Photoshop Question: That "soft" look?

arcadian girl

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I was wondering if any of the veteran sig makers could help me out with this? I'm learning Photoshop still, and I know about the little blur button, but I was wondering if anyone had tips on using it? I've tried, but my efforts never look as nice as some of the sigs on here - you know, that look where the cat is sort of blurry, but it doesnt look 'blurry' per se, it just looks really soft, and blended. How do I do that? It makes the cats fur look so nice.

Thanks in advance for any help
 

icklemiss21

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I use about 5 layers of the cat, at different blend modes and use a smallish 'blurred edge' brush to blur the areas

generally, I have a 'normal' layer, then a screen layer at low opacity then a few soft light layers and somewhere in there, a low opacity layer on multiply if the kitty looks too bright. I use blurring on all the upper layers or the bottom (normal) layer and use the upper ones to make it clearer again. On the normal layer I also use the eraser to 'clean up' the edges so when I make the other layers if doesn't have any weird edges - but use a feathered (soft blurred edge) brush again because that soft look doesn't look the same when the edges are hard
 
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arcadian girl

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Originally Posted by icklemiss21

I use about 5 layers of the cat, at different blend modes and use a smallish 'blurred edge' brush to blur the areas

generally, I have a 'normal' layer, then a screen layer at low opacity then a few soft light layers and somewhere in there, a low opacity layer on multiply if the kitty looks too bright. I use blurring on all the upper layers or the bottom (normal) layer and use the upper ones to make it clearer again. On the normal layer I also use the eraser to 'clean up' the edges so when I make the other layers if doesn't have any weird edges - but use a feathered (soft blurred edge) brush again because that soft look doesn't look the same when the edges are hard
thanks
sounds complicated, but I'll give it a go..

eta - don't worry, I'm not going to copy your sigs "look"... I don't see a point in being creative at all if one is just going to copy what others have done. I may use the blur tool to make the fur look soft, but the sig will still be my own style, and not bitten off of someone else
 

icklemiss21

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We all have different techniques and brushes and none of us mind sharing them
Even in mine some of them are very different from others I make, it depends alot on my mood when I am making them
 
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