Class #3: Layers, Blending Modes, and Image Adjustment

Our third and final class on Photoshop will delve a bit deeper into photo manipulation and adjustments. We'll accomplish this using Blending Modes, Opacity, and Image>Adjustments.

Layers Palette:



• Blend Mode is how that layer reacts with and/or affects the layer below. The most common mode is Normal. The others create many different effects. Try experimenting with the various modes.

• Opacity sets how much the layer below is hidden or revealed. 100% opacity is fully opaque, while 1% opacity is almost transparent.

• Fill Level is similar to Opacity, but only affects the pixels in the layer and not any layer style that has been applied to the layer.

• Layer Lock Options allow you to lock a layer to protect it. By default the Background layer is fully locked and shows a little lock icon. The partial lock options are:
Lock Transparency – No changes will affect transparent areas
Lock Image (paintbrush icon) – No changes can affect the pixels on the layer
Lock Position (four headed arrow) – Pixels can not be moved on the layer

•You can only affect the Active (selected) layer. A layer shows Active by the dark blue Highlighting and the paint brush icon.

Adjustment Layers

Brightness, contrast, exposure, hue, or saturation controls are located in the top menu bar, under "Image", then "Adjustments".

Brightness/Contrast: Pretty self explanatory. Brightness/Contrast is easy to use, but limited in scope.

Curves: Curves allows you to adjust an image's mid-tones, highlights, and shadows individually.

Exposure: Exposure allows you to make tonal adjustments in several areas:
-Exposure slider adjusts the highlight end of the tonal scale with minimal effect in the extreme shadows
-Offset darkens the shadows and midtones with minimal affect on the highlights.

Hue/Saturation:

Color Balance:



In class Assignments:

Flower
•Hue/Saturate
•Color Balance
•Blending Modes

Underexposed Photo
•Brightness/Contrast
•Curves
•Exposure

T-shirt
•Blending modes, Type, etc.

Collage

*You will need to find a way to save your work files from each class, so that I may have a record of the class assignments. I will collect them at the end of the semester. Flash drives are probably the best way to accomplish this, and they're pretty cheap these days.