You are here: Edit Mode > Using Add Tools > About Blend Modes

About Blend Modes

Blend modes are filters that change the appearance of the text added to your images with the Add Text tool. The following table lists the blend modes available in the Text tool, and gives a brief explanation of their effects.

Blend Modes

Normal

Applies the text to the underlying image with the specified color. Only opacity affects this blend.

Screen

Combines the text color with the inverse of the underlying photo color, resulting in a color that is the same or lighter.

Multiply

Combines the text color with the underlying photo to produce a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black; multiplying any color with white leaves the color unchanged.

Dodge

Combines the text color with the underlying pixels in the photo to produce a lighter color.

Burn

Combines the text color with the underlying pixels in the photo to produce a darker color.

Overlay

Preserves the shadows and highlights of the lower layers while applying either Multiply or Screen blend mode based on the underlying image area's color values.

Difference

Subtracts the text color from the color of the underlying photo. Any white in the text produces a true negative of the color in the image, while black produces no effect.

Darken

Applies pixels in the text that are darker than the underlying image. Pixels in the text that are lighter than the underlying image disappear (based on RGB values).

Lighten

Applies pixels in the text that are lighter than the underlying image. Pixels in the text that are darker than the underlying image disappear (based on RGB values).

Hard Light

Adds strong highlights or shadows by applying Multiply or Screen based on the underlying image area's color values.

Soft Light

Adds soft highlights or shadows by darkening or lightening based on the underlying image area's color values.

Hue

Applies the hue value of colors in the text to the color of the underlying image areas.

Saturation

Applies the saturation value of colors in the text to the color of the underlying image areas.

Color

Applies the hue and saturation of the text to the image. This blend does not affect the luminance of the underlying image.

Luminosity

Applies the lightness value of colors in the text to the color of the underlying image areas.

Dissolve

Randomly replaces the pixels with the image (base) or text (blend) color, depending on the opacity at any pixel location.

Exclusion

Like Difference, but with less contrast, Exclusion subtracts the text (blend) color from the color of the underlying photo. Any white in the text produces a true negative of the color in the image, while black produces no effect.

Vivid Light

Combines the text (blend) color with the underlying pixels in the photo by increasing or decreasing contrast to produce a lighter or darker color, as determined by the blend color.

Pin Light

When the light source is lighter than 50% gray, the pixels darker than the light source are replaced. Pixels lighter than the light source remain the same. When the light source is darker than 50% gray, the pixels lighter than the light source are replaced. Pixels darker than the light source remain the same.

Linear Light

Dodges or burns by lightening or darkening the brightness value, depending on the text (blend) color.

Hard Mix

Applies red, green, and blue channel values of the text (blend) color to the RGB values of the image.

Subtract

Subtracts the text color from the image (base) color in each channel.

Divide

Divides the text color from the image (base) color.

Darker Color

From the text color and the image (base) color, the lower channel values are chosen.

Lighter Color

From the text color and the image (base) color, the higher channel values are chosen.

You can use the Edit Brush to paint an effect onto specific areas of your image, and then set the blend mode and opacity slider to change the way the effect is applied.

See Also: