Convert a texture so it can be used as an overlay

[Summayah5FC7]

Hello

How do i make a texture so it can be used as an overlay.

Please see examples attached. The white image has been converted to a greyish one. I can use the grey image and use the overlay effect to add textures to what i want.

I want to do the same to other textures.

Thanks

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@Summayah5FC7 Do you mean how to convert an image to grayscale and apply the Overlay layer style?

You can desaturate any image using Shift+Cmd+U or if you want more control, use the Black and White adjustment layer. 

[Summayah5FC7]

Thanks

That is what i want to do.

But when i desaturate the white image, it doesn't look like the grey one. Unless they were both made seperately.

Basically, i have purchased a set of textures. This is a canvas texture which is the white one. And it also has an overlay texture (the grey one)

But the other textures don't have an overlay version like this one. 

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

@Summayah5FC7 in order to make the white texture darker like the grey one, use a levels adjustment layer to change the exposure. 

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Here is a side by side with Levels applied on the right. 

[Kevin Stohlmeyer · Accepted solution]

Using this process you should be able to create overlay versions of anything. Here is some grass as an example. 

Original, desaturated (a little dark), then levels applied to lighten: