Corel PaintShop Pro Help | Blending layers

Blending layers

You can create interesting effects by changing the way the pixels on one layer blend with pixels on underlying layers. Corel PaintShop Pro offers a variety of blend modes. By default, the image displays the blended pixels while the individual layers remain unchanged.

When layers are blended, each layer has a blend mode of Normal, which blends pixels based on the opacity of the selected layer. The selected layer is blended with all underlying layers, not just the layer directly beneath it.

You can set the blend range of a layer in addition to its blend mode. By default, the blend mode applies to all pixels. The blend range limits the pixels that the blend mode affects. Blend ranges set the opacity based on brightness or color channel, so that colors drop out of the selected layer and other colors show through.

Understanding blend modes

The table below describes each of the blend modes.


Blend mode	Result
Normal	Displays pixels of underlying layers based on the opacity of pixels on the selected layer. If the selected layer is fully opaque, no pixels show through. As the opacity decreases, more pixels from underlying layers show through.
Darken	Displays pixels in the selected layer that are darker than the underlying layers. Pixels lighter than the underlying layers disappear.
Lighten	Displays pixels in the selected layer that are lighter than the underlying layers. Pixels darker than the underlying layers disappear.
Hue	Applies the hue of the selected layer to the underlying layers (without changing the saturation or lightness).
Hue (Legacy)	Functions similarly to the Hue blend mode. This blend mode is retained for the sake of compatibility with earlier versions of the program.
Saturation	Applies the saturation of the selected layer to the underlying layers, without affecting the hue or lightness. This blend mode is available for 16 million–color images only.
Saturation (Legacy)	Functions similarly to the Saturation blend mode. This blend mode is retained for the sake of compatibility with earlier versions of the program.
Color	Applies the hue and saturation of the selected layer to the underlying layers (without affecting the lightness). This blend mode is available for 16 million–color images only.
Color (Legacy)	Functions similarly to the Color blend mode. This blend mode is retained for the sake of compatibility with earlier versions of the application.
Luminance	Applies the luminance (or lightness) of the selected layer to the underlying layers, without affecting the hue or saturation. This blend mode is available for 16 million–color images only.
Luminance (Legacy)	Functions similarly to the Luminance blend mode. This blend mode is retained for the sake of compatibility with earlier versions of the program.
Multiply	Combines the colors of the selected layer with the underlying layers to produce a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black; multiplying any color with white leaves the color unchanged. This blend mode produces the same result regardless of the order in which the layers are stacked on the Layers palette.
Screen	Lightens the colors of underlying layers by multiplying the inverse of the selected layer and of the underlying layers. The result is a color that is the same or a lightened version of the selected layer. This blend mode produces the same result regardless of the order in which the layers are stacked on the Layers palette.
Dissolve	Randomly replaces the colors of some pixels on the selected layer with those of the underlying layers to create a speckled effect. The opacity of the selected layer determines the number of pixels replaced: the lower the opacity, the greater the number of pixels replaced.
Overlay	Combines the Multiply and Screen blend modes. If the color channel value of underlying layers is less than half the maximum value, the Multiply blend mode is used. If the color channel value is greater than or equal to half the value, the Screen blend mode is used. The Overlay blend mode shows patterns or colors of the selected layer while preserving the shadows and highlights of underlying layers.
Hard Light	Combines the Multiply and Screen blend modes. If the color channel value of the selected layer is less than 128, the Multiply blend mode is used. If the color channel value is greater than or equal to 128, the Screen blend mode is used. You can use the Hard Light blend mode to add highlights or shadows.
Soft Light	Combines the Burn and Dodge blend modes. If the color channel value of the selected layer is less than 128, the Burn blend mode is used. If the color channel value is greater than or equal to 128, the Dodge blend mode is used. You can use the Soft Light blend mode to add soft highlights or shadows.
Difference	Subtracts the color of the selected layer from the color of the underlying layers. This blend mode produces the same result regardless of the order in which the layers are stacked on the Layers palette.
Dodge	Lightens the image by using the lightness values of the colors in the selected layer to lighten the colors of underlying layers. Light colors produce the most lightening; black has no effect.
Burn	Darkens the image by using the lightness values of the selected layer to reduce the lightness of underlying layers.
Exclusion	Creates an effect similar to, but softer than, the Difference blend mode. The Exclusion blend mode produces the same result regardless of the order in which the layers are stacked on the Layers palette.

To set the blend range of a layer

Edit workspace

On the Layers palette, double-click the layer to open the Layer Properties dialog box.

Click the Blend Ranges tab.

In the Blend Channel drop-list, select a channel to use when blending layers.

Select Grey Channel to base opacity on the lightness values of layers. Select Red Channel, Green Channel, or Blue Channel to base opacity on the respective color values.

Drag the upper arrows to set the values at which the opacity is 100 percent.

For example, you can set a layer’s opacity at 100 percent between the lightness values of 43 and 126, with the opacity falling off at the lightest and darkest areas.

Drag the lower arrows to set the values at which the opacity is 0 percent.

Click OK.

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