Trillium
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Revised 05/21/10
Blending Modes
Normally, when you add a Layer to an image in a digital editor (Photoshop), any image content on that Layer will automatically block out any image on the Layer directly beneath it. The only way you have of changing this appearance is by reducing the Opacity of the upper Layer, so the pixels on the Layer aren't fully opaque. However, by using the power of Blending modes, you can blend images from two or more Layers in either very subtle or very dramatic ways.
Essentially, Blending modes are based on complicated mathematics performed by Photoshop, in which the software calculates the differences or similarities between image information on the target Layer (Blend) and the one below it (Base). Then, depending on the chosen type of Blending mode, it blends these two Layers in a particular way.
As you'll see on the right, there are many flavours of Blending modes, useful for distinctly different image-editing scenarios.
Some modes use the tones and colours from one Layer to darken the other, while different modes do the exact opposite. There are some Blending modes that will have a striking effect on contrast, while there are others that affect only colour information.
Of course, before you can use Blending modes effectively, you need to choose them! So it's worth taking a look at where the options for changing modes are located within Photoshop and other digital editors. The menu for the Blending modes, accessed from the Layers Palette, lists all the modes divided into logically grouped categories. You can choose a Blending mode by selecting it from the pop-up in the Layers Palette, or by choosing it from the New Layer dialog when you add a new or Duplicate Layer. Once you've chosen a Blending mode and it's still highlighted, you can scroll to another mode using the up/down arrows.
Blending Mode Menu
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Normal, Dissolve These leave colours unchanged, and have no tonal interaction with Layers below. Normal mode is used in basic Layers in Photoshop.
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Darkening modes These Modes darken underlying Layers. In this group, White is the neutral colour, so white areas have no effect on the Layers beneath.
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Lightening modes A Layer set to these lightens the underlying Layer. Opposite to the Darken group, this Lighten group ignores black on a Layer.
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Contrast modes This group of modes is broadly Contrast modes, lightening highlights in the underlying Layer and darkening shadows. Mid-grey is the neutral tone, and ignored in the blend.
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Comparative modes These two modes compare colours between the target and underlying Layer, subtracting one from the other.
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Colour influencing modes This group can be described as Influencers. They deal primarily with colour on the active Layer, and how colours affect underlying Layers.
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