What program do you use ?
Jul 22, 2013

I mainly create using Craft Artist, but I have Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint.Net, Fotosketcher, Gimp, Paint Sho Pro and Twisted Brush Open Studio. I can make all of the changes (i.e., sketch, oil, etc.) it's mainly how you are blending them all together. Craft Artist does have a gradient tool, but not to get the effect that some of these have, unless they're using all tubes.
Jul 22, 2013

you can make your own tubes in Paint.net by using the gradient tool to blend all four sides of your image - hope that helps
Jul 22, 2013

any Photoshop Elements tips please!
Jul 22, 2013

I blend my images together in Paint.Net using the gradient tool which then gives you 5 different options of the shape of the gradient or blend
Jul 22, 2013

With Paint Shop Pro X
I use most of the time a mask like 20/20
you can find it here:

http://hootytuts.com/tut_dls/1tut_supplies/dls/masks/20-20.bmp

I do it once on a first layer then I duplicate it and do it (at least) another time. The first layer I change the "mode" so it blend more with the BG and sometime the intensity at 50
Hope you understand all my program are in french and I could not find a tutorial
Jul 22, 2013

I can do blending, and have done one or more, so maybe I'll use one of those as a practice and see what I come up with.
Jul 23, 2013

When your blend is done you have to "finish it", either very gently erase (with a brush) what is too much or I often "clone" some part. The more the layers you have the more the blend will be perfect. Like you wrote you have to practice
Jul 23, 2013

I'm not good with erasing with a brush, but I did do one and just uploaded it. It's one I had done before, but added the effects to it.
Jul 24, 2013