Chapter 9. Using Blending Modes

9. Using Blending Modes

Blending modes are both a mystery and a source of great design power. Each blending mode controls how the pixels in one layer are affected by those in another layer or by a tool from the Toolbox. Most users give up on them because the technical definitions of blending modes get very tricky. The secret is to not worry too much about the technical issues and to learn how to experiment. While we'll explore both the technology and the creativity behind blending modes, there are only a few basics that you must know to make blending modes part of your design toolbox.