• Layer modes in Photoshop. Photoshop Basics: Blending Modes

    Working with layers is one of the most powerful features of Photoshop. No serious retouching is complete without working with layers.

    Layer blend modes are a big and complex topic. In this article you can familiarize yourself with layer blending modes and their descriptions. The article will primarily be of interest to beginners and those who have just begun to study the topic of layers in Photoshop, and it will also be useful as a cheat sheet on blending modes.

    First, let's look at the layers panel.

    Above the layers there is a menu for selecting the blending mode, opacity (Opacity) and filling (Fill).

    Note. I am often asked the question - how is Opacity different from Fill? The answer is that Fill affects the transparency of only the layer pixels, but Opacity affects the opacity of the pixels and layer effects.

    • Lock transparent areas - you will only be able to change areas filled with pixels.
    • Lock image pixels - Prevents pixels from being modified using drawing tools.
    • Lock position - prevents pixels from moving.
    • Lock the entire layer.

    Bottom panel:

    • Creating a link between layers - you can link two or more layers or groups to each other. Unlike selecting multiple layers, linked layers remain linked until you unlink them.
    • Applying effects to layers - opens the selection of effects and their control.
    • Adding a mask to a layer - a regular, white mask is created, and if you hold Alt and click on the button, an opaque mask is created.
    • Creating an adjustment layer - unlike a regular correction, say Curves - the adjustment layer can be changed at any time.
    • Creating a folder for layers is very convenient when working with a large number layers, group them.
    • Create a new layer.
    • Deleting a layer.

    Now let's move directly to layer blending modes.

    Layer Blending Modes

    Initially we have such a landscape picture. At the top we have a layer with 50% opacity, below there are two layers with 100% opacity. Two are opaque so that you can see the difference against the background of the sky and against the background of the grass.

    Basic - Main group

    Normal- The pixels of the top layer are opaque and therefore cover the bottom layer. Changing the opacity of the top layer will make it translucent and cause it to blend into the other layer.

    Dissolve- Combines the top layer with the bottom using a pixel pattern. There will be no effect if the top layer has 100% opacity. Reduce the opacity to reveal the effect.

    Darken - Darkening group

    Darken- Compares two sources and replaces light pixel values ​​with dark pixel values.

    Multiply- Darkens the entire image. Useful when you need to increase the density of highlights and midtones. Multiply is like viewing two slides overlaid on top of each other. If the top layer is white, no changes will occur.

    Color Burn - Allows you to get a darker image with increased contrast. If the top layer is white, no changes will occur.

    Linear Burn- A stronger combination of Multiply and Color Burn blending modes, dark pixels are converted to black. If the top layer is white, no changes will occur.

    Darker color- Similar to Darken mode, except that it works on all layers at once, rather than on just one. When you blend two layers, only the dark pixels will remain visible.

    Lighten - Lightening group

    Lighten- The opposite mode to the Darken mode, darkens dark pixels with lighter ones.

    Screen- Brightens the entire image. Use it to brighten dark areas of an image, as well as to bring out detail in underexposed images.

    Color Dodge- The effect of Color Dodge mode is similar to Screen, but is noticeably stronger in light areas due to the development of more saturated and contrasting colors bottom layer. Based on the Dodge tool, which simulates underexposure in the photographic process.

    Linear Dodge (Add)- Combination of Screen and Color Dodge modes; light values ​​are converted to white. If the top layer is black, there will be no effect.

    Lighter Color- Compares the values ​​of all channels of both layers and displays lighter pixels.

    Contrast - Contrast increase group

    Overlay- Darkens dark pixels (Multiply) and brightens (Screen) light ones, which increases contrast without truncation of shadows and highlights. If the top layer is 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Soft Light- A combination of Dodge mode, which brightens light pixels, and Burn mode, which darkens dark pixels. Increases contrast slightly less than Overlay and Hard Light modes. If the top layer is 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Hard Light- Uses the same method as Overlay mode, but the effect is stronger. If the top layer is lighter than 50% gray, then the top layer is lightened through Screen, and if it is darker, it is darkened through Multiply. If the top layer is 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Vivid Light- If the top layer is lighter than 50% gray, then the top layer is lightened by decreasing the contrast (Color Burn), and if it is darker, it is darkened by increasing the contrast (Color Dodge). If the top layer is 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Linear Light- Similar to Vivid Light mode. If the top layer is lighter than 50% gray, then the top layer is lightened by increasing the brightness (Linear Burn), and if it is darker, then it is darkened by decreasing the brightness (Linear Dodge). If the top layer is 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Pin Light- Combines Darken and Lighten modes to replace pixel values. If the top layer is lighter than 50% gray, the pixels are brightened using the Lighten mode, and if darker than 50% gray, the pixels are darkened using the Darken mode. If the top layer is 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Hard Mix- Brightens light pixels and darkens dark pixels to threshold values. This leads to extreme posterization. The glow of the top layer mixes with the color of the bottom.

    Comparative - comparison group

    Difference- Represents identical pixels as black, similar ones as dark gray, and opposite ones as inverted. If the top layer is black, there will be no changes. Practical Application This mode can be seen in the article.

    Exclusion- Similar to Difference mode, but provides less contrast. Overlaying on black does not result in any change, but overlaying on white pixels results in an inversion of the compared values, causing them to be displayed gray.

    HSL - Image Component Group

    Hue- Combines the Luminance and Saturation of the bottom layer with the Hue of the top layer.

    Saturation- Combines the Luminance and Hue of the bottom layer with the Saturation of the top layer.

    Color- Combines the Hue and Saturation of the top layer and the Luminance of the bottom layer.

    Luminosity- The opposite of Color mode. Combines Luminance (glow) of the top layer and Hue (color) and Saturation (color fluctuation) of the bottom layer.

    This article will give you a basic understanding of layer blending modes. Blending modes are used for different purposes, for example, to blend an object into the background, apply texture, or tint an image. When using blending modes, layers begin to interact with each other, you can also change the opacity and fill of the layer, resulting in interesting effect. Many people simply run the layer through all modes in search of best option. Of course, it will be much more convenient to understand at least a little about these modes and understand why each of them is needed.

    When we set the blending mode, the layer whose mode was changed begins to interact with the underlying one. Now let's look at the different blending modes, which are divided into groups by horizontal lines.

    1. Basic modes

    Normal

    Already from the name of this mode it becomes clear that it is normal state layer. There is no interaction between layers (active and lower). The pixels of the underlying layer are completely replaced at 100% opacity.

    Dissolve

    At 100% opacity, the top layer completely overlaps the bottom, as in the mode Normal. And when reducing the opacity, this mode randomly removes some pixels of the active layer, which gives the effect of porosity or noise. For example, we got a “chalk” effect with an opacity value of 70%:

    2. Darkening modes (Darken)

    In the entire group of Dimming modes, ignored white.

    Darken

    This mode reveals only the dark shades of the top layer on the bottom. It is used to layer one layer on top of another. If you want to darken, it is better to use the mode next on the list - Multiplication.

    Multiplication

    This is one of the most common modes. It superimposes the colors of the top layer onto the colors of the bottom. The color becomes thicker, which makes the image darker. This mode can be used to restore very light photos, by duplicating the main layer and setting the top layer to Multiplication.

    Darkening the base (Color burn)

    By increasing saturation and contrast, this mode produces a powerful effect. It also darkens a little, be careful with this mode as the colors will take on an unnatural appearance and your printer will not be able to display them correctly.

    Linear burn

    This mode darkens the bottom layer to reveal the color of the top layer by reducing the brightness.

    Darker color

    Here, only pixels that are darker than the pixels of the bottom layer remain visible.

    3. Lightening modes (Lighten)

    When using Lightening modes, black is ignored. These modes can be used to remove a black background while leaving other colors untouched, and also to overlay textures on a black background.

    Replacement with light (Lighten)

    Using this mode we get the opposite effect of the mode Darken. Reveals light pixels.

    Screen

    This mode performs the same calculations as the Multiplication, but uses inverted values ​​to show the final result. This mode brightens the image. It can be used to lighten dark photographs by duplicating and setting the top layer to this mode.

    Lightening the base (Color dodge)

    Similar to mode Screen, but the black color on the top layer does not affect the result, and other colors will lighten the underlying ones slightly, by raising the saturation and lowering the contrast to find a suitable tone. Good for creating strong effects.

    Linear Dodge (Add)

    Colors here are combined by increasing brightness, light colors are replaced by lighter ones. Is a combination of modes Screen And Lightening the base (Color Dodge).

    Lighter Color

    Only pixels that are lighter than the pixels in the bottom layer remain visible.

    4. Contrast modes

    For all modes in this group, the ignored color is 50% gray (except for the Hard Mix).

    Overlay

    This mode blends the colors of both layers evenly and lends itself well to changes in transparency. It eliminates the light parts and multiplies the dark ones. At low transparency, it is similar to the mode Normal, but with more intense colors. Good for adding texture to an image.

    Soft light

    This mode lightens and darkens the colors of the image depending on the color of the top layer. This is almost the same as a diffuse light filter. Good for adjusting tones, increasing contrast in low-contrast images, and lowering the transparency for an even more subtle effect.

    Hard light

    Similar to previous mode. Almost never used because Soft light(Soft light) more controlled. It will darken the image if it's dark at the top, brighten it if it's light, and increase the contrast.

    Vivid Light

    This mode darkens or lightens the colors in the image depending on the colors on the top layer. It appears that different contrast values ​​have been added to the image.

    Linear light

    If the top layer is bright, then the bottom layer will lighten, if it is dark, then it will darken.

    Pin light

    You can get different results with this mode, it works by moving the colors in the image depending on whether they are light or dark colors on the active layer.

    Hard Mix

    It gives a similar result, mixing the brightness of the top layer with the color of the bottom, the contrast here is at its maximum. The result is a very bright image, and in large pieces. Creates a posterized image that is limited in colors.

    5. Comparative modes

    The image we get as a result directly depends on the difference between both layers.

    Difference

    Suitable for creating various effects. It reverses tones and colors, the brightness here depends on the difference in pixels.

    Exception

    Softer version of the mode Difference, the contrast is small. Typically used to tone an image by laying down a solid color and significantly reducing the opacity.

    Subtraction

    The brightness of the top layer is subtracted from the bottom. When the pixel brightness of the top layer is greater than or equal to the brightness of the bottom layer, the resulting color changes to black.

    Divide

    Similar to the previous mode, only with stronger lightening.

    6. Component modes (HSL)

    The result depends on the brightness and color of the layers. These modes are typically used to shade and recolor objects in an image.

    Hue

    Here, the colors of the top layer are mixed with the saturation and brightness of the bottom layer. This gives a strong effect. The alternative mode is Color.

    Saturation

    With this mode, the saturation levels of the bottom layer are changed to the corresponding pixels of the top layer. Useful for making an object take on the color or texture of another.

    Color

    Here only the brightness of the bottom layer is used, and the color and saturation come from the top layer. Suitable for recoloring an image.

    Luminosity

    From the top layer, only the brightness of the light remains, and the color and saturation come from the bottom layer. If this mode does not work, try another of the 3 above.

    Now, to consolidate the material, I advise you to conduct your own experiment, this way you will quickly understand the properties of each mode and see whether the definitions of the modes are similar to your result or not.

    See you in the next lesson!

    When it comes to digital photography, collaging and improving photographs, two tools are among the first - layers and their blending modes. We'll talk about layers in another lesson, and now we'll turn your attention to blending modes. We will show you the most popular ones in the daily work of a photographer.

    First we'll look at several types of relationships between layers. Then we'll show you 10 of the hottest blending modes you can use to enhance your photos.

    Blending modes rely on complex mathematical operations that Photoshop performs transparently for you. It evaluates and compares the information stored in the overlay layer (Blend layer) and the base layer (Base layer). Next, depending on the blending mode you choose, it “mixes” both layers according to a certain “recipe”.

    As you will see later in this lesson, there are many such “recipes”. They all create space for completely opposite processing techniques, just as 7 notes underlie an infinite number of melodies. Let's give examples. Some blend modes use color and tone information from the base layer to darken the blend layer. While other modes do completely opposite actions. There are modes that greatly affect the contrast of the image, while others only affect its color.

    Let's take a look at which blending modes provide which benefits. We will show the effect and indicate situations in which it would be appropriate.

    Layer blending modes. Let's start using

    The truth is, for the needs of photographers, some blend modes implemented in Photoshop are used more often than others. Although many modes can find interesting, sometimes unclear at first glance, applications, some of them bring either an insignificant effect to the picture or are of little use from a practical point of view.

    • Translator's note."Significance of effect" caused by application a certain regime overlay, and the “usefulness” of a particular mode depends on the image being processed, the task you are faced with, and the chosen processing tactics.

    For clarity, we present in this section images divided into two parts. The left half will reflect the result of the layers, the right half will reflect the base layer.

    Color

    In this blending mode, the resulting image is created by combining the lightness of the base layer and the colors of the overlay layer. It turns out that one quality (lightness, for example) is taken from one layer, and another quality (in in this case, color) - from another layer.

    The Color blend mode is perhaps the most useful for creating complex color effects.

    Difference

    This mode can lead to strange and truly unexpected results. It will come in handy if you want to achieve unusual and expressive effects.

    • Translator's note. The Difference blending mode has a wider range of applications. For example, you can also align fragments of one large image relative to each other.

    Lightening (Screen)

    The original image as a whole is brightened. Black (but not dark) areas of the photo are not affected. The resulting image preserves the details of the base layer.

    • Translator's note. The lighter the overlay image, the strongerbrightens base image. If superimposed on the original imagelayer painted black, it will not change. Base Layer Detailsare always preserved, except when a layer painted in white.

    Overlay

    This mode increases the contrast of the image: shadows become darker, highlights become lighter. Any areas of the picture that are colored 50% gray remain unchanged after overlay.

    Multiplication

    The color of the base layer is multiplied with the color of the overlay layer. As a result, the image is darkened overall. Its white (but not light) areas remain untouched. This mode is great for highlighting the texture of the sky or white rock.

    • Translator's note. This blend mode is the opposite of the Dodge mode. The darker the overlay image, the more the underlying image is darkened. If you add a white layer to the base image, the original image will not change.

    Opacity

    Although blending modes are useful, using them in their pure form can lead to too strong an effect. Two layer properties come to the rescue: opacity and fill (Fill).

    If the result is too noticeable, reduce the opacity of the overlay layer. It's convenient to think of a layer's opacity as a volume control for a blending effect.

    For example, if Dodge brightens the image too much, reduce the opacity of the overlay layer:

    We duplicated the original image. And they overlaid a copy in the Lightening mode. The opacity of the overlay layer is 100%. The effect is too strong.

    The opacity of the overlay layer is 50%. The effect is softer.

    Understanding the Blending Modes menu

    Of course, before you use blend modes, you need to find where to switch them! Let's take a look at where in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements you can find the "switch" you need.

    The Blending Modes menu is located in the Layers panel. Their list is divided into semantic groups. So you can choose desired mode overlays either through the Layers panel or through the dialog box that appears when a layer is created or duplicated.

    Once you have selected one of the modes, you can cycle through the other modes by pressing the Up Arrow/Down Arrow keys on your keyboard.

    1. “Normal”, “Dissolve”

    These modes do not have any effect on the color or tone of the picture. The base layer defaults to Normal.

    2. Dimmers

    This group of modes darkens images in one way or another on all underlying layers. For this group, white color is immune, in other words, it is neutral. Accordingly, the white areas of the overlay layer do not affect the layers underlying it.

    3. Clarifiers

    This group of modes lightens images in one way or another on all underlying layers. In contrast to the previous group, black is a neutral color here.

    4. Contrast modes

    This broad group affects the contrast of the image. Modes from this group darken shadows and brighten highlights. Mid tone (50% gray) is neutral.

    5. Comparing modes

    Modes in this group subtract the colors of the overlay layer from the colors of the layers underneath it.

    6. Modes that affect color

    This group can be called "Masterminds". The colors of the overlay layer affect the colors of the underlying layers (without changing the underlying layers).

    10 most popular blending modes

    Now let's see how you can enhance your photos using blend modes. Also, in this section we will take a look at the modes “under the hood”... although it is not at all necessary to know what we see there. In fact, our task is to show you how to use blending modes to “save” not the most nice pictures, and take better good pictures.

    Please note that to show the blending modes in action, we will use other techniques. But we will show you where, when, how and why to use these techniques. And now...

    …let’s dive into the “Blending Modes” menu and go ahead and blend!

    1. Replacement with dark (Darken) and replacement with light (Lighten)

    These two modes create essentially the same effect, only in opposite directions. The first one develops either the base layer or the overlay layer depending on which one is darker. The second one does the same thing, but evaluates which layer is lighter.

    One of the effective uses of these modes is to create a soft filter effect.

    Make two copies of the base layer and blur them. Apply one layer in the “Dark Change” mode, the other in the “Light Change” mode. Use the opacity of the overlay layers to adjust the nature and strength of the effect.

    2. Saturation

    This mode takes hue from the base layer and saturation from the overlay layer.

    Duplicate the base layer. On a new layer, select the areas in which you want to preserve the colors, fill the remaining areas with 50% gray. Apply the top layer in the mode in question. The result will be a color isolation effect.

    So, this mode is well suited for isolating colors, as well as for “muting” them or, conversely, making them sound more.

    3. Lightening (Screen). Creating a Border

    Take a black and white frame image and place it above the base photo layer. Apply a frame in this mode to create an interesting border. An image of the base layer will appear under all the black areas on the frame layer.

    Want to know how it works? The Dodge mode shows the lighter areas of the image, which is why it's in the Dodge group, by the way. The black color for this mode is neutral, so the black area inside the frame is not visible in the result image, but shows through the base layer underneath. The white area of ​​the overlay layer, on the contrary, brightens the base layer to the maximum, in fact, “covering” the original image with white.

    The Dodge mode is used, among other things, to brighten images and create creative frames.

    4. Overlay (Overlay). "Lightening-darkening"

    This mode is used to enhance contrast, but is suitable for implementing the dodge-burn technique in black and white images.

    Create a blank layer above the base layer. Fill the overlay layer with a medium gray color and set its mode to Overlay. Now paint with white on the top layer to lighten the areas you need in the original image, and with black to darken.

    Use the opacity of the overlay layer to adjust the strength of the effect.

    5. Lightening (Screen). Lightening dark areas in a photo

    In the photo above, we used this blend mode to bring out detail in the dark areas of the photo. Although we selected a blend mode for the copy of the original image, we erased the sky on the duplicate layer: it is already quite light.

    You can temper the effect by lowering the opacity of the overlay layer.

    Remember, the Dodge mode does not affect the black areas - they remain the same - and has little effect on very dark areas. But you can see how all the other tones have brightened, including the midtones and quarter tones (highlights) in the foreground.

    So, use this mode when you want to brighten an underexposed photo or when you want to bring out detail in heavily shadowed areas of the image.

    6. Overlay (Overlay). Contrast

    This mode brightens highlights and darkens shadows, increasing contrast original photo. It is similar to the Soft Light mode, but is superior to the latter in terms of impact.

    The mode is ideal for adding expressiveness to low-contrast, “flat” photographs. As with any other mode, you can limit the effect to only a certain area of ​​the base layer by using a mask on the overlay layer.

    So, “Overlay” is good for increasing contrast, convenient for tonal and color correction. You can also use it to create a glowing effect.

    7. Color. We hint at it

    We created a Solid Color layer filled with a brownish tint. We applied a layer in Color mode to our landscape on the base layer to give the photo a sepia effect. As you can see, the type of layer does not matter: it can be either an adjustment layer or an image layer.

    Overlay in Color mode gives the photo a specific hue on the base layer. The program calculates the difference between the colors of the base and overlay layers.

    You can reduce the strength of the effect by adjusting the opacity of the overlay layer.

    This mode helps to gently draw the viewer's attention to certain colors in the photo. So, it is used to add color to images, targeted color correction (using several fill layers and masks on them).

    8. Multiplication

    This mode does exactly what its name says: it multiplies the colors of the base layer by the colors of the overlay layer. The usual result of overlay is to darken the photo. The effect will be useful, for example, for highlighting a light sky. And masks will help you limit the effect of the effect.

    So, Multiply mode is useful for darkening light areas in a photo. It affects both tones and colors.

    9. Soft light. Adding texture

    Using the Pattern layer and this blending mode together, you can give your photo the look of a painting painted on canvas. The pattern layer is essentially an analogue of the fill layer and also belongs to the adjustment layers.

    So, Soft Light mode is ideal for creating texture, as well as softly enhancing contrast.

    10. Color tone (Hue)

    This mode is similar to Saturation. The lightness and saturation of the pixels is taken from the base layer, and the hue from the overlay layer. You can add a color tint to those areas of the original image whose color is most saturated.

    Another application of the Hue mode is selective color changes. Create a fill layer of the desired color. Use a new layer mask to limit the area on the base layer that will be affected by the fill. Set the blending mode in question.

    Please note that the areas of the overlay layer painted in gray colors, reduce the color saturation from the corresponding areas of the base layer. And the gray areas of the base layer are not affected by the overlay layer.

    So, the Hue mode is used to change colors and manually colorize black and white images.

    Blending Modes determines how pixels in the overlay layer interact with pixels in the underlying layer. Knowing the algorithms for blending modes makes working in Photoshop much easier.

    For each layer, the default blending mode is set to Normal. As a result, the content of the overlay layer's image completely overlaps the content of the underlying layer. Photoshop has several blending modes that provide different options for blending the pixels of the overlay layer onto the original one.

    Layer blending modes are located in the drop-down menu on the left top corner layers palette. Blend modes are also used by painting tools and are found in the drop-down menu of the tool's settings palette. But blending modes become the most powerful tool when used with layers.

    Blend modes are divided into six groups:

    1. Basic- replace base pixels.
    2. Darkening (Darken)- darken the base pixels.
    3. Lightening- brighten the base pixels.
    4. Contrast- increase the contrast of base pixels.
    5. Comparative- the result depends on the difference between the layers.
    6. Component (HSL)- determine the result by brightness and color between layers.

    To receive best result, with some blending modes it is recommended to reduce Opacity layer. As with other Photoshop tools, only experimentation will help you understand the algorithms for how blending modes work.

    To help you understand how blending modes work in Photoshop, I have prepared examples of blending one image over another in different modes. In all the examples, I'll be changing the blend mode on the top image layer to create colored gradient stripes. And I will apply it to the bottom layer with the image of the stalker.

    BASIC

    Normal- the pixels of the top layer are opaque and therefore completely overlap the bottom layer. Only by reducing the Opacity of the top layer will we be able to see the bottom layer.

    Dissolve- combines the top layer with the bottom adding a noise effect. To see the result, you need to reduce the Opacity of the top layer (in the example below - 80%).

    DARKENING (DARKEN)

    Darken- compares the colors of the top and bottom layers and mixes pixels in places where the top layer is darker than the bottom.

    Multiplication- multiplies the colors of the top layer with the colors of the bottom layer and creates an overall darker result. If the top color is white, no changes will occur.

    Darkening the base (Color Burn)- darkens the image using the contents of the top layer and increases color saturation. This mode gives a strong effect, but if the top layer is white, no changes will occur.

    Linear Burn- uses the same approach as the previous mode, but with a stronger darkening effect. Also, no changes will occur if the top layer is white.

    Darker color- similar to the Darken mode, except that it does not work per channel, but on all channels. As a result of its application, only those pixels that are darker than the pixels of the underlying layer remain visible on the overlay layer.

    LIGHTENING

    Replacement with light (Lighten)- compares the colors of the top and bottom layers and mixes pixels in places where the top layer is lighter than the bottom.

    Lightening (Screen)- Performs the same calculations as the Multiply mode, but uses inverted values ​​to show the final result. Brightens the image.

    Lightening the base (Color Dodge)- brightens the image using the contents of the top layer and increases color saturation. If the top layer is black, no changes will occur.

    Linear Dodge- similar to the Screen mode, produces a stronger brightening effect. If the top layer is black, no changes will occur.

    Lighter color- similar to the Lighten mode, except that it works not per channel, but on all channels. As a result of its application, only those pixels that are lighter than the pixels of the underlying layer remain visible on the overlay layer.

    CONTRAST

    Overlay- when overlaying the top layer on the bottom, combines the Multiply and Screen effects depending on the brightness of the pixels of the top layer. If the top layer is filled with 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Soft Light- similar to the Overlay mode, but creates a more moderate effect. If the top layer is filled with 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Hard Light- the principle of operation is the same as that of the Overlay mode, but with a stronger effect. Dark pixels on the top layer are darkened similarly to the Multiply mode, and light pixels are lightened similar to the Screen mode. If the top layer is filled with 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Vivid Light- depending on the brightness of the pixels of the top layer, darkening occurs according to the principle of the Color Burn mode, and lightening occurs according to the principle of the Color Dodge mode, but with a stronger impact. If the top layer is filled with 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Linear Light- similar to the previous mode, but with a stronger effect. If the top layer is filled with 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Pin Light- mixes the light pixels of the top layer using the Lighten mode, and the dark pixels of the top layer using the Darken mode. If the top layer is filled with 50% gray, there will be no effect.

    Hard Mix- creates an image with flat tones, limited colors and a lot of pasteurization. The illumination of the top layer is superimposed on the colors of the bottom layer.

    COMPARATIVE

    Difference- displays the tonal difference between two layers. This mode is usually used for technological purposes, and not for direct processing of the original image.

    Exception- similar to the previous mode, but with a less strong effect.

    COMPONENT (HSL)

    Hue- combines the color tone of the top layer with the brightness and saturation of the bottom layer.

    Saturation- combines the saturation of the top layer with the brightness and color tone of the bottom layer.

    Color- combines the hue and saturation of the top layer with the brightness of the bottom layer.

    Luminosity- combines the brightness of the top layer with the hue and saturation of the bottom layer.

    Photoshop can seem very intimidating while learning it, but once you get a feel for some of its tools, you'll be surprised how you ever got by without it. And if there is a category in Photoshop that is very confusing, but at the same time powerful when correct use, then this is a collection of blending modes. This article won't cover all the options available in Photoshop, but it will give you a good starting point on your journey to explore all the blend modes.

    Blend modes in FPhotoshop: a few basic modes to get you started

    In Photoshop, blend modes are found in the drop-down menu at the top of the Layers panel (the default is Normal).

    There are a total of 27 different options to choose from, including the Normal blend mode, which is the default.

    Adobe has organized these 27 modes into six different categories.

    Normal– contains blending modes that are not actually mixed with the layer. (Normal ones show the layer itself, but a dissolved layer simply removes pixels from the top layer, and this effect increases as the opacity decreases).

    Darken– These blend modes use 100% white as a neutral, they create a darkening effect across the entire image.

    Replacement with light (Lighten)– here Photoshop uses 100% black as a neutral, they create a brightening effect throughout the image.

    Overlay– In Photoshop Overlay blending modes, blends the top layer and bottom layer in a way that adds contrast. The effect changes based on the layer's opacity and the selected blend mode type.

    Difference– This set can be classified as an inversion group, since these blend modes are often used to remove colors on the layer below or invert them.

    Hue– This is where Photoshop allows you to be very creative with hue, saturation and lightness in your layers.

    When you apply a blend mode to a layer, it affects the layer directly below it in Photoshop.

    To make it easier to learn all 27 blend modes, let's look at three of the most versatile modes Photoshop has to offer.

    The First Three Blending Modes You Need to Learn

    In all of the examples below, I'll be using two layers to demonstrate the different effects of each of the three blend modes. The top layer is simply a white, gray and black layer, and the bottom layer is the same image under three different colors.

    White, gray, black layer.

    Mode overlays Multiplication

    This blend mode belongs to the Burn group and therefore assumes 100% neutral white. The essence of this mode is that the dark pixels of the bottom layer are multiplied by those on the top layer and combined. The result is a darkening effect across the entire image, as the dark pixels on both layers become more visible while the light pixels practically disappear.

    In the 50% gray layer, you can see that the dark pixels from the gray layer on top are helping to darken the layer below it.

    This blend mode is suitable for creating shadows or removing light pixels from an underlying layer. It can be used in combination with the Curves adjustment layer to add extra darkness to the layer. Working on the dark part of the curves can be really handy if you want to highlight shadows or darken an image.

    Mode overlays Screen

    As mentioned above, the Light Replace group sets black as a neutral, so when using the Screen blend mode the black layer does not change, 100% white remains white, and 50% gray is somewhere in the middle.

    By the same token mathematical method Similar to the Multiply blend mode, the Screen mode multiplies the light pixels of the top and bottom layers. As you can see in the examples above, at 50% gray, the light pixels become even lighter because the bright pixels in the gray layer are multiplied by those in the layer below it.

    Screen blend mode is suitable for removing dark areas from an image or can even be used to create soft glow around the object.

    Mode overlays Soft light (Soft Light)

    Here, the formula used by Photoshop is a combination of the Multiply and Screen blend modes with the efficiency divided by two. This means that dark pixels will become darker and light pixels will become lighter, and the result will be divided by two (or 50% of the full intensity). The end result is increased contrast throughout the entire image.

    The Soft Light blend mode is great way add contrast to the image. And for a more intense effect, use the Overlay blending mode.

    The best technique for using it is to duplicate an existing layer and apply the Soft Light blending mode to it. You'll see an immediate increase in contrast, which you can adjust using the Opacity slider on the copied layer.

    Examples of using blending modes inPhotoshop

    Original – (in full size 750 x 378)

    The original image looked a little flat, but duplicating this layer and changing its Blend Mode to Soft Light will give you more contrast. This increased contrast looks good on the rocks and graffiti wall behind the model.

    Duplicated using Soft Light blending mode

    The next step was to add a Curves adjustment layer above the duplicated layer and change the blending mode to Multiply. A layer mask was then applied to ensure that the changes only affected the model's upper body and face. By making these small adjustments, you'll notice greater definition in the face and shadows.

    A Curves + Multiply blending mode adjustment layer applied to the model's face and upper torso to add definition and detail in the shadows.

    These three blend modes in Photoshop are just a start, but the key to success in learning big and complex Photoshop programs There is a gradualness, otherwise you will quickly become frustrated and give up. I hope that by focusing on these three blend modes, your understanding of the program will be easier.

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