How to use layer modes

Multiply, Screen, Burn, Dodge, Overlay...
There are many types of layer modes, so they can be difficult to use if you’re not familiar with them.
This time, we’ll create an illustration of a toucan living in the Amazon rainforest and introduce useful layer modes by highlighting what effects they produce.
Software used: Photoshop CS5
Target level: Intermediate (for those who have experience drawing illustrations digitally, such as in Photoshop)

In simple terms, layer modes are a feature that applies changes from a new layer to the original layer underneath it.
You change them by selecting from the pull-down menu.

To quickly choose the desired mode from many options, I group them into three main categories.
Simply classifying them makes it much easier to choose, doesn’t it?
Depending on whether you want to darken the colors of a layer, lighten them, or make them more vivid, you select from the category that best matches the image you want to create.

This time, to make it easier to understand, we will duplicate the original layer and use the duplicated layer to check how the layer changes.
When you want to make colors darker, you mainly use Multiply and Color Burn.
In Multiply, the original layer and the duplicated layer are multiplied together.
With Color Burn, compared to Multiply, the darker areas become even darker.
It is useful when you want to add contrast.

Screen makes colors lighter and brighter.
As you layer it, it becomes more white, so it is used when you want to create a soft, gentle impression.
With Color Dodge, the brighter areas become even brighter.
It can be used to process the image into a more defined, sharply rendered finish by blowing out details.

Overlay creates an effect where bright areas behave like Screen, and dark areas behave like Multiply.
I use it when I want to layer colors like Multiply without dulling the overall color.
Soft Light has a similar effect to Overlay, but it produces a softer impression.
Try using them depending on the atmosphere you want to achieve.

When you’ve used many colors and the image starts to feel unbalanced, you can use layer modes to help unify the colors.
First, create a fill layer on top of the illustration.
It looks more natural if you use a color that is already used in the illustration.
By changing the layer mode of this fill layer, the selected color will blend into all the colors underneath.
You can use any mode, but setting the fill layer’s opacity to a lower value will help the colors blend more smoothly.

Color modes can create more complex nuances when combined.
You may also try combining different categories.
Feel free to experiment with them.
Note: In Photoshop, there is an option called “Transparency Shapes Layer” enabled by default, but depending on the version (CS5, CS6, CC, etc.), the effect may not be applied properly.
Try unchecking it if needed.
The “Transparency Shapes Layer” setting can be found in the Layer Style → “Blending Options” dialog, under “Advanced Blending” in the default settings.