Liquid Emulsion is a technique created using a blend of practical and digital forms of art, which allows you to use editing techniques that have become invaluable within the photography industry with the organic effects of art.
Pictured above are my black painted ‘borders’, which were to create the organic shapes as overlays upon my image. This gives the overall image an uneven and natural edge, with aspects of my photograph removed wherever the paint was applied.

Original Image
Steps:
- Open border (black paint) in Photoshop.
– Image – Adjustments – Levels
This darkens the black painted areas, and lightens the white to create a stronger contrast. This is optional, and the outcomes below portray the effects without and with this step.
- Select – All – cmd + C (copy).
- Move to your original image’s tab in Photoshop, and past (cmd + V).
- Edit – Transform – Scale
– Drag to scale, maintaining the proportions (if desired) and place appropriately across your original image. When you have finished, deselect to place the layer.
- Double click ‘Layer 1’ (your black border), and use the drop down bar in ‘Blend Mode’ to select ‘Screen’. Press OK, and your liquid emulsion outcome is complete.
- Without Adjusting Levels
- With Levels Adjusted
Further Edits: