need adjusting.

PLACE, FLIP AND BLEND

Do the flip-’n’-blend routine (steps 1-3) on something solid this time, as above. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighten blend mode. Mask to reduce in areas if desired. Linear, radial and reflected gradients are all

FORM FINAL BLEND

One last blend. Do the flip-’n’-blend routine on a fifth layer. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighten blend mode. Option/Alt-click the Add Layer Mask button, then use the Gradient tool (Radial style, 100% Opacity) to add white, revealing the blend.

USE COLOR DODGE

PLACE, FLIP AND BLEND

Do the flip-’n’-blend routine (steps 1-3) on the fourth later. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighten blend mode. Mask to reduce in areas if desired. Linear, radial and reflected gradients are all employed here.

FORM FINAL BLEND

One last blend. Do the flip-’n’-blend routine on the fifth layer. After finalising and merging the blend, set it to the Lighten blend mode. Option/Alt-click the Add Layer Mask button, then use the Gradient tool (Radial style, 100% Opacity) to add white, revealing the blend.