Adobe Photoshop Tutorials - Photo Effects

Photoshop Effects: Ghosting An Image

Learn Photoshop with Photo Effects Tutorials at Photoshop Essentials.com

Step 5: Add A Layer Mask To The "Motion Blur" Layer

Our image already looks a little spooky with the motion blur applied, but now we're going to bring back some of her face, and we're going to do that using a layer mask. With the "motion blur" layer selected, click on the "Add Layer Mask" icon at the bottom of the Layers palette:

Click the Add Layer Mask icon

Click on the "Add Layer Mask" icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.

This adds a layer mask to the "motion blur" layer:

The layer mask added

The layer mask is now added.

Step 6: Paint With Black On The Layer Mask To Reveal Some Of The Face

Grab your Brush tool from the Tools palette, or press B on your keyboard to quickly select it. Then press D on your keyboard to make sure black is selected as your foreground color (Note: If your layer mask was already selected when you pressed "D", your foreground color will actually become white, since white is the default foreground color for a layer mask. If that's the case, simply press X to swap the foreground and background colors, which will set your foreground color to black). Go up to the Options Bar at the top of the screen and lower the opacity of your brush to around 10%:

The Brush tool options in the Options Bar

Lower the opacity of the brush to 10% in the Options Bar.

This will allow you to paint the face back in gradually. Click on the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to select it if it's not already selected (it will have a highlight border around it if it's selected), and then with a large, soft-edged brush and black as your foreground color, paint over the middle area of the face in short, gradual strokes to bring back some of the eyes, nose and mouth, leaving the rest blurred out. Be sure to stay well within the boundaries of the face so everything blurs out nicely from the center:

Paint with black on the layer mask to reveal some of the face

The image after masking away some of the blurring effect.

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