Layer Modes Cheat Sheet
A printable one page reference
The blend modes that do the real work in digital painting, what each one does to the pixels beneath it, and the job it is best suited for. Keep this open while you paint.
| Mode | What it does | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
Multiply | Darkens only. Multiplies values together. | Shadows, occlusion, tint that keeps the surface hue. |
Screen | Lightens only. Inverse of Multiply. | Soft light, glow, atmosphere, mist. |
Add / Linear Dodge | Lightens fast toward white. | The few hottest highlights only. Sparks, filaments, sun on an edge. |
Overlay | Darkens darks, lightens lights. | Unifying light, pushing contrast and color temperature. |
Color | Applies hue and saturation, keeps value. | Recoloring while preserving a greyscale value structure. |
Soft Light | A gentle Overlay. | Subtle temperature shifts without blowing out. |
The short version
Multiply for shadow. Screen and Add for light. Overlay to unify. Color to recolor. Everything else is a variation on these.
For the full walkthrough of how these stack in a real painting, see Layer Blend Modes for Shading, Explained.