progress from this post ....Advice please on retaining opacity when merging layers

[Pern]

Progress is slow as new to digital art but making progress ,
I need advice to retain opacity of upper layers when merging layers so the background does not show through

The picture below has a long way to go ( it's my favourite type of subject for oils and drawing)

when I merge layers to see how it's going the background mountain lines show through the dragons wing and chest, despite reading the manuals I'm not sure how and what to change on opacity settings when merging .....

So if I don't know it's best ask experts for help with this please

[stevemawmv]

Hi Pern,
You might get a quicker response posting in the 'Technical'
forum, and by the way, you've got a nice start on your painting..
Looks good,
Steve

*Or not, I'm going to thank you here Someonesane!
I also was wondering about that, thank you so much
for answering Pern's question...

[Someonesane]

Sounds like you're looking for the "Bump Blend Mode" option. On the layer panel, right click the layer that you'd like to have supersede the paint below it, locate the Bump Blend Mode option from the menu and select "Replace". Any paint you then place on that layer will overwrite the paint below it (meaning it will flatten the paint texture beneath it).

[Pern]

Thank you both especially someonesane , using the bump facility works, solve my difficulty and gives the picture strength ,,,,, now to continue working on it ...... Thanks again

[Pern]

Thank you both especially someonesane , using the bump facility works, solve my difficulty and gives the picture strength ,,,,, now to continue working on it ...... Thanks again

Now some weeks on and finding that trying is a learning process , still a way to go but here I am so far

[Someonesane]

Looking good Pern, keep at it!

[Pern]

Looking good Pern, keep at it!

More practice, still a long way to go , now exploring airbrush to give curvature to the dragons wings with some success and using transform to try to get some improved perspective and reality.

[stevemawmv]

Coming along nicely Pern!
Steve

[Pern]

Coming along nicely Pern!
Steve

Thank you for the encouragement ,
this is where I am now, have tried adding to it with blend modes but it loses impact difficult to know when something is finished .....

Any suggestions appreciated as this is a steep learning curve for me