Question: How do you make things blend with the background?
Like the edges of the picture blurring into the background color.

Answer: I used to wonder about that too. I had no idea how to put two layers together to make the background look awesome, like those posters with things shadowing each other. I recently found out, and I'm happy to share the information with everyone the simplest way possible.

Today's picture:

 and

So first, try resize the image you're trying to blend in (in my case the tree thing, because Big Bang will be my main) so it's either the exact size or slightly bigger, however you want it. I usually don't make the blending photo smaller than the main, but if you want to, you can.

Then, well, copy-paste it on to the main so it becomes the next layer. Next, you see that "layers" box on the middle-ish right? (If you don't, don't panic. You can view it if you go to view-->layers on that top thingy) Click the first button on the bottom with the arrow pointing up, which is called "toggle layer settings."

When you do, you will see a kind-of box come out that has a slider for OPACITY (how much you're going to show it) and a MODE drop-down. It should be currently set to "normal."

It's really fun to blend. There are two ways, though. You can do it through the decreasing of opacity of the layer.

The RESULTS:

(opacity level 58)

Another way, and far more fun to do, is through the MODE drop down. There are many possible choice you can make, and I'll list you every single one.

Normal: Normal is... normal. No need to show that one.

Add: ...I don't know how to explain this one. Kind of, you know, adds on, I guess? It's as the name goes for most.

Alpha: Never used this one, never understood. Maybe one day.

Darken: Pretty cool, right?

Difference: It's kind of like the whatchamacallit thing on phone cameras. They're called difference, too, right?

Erase: Once again, never used, never understood. I think it's just... erasing itself.

Hardlight: Oh, I like this one. I use it a lot, and it's my favorite.

Invert: The name says it all. (I tried to save this multiple times, but it doesn't work. Sorry, no example)

Layer: I think this is like, the normal layered thing, but um... I'm not sure.

Lighten: Ah, finally one I can explain thoroughly. This generally makes the tone lighter, and the picture itself only comes out in the dark spots of the image before it.

Multiply: Useful. It kind of just adds on.

Overlay: I'm not really sure on this one, nor do I want to give out false info, so... no comment. But I kind of think it's like a version of Lighten, except it doesn't lighten up the whole picture.

Screen: This is another version of lighten, except the stress of the other picture (the non-Big Bang one) is less. At least, that's what I've thought of until now.

Subtract: Um... subtracts?

...And, that's all. Fifteen options, all pretty good (except, you know, some). Your choice, your fun. :)

^^ Yup that's pretty much it. There are pretty much fifteen options to blend the picture with the background, unless you're talking about blending. I'll make a chapter on that later! 

SO: The long awaited update, correct? Sorry, I just got my computer fixed today. Thank goodness :) I'll try to update more, since it's break from now on (but I still have summer school... Poor me). And I made a quick poster really quick, so please excuse it. I heard Quinnie (your new coauthor) will make a new poster, so anticipate! Anyways, that's all for today. I hope I answered your question, asnawzmao.