Adobe Photoshop CS6 Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks by Lynette Kent

9
A Gaussian Blur is
applied to the
Combined Layer
copy 2.
9 Click the blend mode
drop-down menu and
select Darken.
0 Click and drag the
Combined Layer copy 2
over the New Layer
button on the Layers
panel.
# 41
••••
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
10
The blurred layer is duplicated.
11
A
13
12
! Click the blend mode drop-down
menu and select Lighten.
A You can optionally rename the
top layer Lighten and the next
layer down Darken.
@ Click in the Opacity field to
reduce the opacity to zero for
each of the top two layers.
# Click and drag the Opacity slider
of the top layer slowly to the
right.
TIPS
Did You Know?
The Darken blend mode spreads
the shadows in the image. The
Lighten blend mode spreads the
highlights.
More Options!
You can record an action so you can
create the skin-softening filter
quickly when you need it. Make sure
to set the action to stop so you can
determine the amount of Gaussian
Blur according to the details in the
particular photograph. See task #9
for more about actions.
Did You Know?
Each of the layers with the
Gaussian Blur applied will probably
be at different opacities to get the
most natural softening effect.
Chapter 4: Retouch Portraits 93