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Blending modes

Blending modes can be accessed either by clicking on the button on the layer's main line (first arrow in the image below), or on the list of the layer's Mode parameter (second arrow).

Picture

Rather than simply layering images on top of each other, Autograph has a number of Blending modes. These modes define the mathematical operations performed at the pixel level where:

  • B is the Background
  • A is the Forground
  • c is the color
  • a is the Alpha layer
  • Lum is the luminance
  • Min is the Minimum
  • Max is the Maximum

Some modes on this list add a Mask Alpha option, which lets you apply the blend with varing intensity, depending on the A's Alpha channel.

Picture


Source Atop

Ac * Ba + Bc * (1 - Aa)

The part of the source lying inside of the destination is composited onto the destination.

Average

(Ac + Bc) / 2

The average of the 2 images.

Color

SetLum(Ac, Lum(Bc))

Creates a color with the hue and saturation of the source color and the luminosity of the backdrop color. This preserves the gray levels of the backdrop and is useful for coloring monochrome images or tinting color images.

Color Burn

if Ac > 0 1 - min(1, (1 - Bc) / Ac) else 0

Darkens the backdrop color to reflect the source color. Painting with white produces no change.

Color Dodge

if Ac < 1 min(1,Bc / (1 - Ac)) else 1

Brightens the backdrop color to reflect the source color. Painting with black produces no changes.

Conjoint Over

if Aa <= Ba Ac + Bc * (1 - Aa / Da) / b else Ac

Same as the normal over mode, except that when partially covered by both A and B, A hides B.

Replace

Ac

Replaces the background image with the foreground image.

Difference

abs(A - B)

The resultant color is the total difference between the source and destination colors.

Destination Atop

Bca × Aa + Aca × (1 - Ba)

The part of the destination lying inside of the source is composited over the source and replaces the destination.

Disjoint Over

if Aa + Ba >= 1 Ac + Bc * (1 - Aa) / Ba else Ac + Bc

Same as the normal over operation, except that when partially covered by both A and B, the 2 images do not overlap.

Divide

if Dc > 0 and Ac > 0 Ac / Bc else 0

Divides the values of the image A by the values of the image B. Stops 2 negative values from becoming a positive value.

Exclusion

Ac + Bc - 2 * Ac * Bc

The resultant color is similar to that of the difference operation. However, the exclusion resultant color appears as a lower contrast than that of the difference resultant color.

Subtract

Bc - Ac

Subtracts the A image values from the B image values.

Geometric

2 * Ac * Bc / (Ac + Bc)

Similar to average but only where A and B overlap.

Grain-Extract

Bc - Ac + 0.5

Extracts grain from image A and adds it on top of image B.

Grain-Merge

Bc + Ac - 0.5

Merges a grain layer (for example, extracted from the Grain-Extract mode) on top of the B image. This is the opposite of the Grain-extract mode.

Hard-light

if Ac <= 0.5 multiply(Ac) else screen(Ac)

The source color is used to determine if the resultant is either a multiplication or screening of the colors. If the source color is lighter than 0.5, the destination is lightened as if it were screened. If the source color is darker than 0.5, the destination is darkened, as if it were multiplied.

Hue

SetLum(SetSat(Ac, Sat(Bc)), Lum(Bc))

Creates a color with the hue of the source color and the saturation and luminosity of the backdrop color.

Hypot

sqrt(Ac * Ac + Bc * Bc)

In between the Plus and Screen operators.

Source In

Ac * Ba

The part of the source lying inside of the destination replaces the destination.

Luminosity

SetLum(Bc, Lum(Ac))

Creates a color with the luminosity of the source color and the hue and saturation of the backdrop color. This produces an inverse effect to that of the Color mode.

Destination In

Bc * Aa

The part of the destination lying inside of the source replaces the destination.

Lighten

max(Ac, Bc)

The resultant color is the lighter of source or destination colors. If the source is lighter, it replaces the destination. Otherwise, the destination is preserved.

Darken

min(Ac, Bc)

The resultant color is the darker of source or destination colors. If the source is darker, it replaces the destination. Otherwise, the destination is preserved.

Minus

Ac - Bc

Image B is subtracted from image A.

Multiply

if Ac < 0 and Bc < 0 0 else Ac * Bc

Source Out

Ac * (1 - Ba)

The part of the source lying outside of the destination replaces the destination.

Normal

Ac + Bc * (1 - Aa)

The source is composited over the destination.

Overlay

if Bc <= 0.5 2 * Ac * Bc else 1 - 2 * (1 - Bc) * (1 - Sc)"

The destination color is used to determine if the resultant is either a multiplication or screening of the colors. Source colors overlay the destination whilst preserving its highlights and shadows.

Pin Light

if B >= 0.5 lighten(Ac, 2 * Bc - 1) else darken(Ac, Bc * 2.0)

A mix of full strength Lighten and Darken blend modes: It completely removes all mid tones.

Add

Ac + Dc

The source is added to the destination and replaces the destination. This operator is useful for animating a dissolve between two images.

Reflect

Aa * Aa / (1 - Ba)

Darkens the output image using values from the source image.

Saturation

SetLum(SetSat(Bc, Sat(Ac)), Lum(Bc))

Creates a color with the saturation of the source color and the hue and luminosity of the backdrop color. Painting with this mode in an area of the backdrop that is a pure gray (no saturation) produces no change.

Screen

Ac + Bc - Ac * Bc

The source and destination colors are complemented, multiplied, and the resultant color replaces the destination. The resultant color is always at least as light as either the source or destination colour.

Soft Light

if 2 * Ac <= 1 Bc - (1 - 2 * Ac) * Bc * (1 - Bc) else if 4 * Bc <= 1 Bc + (2 * Ac - 1) * (4 * Bc * (4 * Bc + 1) * (Bc - 1) + 7 * Bc else Bc + (2 * Ac - 1) * (sqrt(Bc) - Bc)

The source colour is used to determine if the resultant color is darkened or lightened. If the source color is lighter than 0.5, the destination is lightened. If the source color is darker than 0.5, the destination is darkened, as if it were burned in. The degree of darkening or lightening is proportional to the difference between the source color and 0.5. If it is equal to 0.5, the destination is unchanged.

Destination Out

Ba * Bc * (1 - Aa)

The part of the destination lying outside of the source replaces the destination.

Destination Over

Aa * (1 - Ba) + Bc

The destination is composited over the source and the result replaces the destination.

Xor

Ac * (1 - Ba) + Bc * (1 - Aa)

The part of the source that lies outside of the destination is combined with the part of the destination that lies outside of the source.

Linear Light

if Ac < 0. linear-burn(2 * Ac, Bc) else linear-dodge(2 * (Ac - 0.5), Bc)

Use linear-burn to decrease brightness on dark colors and linear-dodge to increase brightness on lighter colors.

Linear Dodge

min(Ac + Bc, 1)

Lightens the source image to reflect the destination image color.

Linear Burn

Bc + Ac -1

Darkens the source image and reflects the destination image.

Vivid Light

if Ac < 0.5 color-burn(2 * Ac, Bc) else color-dodge(2 * (Ac - 0.5), Bc)

A mix of color dodge and Burn. It’s a more intense and saturated contrast mode and can add more saturation to unsaturated images.