Layers & blending modes

Please can anyone offer advice on how to change the blending modes on multiple layers at once. I'm investigating star trails and would like to change a hundred or so layers to lighten all at once. Many thanks.

If the layers in question are star trails on transparency, try this:
Turn off visiblity on all layers EXCEPT the star trail layers.
Target the top-most star trail layer in the stack.
Shift-Option-Command-E to stamp all of those layers to a single new layer.
Turn off visibility on all the individual start trail layers.
Change blending mode of the single new layer.

Similar Messages

Why is a layer blending mode result altered by adding and effect?

I've done a search online and haven't come up with an answer but does anyone
know why a layers blending mode result is altered by adding an effect?
I am using CS3 on a PC (Windows XP SP2) and have two layers; one a Tiff and
a second a text layer with an ambient light and a spot shining on them. Both
layers have 3D turned on and accept lights and are in the same position in
space.
To make the text, which is coloured black, sit better I changed the layers
blend mode to soft light which works well.
I wanted to soften the edge of the text a little so I added a Fast Blur
effect and suddenly the result of the blend was completely different. If I
turn off the effect it goes back to what it was before but even if the Fast
Blur is set to zero, ie no blur on the layer, the blend result is altered.
Does anyone know what's going on?

Many thanks for that. I tried the Box Blur but it too shifted the result of the blend. In the end, to get this job out of the door, I changed the colour of the text to orange, lowered the opacity and used Multiply as the layer blend mode. Adding the Fast Blur effect to this didn't shift the result of the blend mode. It's not as sexy a look as using Soft Light but it works. I wonder if it's something going on with the maths or this a real bug? <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected].. > Presumably a bug that uses the blur's convolution kernel when it > shoulddn't. Please report at <a href=http://www.adobe.com/go/wish>. Still, > sometimes changing the blend behavior is inevitable. Even if the layers > visually look the same, the actual pixel values may change and thus create > a different result in the blend formulas. That should not be the case > here, though. Replace the Fast Blur with Box Blur set to 8 or 9 iterations > and the result should look the same, but without the blending problem, I > guess. > > Mylenium

Blending Mode "Pass Through" Nesting Sequences

In Photoshop you have the ability to set a group of layers blending mode to pass through, I'd like to be able to do the same with a nested sequence in Premiere Pro, so is there anyway to mimick this group effect in Premiere?
Also is there a plugin or someway to get Premiere to see Groups/folders when importing a PSD file?
I have several groups each with dozens of layers in a project I'm working on and as of now and it would relieve a major pain in my *** of if when I imported it would put each group in it's own folders/subfolders.

These are things that you can do in After Effects. If you want these features in Premiere Pro, please submit a feature request

How to change blending mode on multiple layers at the same time

I'm using CS5. I have a document with about 70 layers. I would like to change the blending mode to "lighten" for each layer. Is there an easy way to do this?

Photoshop doesn't allow multiple layer editing. That's why the styles are grayed out. Only 1 layer at a time.
What version are you talking about?
CS5 definitely let’s one apply a Style to multiple Layers.
rfcommagere, I don’t know how to make it much clearer:
• set the Blending Mode on one Layer
• with that Layer selected create a Style with »Include Layer Blending Options« checked
• select all other Layers that should have that Blending Mode
• click the Style in the Styles Panel

CS4 bringing photoshop layered files into illustrator - blending modes

Hello.
I have a layered photoshop file that is being brought into illustrator. One layer is a drop shadow and is set to multiply within photoshop. The drop shadow is NOT an effect. It's just a plain layer of a drop shadow. When I bring it into illustrator it doesn't act as if it is set to multiply when placed over my illustrator object. I know it's easy enough to make the shadow within illustrator and set the blending mode there but I would like to know why this is not working.
Thanks in advance for the help.
-PB

Illustrator's blending math is not the same as Photoshop's -- there will be differences if you import/export layered data between the apps.

Layered image with blending mode won't display properly in Indesign CS3

Hello,
I'm having trouble placing a layered psd and/or tiff with blending modes into my indesign cs3 document. Basically I have a flattened image with a shadow on a white background. I've had to doctor the image a bit in photoshop and I've used the multiply blending mode to remove the white background. (I'm trying to get around having to clip the image and having to recreate the shadow). Anyone know how I can drop my layered image into indesign and have it keep the blending modes I've applied in photoshop?
Any help would be much appreciated.

I'll try and do my best to describe what it is I'm doing.
I've started out with a “flat” image of a product on a white background with a shadow on it. I need to make the background transparent and so that all I’m left with is the product with the shadow on a transparent background.I want to be able to place this image over another image in indesign and have the background remain transparent.
On the first layer I have a clipped out version of the product with no background (All by itself with no background or shadow). On the second layer I have the original “flat” image with the shadow and white background. On this layer I’ve used the multiply blending mode to remove the white background.
Now that I have the product on one layer by itself and the product and shadow on layer two with the multiply blending mode I have an image of the product with a shadow with no background. When I place this into indesign, my image shows up with the white background as if the multiply blending mode isn’t applied.
I’ve tried this on other images. It doesn’t appear that it lets you bring an image over with that blending mode. It's like I'd have to bring over a clipped image and then place that on top of my original image with a blending mode placed on it "in" Indesign.
Hope that make sense?

How to Apply adjustment layers to multiple layers that have different blending modes ...

How to Apply adjustment layers to multiple layers that have different blending modes and keep the colours the same as the adjusment done?
I work in Animation painting Backgrounds. My files are sometimes upwards to 200+ layers.
I will use adjustment layers to quickly balance colours and constrast on top of those many many layers.
The only way that I know of how to apply adjustment layers it to every single layer ( by applying I mean I need to get rid of the adjustment layers because we cant use them in production but i need the new colours be applied to all layers underneath ) in a psd is to manually do it By duplicating the adjusment layer 200+ times and then merging each layer to one of those adjustment layers so that that layer can take the adjustment layers effect permanently.
The issue is that Within Those 200 layers I have some layers set to Multiply or OVERLAY.    IT obviously wont apply the adjustment layer properly to those layers because those layer blend mode affect the layers under them. The colour wont be the same anymore in the spots that had the multiply blended mode.
HEres an example of a simple File. to show what i mean.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3408266/ball%20layers.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3408266/ball.psd
I have 2 adjustment layers up top. I need to get rid of them by applying them to each layer! I cannot merge any of the layers. We need all those layers for production.
I can apply the adjustment layers manually and this works GREAT for all Layers set to normal. THey take on the colour change just FINE.
However, The issue is that layer 6 and layer 4 are both set to mutiply and this screws up the colour once i apply the adjustment layers to each layer manually...
How can i apply my adjustment layers to a file like this with some layers being set to multiply while keeping the layers exactly the same configuration and The new colour taking efffect exactly how i looks before i apply the adjustment layers?
Now the simple solution is to merge the multiply layers to the layer that it affects HOWEVER I NEED those multiply layers to be seperate!
I'm assuming what I want to do is impossible? Hope this isnt confusing. As far as i know its impossible to do what I want it to do. but just wanted to ask and see.
I would REALLY REALLY love to talk to a adobe programmer/ technician/pro working at adobe about this. Theres just no way to get in touch with anyone... =(
any thoughts ?

Sure... if you want to put it that way. Either way its not the desirable outcome.
its just frustrating that theres no way to apply adjustment layers to hundreds of layers while keeping them in the same configuration ( blendmodes, layer order , without merging) while keeping the same end result.
works great if all your layers are set to normal though..    But I really need to keep shadow layers seperately and be able to adjust on the fly aswell as apply those adjusment to all my layers.
I suppose that just isnt possible.   I understand the math required for this would be tremendous/ complicated if something like this would ever be implemented. Would be nice if adobe could come up with some solution to this. Its really a huge issue in my work flow and theres no alternatives.    How else can I adjust colours to 100+ layers with a few clicks that lets me play around the the adjustment until im happy with the outcome.    Really wish i could adjust and the quickly apply that adjustment to all my layers regardless of blend mode.   LIke If the Layers with blendmode could somehow take the properties of the adjustment layer and keep adjusting those layers undereathe on top of that blended mode that its doing...

Are there blending modes for the layers?

Like in Photoshop, is it possible to take on shape and blend (multiply, difference, soft light, etc.)the layers? I can't seem to locate it in Illustrator.
Thanks all!

Transparency panel.
Layers in Illustrator don't mean the same as Layers in Photoshop. Think of Illustrator's Layers as equal to Photoshop's Layer Groups (folders in the Layers panel), with each object on an Illustrator equivalent to a Layer in Photoshop. You can change the Transparency Blend Mode of any object on a layer independent of the layer itself. If you click on the circle to the right of a Layer's name you can target that layer and change the entire Transparency Blend Mode for the Layer.

Merging/Flattening Layers with different blending modes and maintaining the visual appearance

Hello,
I see there are many others that are having the same problem as me. And alas, it doesn't seem like the problem has been solved or very understood for that matter.
I want to be able to take a document, that has multiple layers, inside of multiple groups with various layers having various blending modes applied to them and from within that document, select simply two of those layers, one with a Divide blending mode and the other layer Normal, merge those two layers, but have the visual appearance of the merged layer maintain the visual appearance of what the layers looked like before I merged them.
Everytime I attempt this, Ps takes my Divide layer, reverts it back to Normal and then merges the layers, thus changing the appearance of what it was before the merge. This is not the desired result.
I understand that when you flatten an entire series of layers, it applies all the blending modes and maintains the visual appearance. Is there a way to do this with just two layers instead of all the layers? If so, that would be great information. If not, why not?
Thank you
Jake

Short answer: No.
A "layer" with a specific blending mode implies a sequence of math operations on a given pixel. Think of the visible pixel R, G, and B values as the result of a potentially complex math formula that combines numbers from each layer in complex ways (those ways being defined by the blending mode you've chosen). You can't always simplify particular factors of your choosing in a given math formula.
The next step is to examine why you would want to do so. Perhaps there's a more direct way to achieve your goal that would avert the need entirely.
Another possibility, if the effect of several layers together is something you'd like to manipulate as a unit, is to Group the layers.
-Noel

"Normal" blend mode for layering in multi-input PB kernel

Hello all-
I'm sure there's a dead simple solution to this problem. I've been trying to build a simple composite node for a PB Graph that takes three inputs, maintains transparent areas in the "top-most" layer (Layer 1), 50% opacity overall for the middle layer (Layer 2) and 100% opacity for the bottom layer (Layer 3) without applying mathematical blending (like multiply or linear dodge blend modes).
If someone could point me in the right direction with regards to "Normal" blend mode (as in Photoshop), I would be much obliged...
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Henry

The PDF Reference Manual gives the formulas for many of Adobe's blendmodes so start there:
http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/devnet/pdf/pdfs/pdf_referenc e_1-7.pdf.
Of course it never hurts to go back to Porter-Duff:
Compositing Digital Images.

Merging Layers while keeping blend mode

I was informed if I have a layer that has a blend mode and I want to keep the blend mode in tact I should place a empty layer beneath then merge down. The results are not equal to before merging down.
Layer with Divide blend mode.
Layer above merged down to an empty layer
Not identical on a background ?

Once the blending mode is baked into the flattened image, it will change some. I don't usually see anything quite that noticeable except with my startrail stacks, though. If you are concerned that something when haywire within Photoshop, you could try a preference reset. Also be sure your graphics card's drivers are up to date.
Benjamin

Hue Blend Mode Confusion

Hello,
In reading about the Hue blend mode, I have come to understand (perhaps erroneously) that given two layers (T)op and (B)ottom, that if the Blend Mode of T is set to Hue, then the hue information in T will be blended with the saturation and luminosity in B, which essentially means that the hue information in B is replaced by the hue information in T. However, in running some experiments, I've noticed that when dealing with a very simple document comprised of two layers only, that setting the Blend Mode to Hue also changes the saturation and brightness.
Here are the steps to duplicate the observed phenomena using two regular layers:
Create a new blank document.
Fill with the color that corresponds to the HSB values (0, 70, 50).
Add a new layer above the existing layer (blend mode Normal).
Fill the topmost layer with the color that corresponds to the HSB values (230, 70, 50).
Using the Info panel, the HSB values for the document should read as (230, 70, 50).
Change the Blend Mode of the topmost layer to Hue.
Using the Info panel, the HSB values for the document should read as (230, 70, 50), but instead read as (230, 66, 53).
And here are the steps to duplicate the observed phenomena using a regular layer and an adjustment layer:
Create a new blank document.
Fill with the color that corresponds to the HSB values (0, 70, 50).
Add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer (blend mode Normal).
Adjust the Hue value in the Properties panel for the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to be -130.
Using the Info panel, the HSB values for the document should read as (230, 70, 50).
Change the Blend Mode for the Hue/Saturation layer to be Hue.
Using the Info panel, the HSB values for the document should read as (230, 70, 50), but instead read as (230, 66, 53).
The results in both (for me) are identical. Am I misunderstanding the Hue blend mode?
Thanks,
Matt
Photoshop Info:     13.0.1 x64 Extended
OS:                        Windows 7 64-bit
CPU:                      Dual Xeon E5440
RAM:                     16 GB
Video:                    Nvidia GeForce GTX-580

Hi Chris,
Thanks very much for your straightforward and helpful answer. So, it would appear that my simplistic understanding of the Hue blend mode as 'replacing' the hue of the underlying layer(s) is incorrect. Would a fair rendering of what the Hue blend mode actually does be as follows?
"The Hue blend mode will perform a direct replacement of the hue in the underlying layer(s). The brightness and saturation of the underlying layer(s) will not be affected *unless* the resultant hue, saturation, and brightness 3-tuple would result in an illegal HSL combination, in which case the saturation and brightness of the resultant pixels will be altered to bring the HSL values into compliance."
Also, is there a way for the Info panel to display HSL values?
Thanks again,
Matt

Has anyone ever encountered layer blend modes behaving strangely?

I use photoshop quite a bit for retouching and photo compositing. Tonight I encountered a strange problem. I was trying to create a vintage look on a photo and had a number of adjustment layers including a curves, levels, color fill and there were also a few texture/noise layers all set to varying opacities. Near the top of all this I had a vignette layer that was black around the edges and white in the center set to blend mode of multiply. Well, when I was clicking on and off I realize that that vignette layer was definitely lightening the center part of the overall image quite a bit (the part that is white on the vignette layer), almost like a screen. So I flipped the vignette layer through different opacity modes and saw that there was no change in its behavior, every mode was screening the white, even darker color and multiply. I thought maybe it was interacting in a weird way with one of the other layers so I turned all the others off except the back ground-- still no change. Then I dropped the layer down one at time until it was below the background. When I started to move it up again, it was behaving normally for a moment until I moved it up a couple levels in the stacking order and then it went back to the screen behavior. Anyway I shuffled it around a bit but there was no consitency to when it would display the correct opacity and when it wouldn't, so it did not seem to be an interaction with any specific layer. I don't know, but I can't really think of any case where white set to multiply should produce a lighter result even if it were interacting with another opacity. In any case it does seem to me that there is something going on with the overall computation of opacities. I tried creating a new black and white layer and it was also doing the same thing, behaving strange and not displaying the correct opacity.
I'm tired, so I'm going to bed. I'm going to shut off the computer and hope this goes away when I reboot, but if it does not, does this sound familiar to anyone? I'm not a regular visitor to this forum, but I thought I'd put it out there in case anyone else has experienced anything like this. I've only got 5 gigs of ram on this computer and I've been working away for a while... maybe photoshop just couldn't keep up(?) I'm using Photoshop CS5, RGB Adobe 1998 colorspace. I've never had anything like this happen in the last 11 years I've been using photoshop. Hmmm.... hope I don't have to reinstall or call support or worse. fingers crossed.

Nevermind. It is still having the problem. I have to think that this file is just corrupt somehow because I just opened another file and can't seem to cause the same problem. Basically, I can fill a layer with white, put it to a blend mode of multiply or darker color and it will block out everything of the image below, ie totally opaque. The opaqueness varies depending on the if there are other layers also on blend modes, but it does not seem to correspond to normal blend mode interaction. If I put it right on top of a regular layer with an image on it, it totally blocks it out on a blend mode of multiply... weird. I am going to scrap this file and see if the problem recurs in other files. My 2006 Mac Pro is getting some years on it and has been running pretty slow. I'm not a hardware expert but I've done everything I know how to do to maintain it. Was thinking of upping the ram to see if I can hold out a bit longer before I upgrade the computer. Wouldn't surprise me if this problem is related to the computer.

How do I mask a path with a blending mode so that if only effects the groups below?

I am working on a logo but have run into what seems like a simple problem but nothing about masks that I have found seems to work. I have
two groups and in one of them I have a path with an overlay blending mode. Above both groups I have the same path with the same blending mode. (I have used two as I wanted a stronger effect on the lower group)
Here is the project against white:
As you can see the logo itself looks fine and I thought it was ready to use.
However upon exporting it I noticed that the layers with opacity that where invisable agaist the white where now visable. I ussumed this would eb a simple fix as I am used to this problem with After Effects. Illistrator is not my forte and I am not used to how the masks work.
After two hours of messing around and searching on the internet for answers I have given up. This must be a common thing to pop up but I couldn't find the answer so here I am. Please can someone help me remove the unwanted white circles.
Thanks,
Ben.

Thank you for replying Monika,
I have copied the Paths but dont understand what you mean by expand the 3D effect. With the text I was able to click ungroup and edit the individual sides. I am unable to do this with the logo, I dont know exactly why. Also when I combine all my paths they just go into one group. You will have to excuse me, I still have a lot to learn.
Thanks,
Ben.

CS5.5 Blending Modes Won't Work?

Being an avid user of AfterEffects CS4, the transition to CS5.5 was painless.. Except for the fact that the blending modes don't work. This has halted all my projects.
What happens is that when I select a blending mode, nothing happens. It shows that I set the layer to 'add', but absolutely nothing happens. I just got CS5.5 yesterday, so I haven't changed any settings that could mess it up (That I know of).
Any help would be appreciated!!!

I'm confused. Blending modes require two or more layers. They work to blend one layer with the layer beneath it. But you only have one layer. How are you determining that blending modes aren't working?
See this for basic information about blending modes.

Layers & blending modes

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