merging layers with different blending modes

[caligula]

Hi Nemesis, I am still having problems merging layers with different blending modes. I turn off the visibility of layers I don't want to merge and press command +shift +E (merge visible), but the result often differs from what the image looked like before merging. I think my version of CS2 must have something wrong with it as I have been total this should not happen. What do you suggest or what am I doing wrong? Thanks.

[NEMESIS]

Hello Caligula,

Do you have maybe some Layer Style applied on that layers?

[caligula]

No I don't have any layer styles applied on the layers that won't merge correctly.

[NEMESIS]

Hello Caligula,

Maybe is not necessarily your Photoshop CS2. Depends what blend modes of layers you have and in that composition they "make" that picture you like. BUT when you turn off some of them it can change the appearance of document. Anyways i will PM you and give you further information to solve this.

[ARTIMAG]

Hello!
I am new here and this is my first post, so sorry if something is wrong.
Ihave a question about merging layers with diff.blend.modes too.
I can not merge them together, I can not flatten my image, I can not even save it without loosing effect I created. Could you give me some advise please?
Effect I got using blending modes dissapears when I merge the layer down. This is a problem.

Thank you!

~A~

[NEMESIS]

Hello ARTIMAG,

To avoid loosing blend mode when you merge layers you have to do next:

1. Turn off visibility of layers you don't want to merge than click on the layer you want to merge with other visible layers you left and go to Layer>Merge Visible.

2. In some case you might want to retain all your layers plus to have merged all layers on single layer in same document. To accomplish this just select the topmost layer in stack and press and hold OPTION (MAC) or ALT (PC) and navigate to Layer>Merge Visible. Release your mouse button than release OPTION/ALT key.You'll end up with new layer with contents of all layers bellow while you retained theirs editing capabilities. This also preserves Blend Mode states and merges correctly your image.

See ya

[ARTIMAG]

Hi Nemesis,
Thank you very much for your reply!
I followed your advise and tried to merge my picture but with no result. I want to merge ALL my layers ( or flatten the image or just save as a .jpg file )
No result. I just can not do this without loosing the effect I want to save. I tried to merge layers on a new layer altogether, I tried to merge them one by one, in different order, etc.. Nothing helps. I have different blending modes applied but the one which doesn't "behave" properly is "Luminosity" mode.
Others are "Darken", "Vivid Light" and "Multiply".
Are there any other ways to merge them please? This is not about this current picture even but about the problem I have. Sometime it happens with other images I create so I just want to find what causes this.
Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you!

~A~

[NEMESIS]

Hello ARTIMAG,

Check your Private Messages.

[dev13]

I had a similar problem with a layer that was set to Lighten. Merging it down would look different than it did prior to the merge.

The answer was that it will look different if you are not viewing the image at 100% (Actual Pixels). Since I was zoomed out, I was only seeing an approximation of the actual image.

If anyone is having a similar problem, make sure you're viewing your image at 100%.

[ARTIMAG]

What to do if the picture will not be always viewed at 100% ?
Like on my site where the thumbnail allows viewing at half size or even less. To see the original size need to click another button but people do not usually bother doing that.

:-)

~Artie~

[Lesa]

Hey Artimag,

What about choosing File > Save for Web to create the JPEG you want with the effect intact? That way you don't have to merge the layers.

[Little-erik]

Im not sure... but i think that your problem has to with the transparancy of the layer that you to are merging together. if the layers you are merging has two different blending-modes, and non of them cover up eachother entirely, then the result can be very... wrong.

No super-easy way to fix it (as far as i know) but I mean, common! its photoshop we're talking about. Everything is possible!