Simply concept of lighten blend mode

 

Before we begin, we need to understand the concept of Lighten Blend Mode.

If you simply create a new layer by clicking on the New Layer button right there and then choose the brush, and by the way, guys, this is just for demonstration,

All right, now let's change the Blend Mode of Layer 1 from Normal to Lighten.

All right, now, with the brush selected, let's sample a color, let's sample this color.

Now if we paint, see, the paint is not appearing on the areas which are brighter than the sampled color, and the paint is appearing on the areas which are darker

And that's what the Lighten Blend Mode is.

If we choose the Lighten Blend Mode, it's like saying to Photoshop either lighten it or don't do anything.

So if you can lighten it, lighten it.

If you cannot lighten it, don't do anything.

So, if we choose a darker color by sampling here, and if we paint on most of the areas, the paint won't appear. Why?

Because you cannot make anything brighter,or you cannot lighten with a darker color.

And that is the theory of the Lighten BlendMode.

So the hair gaps right here are dark.

So, let's create a new layer by clicking on the New Layer button right there, again, and this time, let's name this Hair Gap.

And now take the Clone Stamp tool right there and make sure the Sample is Current & Below.

Now, let's zoom in, with a soft brush, takes a  sample from a nearby area and paint over the hair gaps.

Now, once you have filled in these areas,you might think it's kind of too much so all got to do is simply decrease the Opacity.

So, I'm going to keep the Opacity at somewhere about, let's go for 40% or 45%.

Let us move on to our next example where we want our hair to be perfectly aligned.

We want the hair to be perfect, but, there are some gaps right here.

So we got to use the same technique, simply create a new layer.

Let's name this Hair Gaps Fill or whatever you want to

Clone Stamp tool selected, it still has the sample of the previous image.

So we need to take the sample from this image.

Now, keep in mind, you have to consider the depth of field.

So you cannot sample from this area because this area is out of focus and the hair gap that we are trying to fill is a little infocus.

So, please try to sample from a nearby area with a similar focal plane.

Alright, so we're going to sample from right here, and don't worry about sampling from dark areas, the Lighten Blend Mode will take care of it, it will only lighten.

All right, let's take a sample from this area and just simply fill it.