Macromedia Dreamweaver tips, tricks and tutorials

Antiquing a Photograph using Blending Modes

(beginner to intermediate level)

This tutorial will show you how to bring an old fashioned hand-tinted sepia look to your photographs. This photograph was found using Adobe Stock Photo search and the search term "civil war".


Original Image courtesy of Adobe Stock Photos	Antiqued Photo

Step 1: Duplicate the Background Layer

duplicate the background layer Start by duplicating your background layer by dragging the layer thumbnail over the new layer icon on the layers palette.

Step 2: Invert the Layer

Click on the new background layer and Ctrl + i (win) / Cmd + i (mac) to invert the layer. Rename the layer "Inverted".

Step 3: Change the Blending Mode and Opacity

Change the blending mode to hue lower opacity to 50% With the Inverted layer selected choose Color from the Blending Mode drop down. Then adjust the opacity to about 50%.

Step 4: Create another Duplicate of the Background Layer and Change Blending Mode and Opacity

change the blending mode to Pin Light after the blending mode and opacity change Duplicate the background layer by dragging it on top of the new layer icon at the bottom of the Layer's palette - then drag the new layer to the top of the layer stack. rename this layer to "Pinlight ".

Then change this layers blending mode to Pin light and the opacity to 30%.

Step 5: Duplicate background layer and set blending mode to Hard Light

In this step we want to give a bit more depth to the shadows so we will duplicate the background layer one more time and we will set the new layer's (which will be just above the background layer) blending mode to Hard light and the opacity to 30%.

Step 6: Adding Texture

color picker Create a new layer at the top of the stack by selecting the top layer and then clicking the new layer icon at the bottom of the layers palette.

Fill the new layer with the color by double-clicking the forground color icon in the toolbox and entering #544d36 in the # text box.

Then select the top layer and Alt + delete (win) or Opt + delete (mac) to fill the layer with the color.

add - noise Then choose Filter > Noise > Add noise. Choose Uniform, Monocromatic and about 30 % for the amount.

Step 7: Adding a Sepia Wash

Add sepia layer finished version Create a new layer at the top of the layer stack. Fill the layer with a light sepia tone, set the blending mode to multiply and adjust the opacity till some of the other color still shows through - in this example this was about 13%.

That's it - your antiqued photo is finished!