Need Photoshop (Elements) help please

[Jon_Are]

I've been messing around with Elements and one thing I'm having fun with is switching peoples' heads (pasting Aunt Tillie's head on Jessica Simpson's body, for example).

My problem is this: Often, the lighting in the two photos I'm combining is very different, so the skin tones are nowhere near the same.

I've monkeyed around a bit with the lighting and coloring settings, with limited success. What I think I need is some way to blend the two layers together so there is not such a hard edge.

Feathering? Blur tool? Smudge tool?

Seems like one of these might help me, but I can't figure out how to utilize them when two different layers are involved.

Thanks a lot,

Jon

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[Big Mike]

When you have layers, you can use a 'layer mask'. This allows you to cover or uncover a layer with great precision.

So on the top layer, add a layer mask...you can then use the brush tools to 'paint' the areas that you want to show or not. Just like normal painting with the brush, you can adjust the softness and the opacity to make the edge as soft or as hard as you like.

[loves_guitar]

One trick I heard once was to do the images in grayscale. Might not have the same punch as with color, but you'll fight less with matching the colour. Also, lower the layer's opacity so that you can see where you are blending it to.
Always lots of fun - have done my share of those kind of pics, too!

[Jon_Are]

Thanks Big Mike, but this doesn't seem to be working for me; painting on the layer mask seems to have no effect.

Can anyone give me a step-by-step??

Thanks!

Jon