How to make linear light in Photoshop cs5. Photoshop Basics: Blending Modes

When it comes to learning Photoshop, it actually means thoroughly learning just a few features, believe it or not. Of course, the Photoshop program is multifunctional and with each new version it is filled with more and more various tools and parameters. But do you really need the latest version of the program with its many features in order to process your photos?

You might think, “Yes, of course,” but most likely your answer will be no. With a little knowledge and skills in working with the basic tools of the program, you will be able to successfully process most photos. Although each subsequent version of Photoshop introduces additional properties and options, the basic tools you need to know are the same in both Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop 3, when layers were first introduced.

So, what do you need to know how to do in Photoshop? Firstly, use basic selection tools, and secondly, know what layers are for and how to work with them. Understanding how layer masks work is also important. Finally, you need to know how and when to use layer blending modes, which is the topic of our tutorial today.

In simple terms, blending modes allow a layer to interact or “blend” with an underlying layer or layers in various ways. Without using blending modes, the only way to combine layers is to reduce the layer's opacity (or fill it), which may not produce very interesting results. By using blending modes, we not only get unpredictable and incredible results, especially in combination with the work of layer masks, but also make our task much easier when editing, retouching or restoring photos, also saving time!

Of course, just like Photoshop itself, you don't need to know everything about blending modes to successfully use them in your work. Photoshop CS2 had twenty-three blend modes (including the default Normal mode), Photoshop CS3 added two more modes, bringing the total to twenty-five - a huge list to choose from! Names like Fade, Base Dodge, Linear Burn, Difference, and Eliminate are enough to leave you scratching your head wondering what these modes are and how to use them.

I'll tell you a little secret. Of course, it's not really a secret, but you're encouraged by the thought that you're going to learn something that no one else knows, so let's call it a secret. As I already mentioned, you don't need to know all the intricacies of working with all the blending modes. In fact, for most of your photos, it's enough to have an understanding of the five blend modes. Yes, yes, not about twenty-three or twenty-five modes, but only about five! What are these modes? Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Color and Luminosity. By learning how and when to use these modes, you'll be able to edit your photos with ease.

Before we start learning how each of the five blend modes works, let's learn where they are located. If you think you can find them in the Layers menu bar at the top of the screen, you're a little mistaken. In fact, if we clicked on the menu bar every time we wanted to change the layer’s blending mode, then this would be a real problem. Luckily, Adobe realized that we are all too lazy for this action and made our lives easier. You can quickly access blend modes by selecting the drop-down box in the top left corner of the Layers panel. By default, the blending mode is “Normal”:

Blending modes drop-down box in the top left corner of the layers panel

Just a quick note - if you look at the image above, you'll notice that I've gone ahead and created a copy of the original background layer (by pressing Ctrl+J / Command+J), and I now have that copy selected called " Layer 1" (Layer 1). I did this because Photoshop treats the background layer differently from other layers and does not allow us to change the blend mode while working with it.

If you're not following my steps while working on your own, and you notice that your Blending Modes drop-down box is grayed out (inactive), the most likely reason is that you only have one layer created in the Layers panel, and it's called "Background" ( Background). To access blend modes, you must either create a copy of the background layer or rename the background layer itself.

When you click on the little two-arrow icon next to the word "Normal" and open a window with a list of all the blend modes, you may initially feel that there is no sense or logic in the order of their placement, especially if you are not familiar with how these modes work . I'm currently working in the version of Photoshop CS2, which has twenty-three blending modes, and in the version of Photoshop CS3, as I mentioned earlier, there are twenty-five of them.

If you look more closely, you'll notice that the blending modes are actually grouped together. The top two modes “Normal” and “Dissolve” make up the first group, the lower modes are “Darken”, “Multiply” (Color Burn) and “Linear Dimmer” (Linear Burn) make up the second group, etc. There are six groups in total, and you might think that the reason the modes are grouped together is because the modes have something in common. You are absolutely right!

Although, you would be right to leave out the first group at the very top of the list. The “Normal” and “Fading” modes have nothing in common, and, nevertheless, are combined into one group. You could easily go your entire life without using the Fade mode as it's pretty useless, especially when editing images, while the Normal mode is the default and means all layers are adjusted automatically without any changes on your part .

So the first group is not really a group, unless you call it a group of "regimes that have nothing in common." The remaining blend modes are grouped together because they actually have something in common with each other. Below is a diagram of all groups:

Diagram showing different groups of blending modes

As you can see in the multi-color scheme above (I chose different colors for ease of viewing), the blending modes are Darken, Multiply, Color Burn and Linear Burn ( Linear Burn) form a group of dimming modes. Why? Because each of these modes makes the image darker. Please note that the Multiply mode is included in this group. If you remember, Multiply mode is one of the five modes you definitely need to know, and we'll explore it in more detail soon.

Next are the Lighten, Screen, Color Dodge, and Linear Dodge modes, which make up a group of lightening modes. Each of them brightens the image. Please note that the Screen mode, which is part of the Lightening modes group, is another mode that you should know how to work and which we will look at in more detail.

Below are the modes “Overlay”, “Soft Light”, “Hard Light”, “Vivid Light”, “Linear Light”, “Spot Light” (Pin Light) and “Hard Mix”, which make up a group of contrast modes. Each of these modes simultaneously darkens and brightens the image, making it more contrasty. Note that the Overlay mode you need to know is included in this group.

Next comes a group of modes that we will not consider in detail. It includes the Difference and Exclusion modes and is called the comparison mode group. Both of these modes are designed to compare pixels between layers and are not used often, especially when processing photos. You will rarely need the Difference mode, and you will use the Exception mode just as often as the Fade mode, in other words, almost never.

Finally, there is a group of component modes, also known as the HSL group (Hue, Saturation and Luminosity) after the first letters of the three blend modes included in it, along with the Color mode ). All modes in this group affect the level of brightness or saturation of the layer. The Color and Luminance modes are the last of the five basic modes you need to know for editing and retouching photos in Photoshop.

Thus, we have seen that, despite the huge list of blending modes, there are only five types of blending modes. Modes of the first type darken the image, modes of the second type brighten the image, modes of the third type both darken and lighten the image to give greater contrast, modes of the fourth type compare pixels between different layers, and finally modes of the fifth type affect the degree of brightness or saturation. Images. We've managed to organize twenty-five seemingly completely different blend modes into five types (except for Normal and Fade modes, which shouldn't bother us). Not a bad start! But we can go further, because you only need to know five blend modes to be able to process photos - one from the group of darkening modes, one from the group of dodge modes, one from the group of contrast modes and two from the group of component modes.

The first mode that we need to study in detail is the “Multiply” mode. As we previously saw in the diagram, this mode is included in the group of dimming modes. This means that the mode is aimed at darkening the image. In fact, this is the only mode in the group of darkening modes that you need to know well, and it is also the most widely used of all the blend modes. We'll look at the Multiply mode in more detail in the next lesson.

Translation: Ksenia Rudenko

When it comes to digital photography, collaging, and photo enhancement, two tools top the list: layers and 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.

Blend 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. The “significance of the effect” caused by using a certain blending mode, 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 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 sections 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 strongerThe base image is brightened. If superimposed on the original imagelayer painted black, it will not change. Base Layer Detailsare always preserved, except when a layer painted in White color.

Overlay

This mode increases the contrast of the image: shadows become darker, highlights become lighter. Any areas of the image 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. This way, you can select the desired blending mode either through the Layers panel or through the dialog box that appears when you create or duplicate a layer.

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 best photos and make good ones better.

Please note that to show the blending modes in action, we'll use other techniques. But we will show 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 the contrast of the 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 and is convenient for tone 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, target 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.

Note that the areas of the overlay layer that are colored gray 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.

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 by 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 retain their link until you undo it.
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 you work with a large number of layers and 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- Color Dodge mode has a similar effect to Screen, but is noticeably stronger in highlight areas due to the development of more saturated and contrasting colors of the underlying 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 lit 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. The practical application of this mode can be seen in the article.

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

In the middle at the bottom of the window there are two sliders in the form of black and white gradients. Once you learn how to use them, you can do wonders!

Each of the sliders has two markers: black (left) and white (right).

What happens if we move the markers? All shades to the left of the black marker will become transparent, and all shades to the right of the white marker will also become transparent. More details:

The shades in this section are transparent because they are located to the left of the black marker.
The shades in this section are opaque because they Not to the left of the black marker and Not to the right of white
The shades in this section are transparent because they are to the right of the white marker

As long as the markers remain in place, they do not create any effect. To see their work, you need to move them. Let's see what they can do

Slider "This Layer"

First, let's look at the "This Layer" slider. Let's drag the black marker to the right and see what happens if we drag the marker to the right, from black to white:

The same thing will happen when dragging the white marker to the left, only the gray ball will become transparent from top to bottom, because white tones on top:

The user can swap the markers; at first glance, this will create an incomprehensible situation - a white marker indicates that the area is opaque, and a black marker indicates that it is transparent. In fact, Photoshop solves this situation very simply - when the markers are swapped, they work exactly the other way around. That is, the transparent area goes to the left of the white marker and to the right of the black marker:

Split marker

Above I told you that each slider has two markers, but this statement is not entirely true. The fact is that each of the markers can be divided into two parts. To split, hold down Alt and drag the marker. This way you can make the transition from opacity to transparency smooth:

Slider underlying layer(Underlying Layer)

The bottom slider works exactly the same, but it controls the opacity of the top layer depending on the tone of the shade lower layer.

In the figure below, this effect is obtained because the highlight on the ball is round and the shadows grow in a circle, and not in a straight line, as in the first animation:

General blending rule for the bottom slider:

The area of the layer lying above dark shades on the left side of the black marker is transparent
The area of the layer lying above light shades on the right side of the white marker is transparent

You can also split any marker to make smooth opacity changes:

Changing texture opacity

I showed how the blending parameters work using the example of changing the shades of a gray gradient. A much more interesting effect will be achieved by mixing a more complex surface.

Here are some examples of applying a rust texture, you can achieve a variety of unexpected results:

In addition, along with changing the blending parameters, you can also change the blending modes:

Above I talked about the theoretical aspect of working with blending parameters. In the following materials I will show the use of blending parameters in practice.

The settings of almost all tools responsible for drawing in Photoshop (brushes, fills, gradients, etc.) contain Blend Modes. In addition, the Blend Mode can be changed for the entire image layer.

We'll talk about layer blending modes in this tutorial. This information will provide a basis for working with blending modes.

Each layer in the palette initially has a blend mode "Normal" or "Ordinary", but the program makes it possible, by changing this mode, to change the type of interaction of this layer with the subjects.

Changing the Blend Mode allows you to achieve the desired effect on the image, and, in most cases, it is quite difficult to predict in advance what this effect will be.
All actions with Blending Modes can be performed an infinite number of times, since the image itself does not change in any way.

Blend modes are divided into six groups (from top to bottom): Normal, Subtractive, Additive, Complex, Difference and HSL (Hue – Saturation – Lighten).

This group includes modes such as "Ordinary" And "Fade".

"Ordinary" is used by the program for all layers by default and does not provide for any interaction.

"Fade" selects random pixels from both layers and deletes them. This gives the image some graininess. This mode only affects those pixels that have an initial opacity of less than 100%.

The effect is similar to applying noise to the top layer.

Subtractive

This group contains modes that darken the image in one way or another. This includes Burn, Multiply, Base Burn, Linear Burn, and Darken.

"Blackout" leaves only the dark colors from the top layer image on the underlying layer. In this case, the program selects the darkest shades, and white is not taken into account at all.

"Multiplication", as the name suggests, multiplies the values of the base shades. Any shade multiplied by white will give the original shade, multiplied by black will give black, and other shades will not become brighter than the initial ones.

Original image when applied "Multiplication" becomes darker and more saturated.

"Darkening the Base" promotes a kind of “burning out” of the colors of the lower layer. Dark pixels on the top layer darken the bottom layer. There is also a multiplication of shade values here. White color does not participate in the changes.

"Linear dimmer" Decreases the brightness of the original image. White color is not involved in mixing, and other colors (digital values) are inverted, added and inverted again.

"Darker". This mode leaves dark pixels from both layers in the image. The shades become darker and the digital values decrease.

Additive

This group contains the following modes: Lighten, Screen, Base Dodge, Linear Dodge, and Lighten.

The modes belonging to this group brighten the image and add brightness.

"Replacement with light" is a mode whose action is opposite to the action of the mode "Blackout".

In this case, the program compares the layers and leaves only the lightest pixels.

The shades become lighter and “smoothed out”, that is, they are closest in value to each other.

"Screen" in turn opposed "Multiplication". When this mode is applied, the colors of the bottom layer are inverted and multiplied with the colors of the top layer.

The image becomes brighter, and the final shades will always be lighter than the original ones.

"Base Lightening". Using this mode gives the effect of “fading” the shades of the bottom layer. The contrast of the original image is reduced and the colors become lighter. A glow effect is created.

"Linear Dodge" similar to mode "Screen", but with a stronger impact. Color values increase, resulting in lighter shades. The visual effect is similar to being illuminated by a bright light.

"Lighter". The mode is the opposite of the mode "Darker". Only the lightest pixels from both layers remain in the image.

Complex

The modes included in this group not only lighten or darken the image, but affect the entire range of shades.

They are called as follows: “Overlay”, “Soft light”, “Hard light”, “Bright light”, “Linear light”, “Spot light” and “Hard blend”.

These modes are most often used to apply textures and other effects to the original image, so for clarity, we will change the order of the layers in our tutorial document.

"Overlap" is a mode that has absorbed the properties "Multiplication" And "Screen".

Dark colors become richer and darker, and light colors become lighter. The result is higher image contrast.

"Soft light"- less harsh brother "Overlap". In this case, the image is illuminated with diffused light.

When selecting a mode "Hard Light" the image is illuminated by a stronger light source than "Soft Light".

"Bright light" applies the mode "Base Lightening" to light areas and "Linear Dodge" to the dark ones. At the same time, the contrast of light increases, and the contrast of dark decreases.

"Linear light" opposite to the previous mode. Increases the contrast of dark shades and reduces the contrast of light shades.

"Point Light" combines light shades using the mode "Lighter", and dark ones - using the mode "Darker".

"Hard Mix" affects light areas with the mode "Base Lightening", and on dark ones - mode "Darkening the Base". In this case, the contrast in the image reaches such a high level that color aberrations may appear.

Difference

This group contains modes that create new shades based on the difference characteristics of layers.

The modes are: Difference, Elimination, Subtraction and Divide.

"Difference" It works like this: a white pixel on the top layer inverts the underlying pixel on the bottom, a black pixel on the top layer leaves the underlying pixel unchanged, matching pixels results in black.

"Exception" works the same as "Difference", but the contrast level is lower.

"Subtraction" changes and mixes colors as follows: the colors in the top layer are subtracted from the colors in the top layer, and the black areas will have the same colors as the colors in the bottom layer.

"Divide", as the name implies, divides the numerical values of the shades of the top layer by the numerical values of the shades of the lower one. The colors may change dramatically.

HSL

The modes combined in this group allow you to edit the color characteristics of the image, such as brightness, saturation and hue.

Group modes: Hue, Saturation, Chroma, and Brightness.

"Color tone" gives the image the tone of the top layer, and saturation and brightness - the bottom layer.

"Saturation". The situation is the same here, but only with saturation. However, the white, black and gray colors contained on the top layer will discolor the final image.

"Chroma" gives the final picture the tone and saturation of the overlay layer, and the brightness remains the same as on the underlying one.

"Brightness" Gives the image the brightness of the underlying layer while maintaining the color tone and saturation of the underlying layer.

Layer blending modes in Photoshop allow you to achieve very interesting results in your works. Be sure to use them and good luck with your creativity!