Selecting a blending mode

The blending mode specified in the Paint palette or in the Timeline window controls how pixels in the image are affected by the brush stroke. It is helpful to think in terms of the following colors when visualizing the result of a blending mode:

• The underlying color is the original color in the image.
• The blend color is the color being applied with the brush tool.
• The result color is the resulting combination of the underlying and blend colors.

To select a blending mode for the brush tool:

In the Paint palette, choose a blending mode from the Mode pop-up menu:

Normal

Paints each pixel to make it the result color. This is the default mode.

Dissolve

Paints each pixel to make it the result color. However, the result color is a random replacement of the pixels with the underlying color or the blend color, depending on the opacity at any pixel location.

Darken

Specifies an underlying or blend color--whichever is darker--as the result color. Pixels lighter than the blend color are replaced, and pixels darker than the blend color don't change.

Multiply

Multiplies the underlying color by the blend color. The result color is always a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black. Multiplying any color with white leaves the color unchanged. When you paint a color other than black or white, successive strokes produce progressively darker colors. The result is similar to drawing on the image with multiple markers.

Linear Burn

Darkens the underlying color to reflect the blend color by decreasing the brightness. Painting with white produces no change.

Color Burn

Darkens the underlying color to reflect the blend color by increasing the contrast. Painting with white produces no change.

Add

Combines the color values of the underlying and blend colors to produce the result color. The result color is lighter than the original colors. Painting with black produces no change. Painting any color onto an underlying color of white also produces no change.

Lighten

Selects the underlying or blend color--whichever is lighter--as the result color. Pixels darker than the blend color are replaced, and pixels lighter than the blend color do not change.

Screen

Multiplies the inverse of the blend and underlying colors. The result color is always a lighter color. Painting with a black screen leaves the color unchanged. Painting with a white screen produces white. The result is similar to projecting multiple photographic slides on top of each other.

Linear Dodge

Brightens the underlying color to reflect the blend color by increasing the brightness. Painting with black produces no change.

Color Dodge

Brightens the underlying color to reflect the blend color by decreasing the contrast. Painting with black produces no change.

Overlay

Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the underlying color. Patterns or colors overlay the existing pixels while preserving the highlights and shadows of the underlying color. The underlying color is not replaced but is mixed with the blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color.

Soft Light

Darkens or lightens the colors, depending on the blend color. The result is similar to shining a diffused spotlight on the image. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the underlying color is lightened as if it were dodged. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the underlying color is darkened as if it were burned in. Painting with pure black or white produces a distinctly darker or lighter area but does not result in pure black or white.

Hard Light

Multiplies or screens the colors, depending on the blend color. The result is similar to shining a harsh spotlight on the image. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the underlying color is lightened, as if it were screened. This is useful for adding highlights to an image. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the underlying color is darkened, as if it were multiplied. This is useful for adding shadows to an image. Painting with pure black or white results in pure black or white.

Linear Light

Burns or dodges the colors by decreasing or increasing the brightness, depending on the blend color. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the underlying color is lightened by increasing the brightness. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the underlying color is darkened by decreasing the brightness.

Vivid Light

Burns or dodges the colors by increasing or decreasing the contrast, depending on the blend color. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, the underlying color is lightened by decreasing the contrast. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, the underlying color is darkened by increasing the contrast.

Pin Light

Replaces the colors, depending on the blend color. If the blend color (light source) is lighter than 50% gray, pixels darker than the blend color are replaced, and pixels lighter than the blend color do not change. If the blend color is darker than 50% gray, pixels lighter than the blend color are replaced, and pixels darker than the blend color do not change. This is useful for adding special effects to an image.

Hard Mix

Enhances the contrast of the underlying layer through the use of a mask on the source layer. The mask size determines the contrasted area; the inverted source layer determines the center of the contrasted area.

Difference

Looks at the color information in each channel and subtracts either the blend color from the underlying color or the underlying color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Painting with white inverts the underlying color values; painting with black produces no change.

Exclusion

Creates a result similar to but lower in contrast than the Difference mode. Painting with white inverts the underlying color values. Painting with black produces no change.

Hue

Creates a result color with the luminance and saturation of the underlying color and the hue of the blend color.

Saturation

Creates a result color with the luminance and hue of the underlying color and the saturation of the blend color. Painting with this mode in an area with no saturation (gray) causes no change.

Color

Creates a result color with the luminance of the underlying color and the hue and saturation of the blend color. This preserves the gray levels in the image and is useful for coloring monochrome images and for tinting color images.

Luminosity

Creates a result color with the hue and saturation of the underlying color and the luminance of the blend color. This mode creates an inverse result from that of the Color mode.

Silhouette Luma

Creates transparency in painted areas of the layer, allowing you to see underlying layers or background. The luminance value of the blend color determines opacity in the result color. Painting with pure white creates 0% opacity. Painting with pure black produces no change.