Professional Portrait

Today I want to show you how several corrected layers in different blending modes may transform a simple picture into a very dynamic and striking one.




The operation needs to insert a monochrome layer and small grain effect which gives the face an intensive expressiveness. The technology consists of combining certain layers with different blending modes.

1. Open the file and duplicate the background’s layer, applying the next demonstrated options: Layer>Duplicate>Layer(Ctrl+J).









Choose also the next selection: Images>Adjustment>Desaturate.





Set here the Blending Mode - Multiply.





2. Making the portrait more expressive is possible if inserting on the original picture the grain effect. Insert also a new layer (Ctrl+Shift + N).




Next we need to select the menu Edit > Fill and fill the layer with white color.









The next step includes choosing the filter Add Noise to introduce on the picture the noise effect.


3. Pass on the menu Filter > Noise > Add Noise. Select Monochrome option and choose for the Distribution option the Gaussian parameter. Set the Amounton 20 value and press then OK.





The intensiveness of this effect may be regulated by changing the Opacity value. Give to the processed layer the Blending Mode - Soft Light .





4. Get back to the background’s layer and select for it the next indicated option:Image > Adjustment > Hue/Saturation for enriching a little the layer’s saturation. Move the Saturation indicator on +40 value and press OK.










5. Make active the copy of the background’s layer. Select the next option:Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color. Press then OK in the dialog box for creating a new layer.





Choose the dark – brown color (#1A0C0C) in the Color Picker selection. Press OK.










Set the blending mode in the layers’ palette on Multiply. and Opacity to 95%




Now click on Layer Mask Thumbnail




6. Take the Brush Tool (B) now. Choose a brush with soft edges in the Brush Picker. Please, be attentive with the foreground color which should be totally black. Set the brush’s Opacity on 20% value.




We’ll open the layer, background’s copy, by inserting accurately brushstrokes on the face of the character and on the clothes.


















7. Having the brush on a small Opacity, the picture may be lighter, if inserting more brushstrokes. Changing the level of opacity, we may have some experiments with getting the light on the character’s face.







Try not to touch the dark area around the figure, situated in the half – shadow. If you by accident have affected the dark area, you need in this case to change the foreground color on the white one and only after toning back the zone in need.

8. Choose the next selection Layer>Flatten Image and after that we'll add border to portrait. Choose in the menu Image>Canvas Size (set foreground color to white before that).





Final portrait