How To Use Overlays In Photoshop

Today, we will learn how to use an overlay in Photoshop. Overlays are images that you can add to your photos as extra layers. They will come in handy when you want to add some extra dimension to your photos, like turning a plain everyday image into a rainy scene or darkening and adding texture to a bright beach photo.

You can use them individually or stack them and adjust their blending modes to achieve a unique look.

For this example, we are using some overlays from this weather overlay bundle on top of this beautiful beach scenery photo.

Step 1 - Open Base Image and Import Overlay Image

Start by making sure that your files have been downloaded and unzipped on your computer.

Open the image you would like to use the overlay on. Then, bring in the overlay file you want to use by dragging the thumbnail onto your base file.

By using drag and drop, the imported image will be a Smart Object in a separate layer. The Smart Object will enable you to apply non-destructive filters and edit them if needed.

Step 2 - Resize the Overlay Image

Resize the overlay layer if needed to cover your image. When you are happy with your results, hit Enter or click on the checkmark in the top toolbar to commit the changes.

Step 3 - Adjust the Blending Mode of Your Overlay Layers

Once your overlay is covering your image, you may need to change its Blending Mode in the Layers panel and maybe adjust its Opacity.

This will mainly depend on your base image and the type of overlay you chose. If your overlay is a png file with a transparent background, you may not need to change the blending mode at all.

In our case, we chose the blending mode, Lighten, just to blend the colors a bit since our overlay image had a transparent background.

If your overlay image has a dark background like the second overlay layer in the following image, you can use Overlay, Screen,or something similar to hide it. This will make the overlay transparent but still show the effect of the overlay layer on your image.

Here, we used Soft Light as the blending mode for the second overlay layer since it has a black background.

By stacking overlay layers and adjusting their blending modes, you can achieve unique combinations to get the look you want from your artwork. Each blending mode affects the pixels differently, so feel free to experiment with them. You can also adjust the opacity of the layers to tone down the effect.

If you liked this tutorial, why not try some other ones like how to blend two images, how to flip an image, and how to change day to night in Photoshop.