Apply Image

Blending channels and images with the Apply Image command can be very versatile.
All the images involved must be the same resolution and dimensions.

1. This tutorial started with an image of a head and a texture image.

2. When a texture or picture is going to be placed over another image, it should be shaped first into the contours of the target image.
   A Displacement map is used to reshape the texture and this is covered fully in the Photoshop In A Day manual, but we'll do a quick summary here.

3. Save the Head image on the Desktop as a flattened Photoshop file.

4. In the Layers palette make a copy of the texture image, with Ctrl + J / Cmd + J .

5. With the texture image active, go to Filter > Distort > Displace.
   Set Horizontal and Vertical Scales to 8 and check Stretch to Fit. OK.

6. A new box opens and at the top it says, Choose a displacement map.
   Select the Head file which has just been put on the Desktop and click Open.
   The texture image will become distorted around the shape of the Head. Toggle off and on with Ctrl + Z / Cmd + Z to see the difference.

7. Make a copy of the Head image, with Ctrl + J / Cmd + J , so that we are working on a copy layer all the time.
   
   
   
8. Head is the target image, so the texture will be applied to the Head.
   The second image can be applied to some of the dark areas of the Target image, then applied to the highlight areas with a different effect.
   With the Head image active go to Image > Apply Image.

9. For Source, choose the texture image.

10. For Layer, choose Background copy.

11. Channel is set at RGB, but an individual channel can be chosen as the Source.

12. Check the Invert box.

13. When Blending is set to Normal, the Source image replaces the Target image. When the Blending mode is changed, then things start to happen. It all depends what sort of monster you want.
    Choose Color Burn.
    
    
14. Reduce Opacity if the effect is too strong.
    These settings will apply the Source image to the darker areas of the Target image. Click OK.

15. A Curves adjustment might be necessary here.
    
    
16. Go to Image > Apply Image. Same Target and same Source.
    Blending is Darken at 75% Opacity.
    The Invert boxes are unchecked, which means the texture image is now applied to the lighter areas of the Head image. OK.

    Under Channel, an individual colour channel can be chosen, or an Alpha channel can be used as a mask.
    
    
    
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