Blending

Page last updated: 10 March 2025

Blending Modes: A Comprehensive Guide

Every Photoshop Blending Mode: A Complete Guide with Examples

Also see Examples of Uses of Blending Modes for real world application of blending modes.

Introduction to Blending Modes
Three Main Blending Mode Groups You Should Know

Darken
Lighten
Contrast

Points to Note About Examples
Blend Modes Examples of All Modes

Normal Group: Normal, Dissolve
Darken Group: Darken, Multiply, Color Burn, Linear Burn, Darker Color
Lighten Group: Lighten, Screen, Color Dodge, Linear Dodge, Lighter Color
Contrast Group: Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Vivid Light, Linear Light, Pin Light, Hard Mix
Comparative Group: Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Vivid Light, Linear Light, Pin Light, Hard Mix
Component, or Composite Group Hue, Saturation, Color, Luminosity

Blend Modes: Effects of Fill

Color Burn
Linear Burn
Color Dodge

Blending Modes (Blend Modes) Introduction

Blending Modes are also commonly referred to as Blend Modes.

They are basically how one layer interacts, or blends with, the layer (or layers) beneath, based on mathematical equations or algorithms. Layers are blended depending on their hue, saturation, luminosity, or a combination of these. The results of blending the same two layers with different blend modes can vary widely.

Blend Modes are non-destructive. They do not change the layers below and you can always change the Blend Mode of a layer.

There 27 main Blend modes that you will find in several places in Photoshop, and a total of 31 Blending Modes. Each has a different effect. These effects also depend on what you are blending with what, so it’s impossible to know or remember all options. It’s also not possible to precisely predict all effects. A large part of using blend modes is to experiment, but it helps if you have an overall understanding of the blend mode groups and of the main blend modes.

Blend Modes are arranged in groups and each group has similarities. Understanding some key blend modes will help you find a starting point to find a blend mode for your purpose.

Opacity vs Fill. Note that most blend modes work the same whether you adjust opacity or fill, but some blend modes work differently when adjusted with either, for example a Solid Color Adjustment Layer with the Hard Mix blend mode.

Where to Find Blending Modes

Blend Modes are available in several different places in Photoshop, including;

Layers Panel Blend Modes are most commonly used in the Layers panel to change the blend mode of the layer and thus change how it interacts with other layers
Tools Blend Modes are available for some tools, including Brush Tools and Clone Stamp
Stroke (Edit > Stroke)
Smart Filters Blend modes are not available within the filter settings, but after applying a Smart Filter, you can change the blend mode of that filter
Layer Styles Many of the Layer Styles (Layer Effects, or fx) use blend modes, including Bevel & Emboss, Stroke, Inner Shadow, Inner Glow, Colour Overlay, Gradient Overlay, Outer Glow, Drop Shadow

Three Main Blending Mode Groups You Should Know

There are many blend modes and each also depends on what you are blending with, so it’s impossible to know or remember all options. A large part of using blend modes is to experiment, but it helps if you have an overall understanding of the blend mode groups and of the main blend modes.

Blend Modes are arranged in groups and each group has similarities. Understanding some key blend modes will help you find a starting point to find a blend mode for your purpose. The first group includes Normal and Dissolve. Normal is the default blend mode. The next three groups perform the following;

Darken: The blend modes in this group all darken in different ways. Multiply: Ignores white, makes things darker and deepens some color. This works like sandwiching two 35mm slides together. Multiply is the opposite of Screen.

Lighten: The blend modes in this group all lighten in different ways. Screen: Light pixels get darker, black pixels are ignored. Like using two slide projectors onto the same screen. Screen is the opposite of Multiply.

Contrast: Overlay and Soft Light are contrast-enhancing blend modes that work similarly, rendering the dark parts of an image darker and the bright parts brighter, while making the color more saturated. They both ignore 50% grey. The blend modes in this group all affect contrast in different ways. Overlay: This works like a combination of Screen and Multiply. It increases contrast. Ignores 50% grey, makes things lighter or darker. Soft Light: is a less intense version of Overlay.

Important Points to Note

Original photo, background image

This is the base layer image (background) for all of the following blend modes.

Blend modes work by interacting with the layer, or layers, beneath. All the four images in each blend mode will interact with this image.

All blend mode layers are 100% Opacity and 100% Fill.

The images show a variety of detail and color; soft lines of foliage, hard lines of the viaduct, a gradient with different colors. The test card shows how each blend mode interacts with black, 50% mid grey, white, red, green and blue.

Blending Mode Examples

Normal Group

Blend Modes: Normal, Dissolve.

Layer Opacity or Fill must be adjusted for any effects to be noticeable (they both have the same effect).

Normal

This is the default blending mode. It simply displays the top layer without any blending. The only way to change the appearance is by changing opacity or fill, although they have the same effect.

Dissolve

Randomly replaces pixels with the base or blend color, depending on opacity. Creates a grainy effect. To see this effect, reduce opacity or fill.

Darken Group

Blend Modes: Darken, Multiply, Color-Burn, Linear-Burn. Darker Color.

These blend modes will darken the underlying layer.

Darken

Compares pixels and keeps the darker ones, replacing lighter ones. Darkens the image overall. Opposite of Lighten.

Multiply

Multiplies the base and blend colors, resulting in a darker image. Often used for shadows and darkening effects. This is one of the more commonly used blend modes.

Color Burn

Similar to Multiply, it increases contrast, darkens the base color to reflect the blend color and intensifies the colors.

Linear Burn

Darkens by reducing brightness. Similar to Color Burn but with less contrast, darkening the base color with the blend color.

Darker Color

Compares the base and blend colors, keeping the darker of the two.

Lighten Group

Blend Modes: Lighten, Screen, Color Dodge, Linear Dodge, Lighter Color

These blend modes will lighten the underlying layer.

Lighten

Compares pixels and keeps the lighter one. Brightens the image overall. Opposite of Darken.

Screen

Opposite of Multiply. Brightens the image by multiplying the inverse of the colors. Black and white are not changed. It's used for lightening and brightening.

Color Dodge

Brightens the base color by reducing contrast. Creates a glowing effect. Black is not changed.

Linear Dodge (Add)

Similar to Color Dodge but with less contrast, lightening the base color with the blend color. Black is not changed.

Lighter Color

Compares the base and blend colors and keeps the lighter color, replacing darker ones. Opposite of Darker Color.

Contrast Group

Blend Modes: Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light, Vivid Light, Linear Light, Pin Light, Hard Mix

These blend modes affect contrast.

Overlay

A combination of Multiply and Screen. Dark areas become darker, and light areas become lighter, increasing contrast.

Soft Light

Similar to Overlay, but less intense. Applies a subtle effect, darkening or lightening the base color depending on the blend color.

Hard Light

Combines Multiply and Screen like Overlay, but with more intensity, creating a sharper contrast. It's a commonly used blend mode, but you will often benefit by reducing opacity.

Vivid Light

Combines Color Dodge and Color Burn, creating a highly contrasty effect with intense highlights and shadows. Adjusting opacity or fill produces different effects.

Linear Light

Combines Linear Dodge and Linear Burn, producing a strong contrast and more noticeable adjustments to brightness. Adjusting opacity or fill produces different effects.

Pin Light

Replaces colors depending on the blend color's luminance. Lighter areas stay the same, and darker areas may get replaced with pure black or white.

Hard Mix

Creates a posterized effect, blending with harsh color contrasts (only 8 possible colors result). Reduces colors to primary tones (red, green, blue, etc.).

Comparative Group

Blend Modes: Difference, Exclusion, Subtract, Divide

These compare and invert colors between layers. They create differences in color and can be used for aligning layers (e.g., for photo stacking or panoramas), comparing two layers to see the difference, or for creating surreal, inverted color effects. .

Difference

Subtracts the blend color from the base color or vice versa, creating inverted colors.

Exclusion

Similar to Difference, but with softer results, creating an effect of lowered contrast and more muted colors.

Subtract

Subtracts the blend color from the base color, creating darker results.

Divide

Divides the base color by the blend color, often creating bright, washed-out effects.

Component, or Composite Group

Blend Modes: Hue, Saturation, Color, Luminosity

Changes color quality, using a combination of white and primary colors (red, green, blue).

Hue

Applies the hue of the blend color while keeping the luminance and saturation of the base color.

Saturation

Applies the saturation of the blend color while keeping the hue and luminance of the base color.

Color

Applies the hue and saturation of the blend color while keeping the luminance of the base color. Great for recoloring, for example, hand coloring old black and white photos.

Luminosity

Applies the luminance of the blend color while keeping the hue and saturation of the base color. Useful for adjusting brightness without affecting color.

100% opacity, 50% fill

Happy editing!