Blending Modes

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Blending modes (frequently referred to as just “blend modes”) continue to be somewhat mysterious to lots of users. The trick is simply to become familiar with them through use, but gaining that familiarity can be somewhat daunting. Most people rely on a classic group of four: Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Soft Light. These four will indeed accomplish quite a bit (in addition to the basic Normal mode), but there are so many more possibilities with just a little insight as to how the other modes work.

Remember that Photoshop gives you a view of your work on the canvas as a composite of individual layers. You can see lower layers through ...

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