Editing Photoshop Tricks and Techniques (section)

== Blending options ==

* '''Layer''' > ''right click'' > '''Blending Options'''
* '''Blend If''': `gray`
* Adjust sliders for "Underlying Layer" to clip the visibility of the layer depending on how dark or light the underlying layers are.

Original file:

[[File:Blend-if-gray-00-no-overlay.jpg]]

Add a new layer and clip it to the layer with the mountain.

[[File:Blend-if-gray-01-normal-mode.jpg]]

[[File:Blend-if-layers-panel.png|300px]]

Change the blending mode for the overlying layer to "color". The blend mode doesn't effect how the next steps work. But it's a more realistic use of this using the "color" blending mode.

[[File:Blend-if-gray-02-color-mode.jpg]]

Right click on the overlying layer and choose '''Blending Options''' to get the '''Layer Options''' dialog.

* '''Blend If:''' `gray`. 
* To clip the layer where it is on top of lighter pixels, move the right (light) '''Underlying Layer''' slider to the left.
* To clip the layer where it is on top of darker pixels, move the left (dark) '''Underlying Layer''' slider to the right.

This will result in a hard line between the visible and clipped pixels in the overlaying layer.

[[File:Blend-if-gray-layer-style-dialog-hard.png|800px]]

[[File:Blend-if-gray-03-underlying-hard.jpg]]

To soften the transition between the clipped and visible pixels, hold down the Option key <kbd>⌥</kbd> while clicking on the slider. This will separate the two sides of the slider. Spreading them further apart will make the transition between clipped and visible pixels more gradual.

[[File:Blend-if-gray-layer-style-dialog-soft.png|800px]]

[[File:Blend-if-gray-03-underlying-soft.jpg]]