Ink and smoke effects transform ordinary portraits into striking artistic compositions. This technique blends human features with flowing ink textures to create dramatic, ethereal imagery.
The tutorial demonstrates how to seamlessly merge portrait elements with ink stock images using masking, blending modes, and highlight techniques for a professional result.
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Key Techniques for Ink Portrait Effects
Master these essential steps to achieve smooth blending between portrait and ink elements:
- Use Color Range selection to isolate ink from white backgrounds with fuzziness around 124 for clean edges
- Create layer masks on both model and ink layers to control which parts remain visible
- Paint with soft brushes at 50% opacity on masks for gradual, natural blending transitions
- Apply Color Dodge blending mode with pink highlights at 15% opacity for ethereal glow effects
- Use Reduce Noise filter to soften skin texture and create a more cohesive final result
More Tutorials About Smoke and Ink Effects
Explore additional techniques for creating atmospheric portrait effects:



