What exactly are the usecases for the various layer settings and when (or how often) do you guys actually use them? And how do you actually decide when you want to use one layer setting over the other, such as using Subtract over Multiply?

>>7638868 (OP)
The one you actually use are Multiply Add Overlay Color Hue and sometimes Glow dodge, everything else is too unpredictable or way too niche to use effectively. Don't know what they do? Read the manual, it's all in there.

>>7638868 (OP)
https://help.clip-studio.com/en-us/manual_en/180_layers/Blending_modes.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8jOdtbP-V4 (CSP)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Pn4EG4zyM (Procreate but they all work similarly)
Multiply for shadows, dodge for lights, color and overlay for adding color to greyscale value and adding gradient maps on top of renders. That's all I mainly use. The other ones are for when you want funky colors or some weird effect but the tone curve works better for that.

>>7638935
>>7638883
at what point do you draw the line? As in, if you are using all of this shit why not just straight up use AI for rendering?

...Anyway, it's all just post-processing. Don't forget you still need a good foundation of values under the blend modes for the effect to look good. Don't rely on it too heavily.

>>7638868 (OP)
I would literally destroy every blend mode in existence (yes even multiply, you can always place your inks over your flat colors) if it meant that linear light was still there. That shit is so powerful it replaced just about everything else for me. Quick tutorial on how it works so you too can have your third eye open:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkEp2kRMJrY

>>7638943
This is too retarded to be an actual retard asking a retarded question. Try to bait less hard.

>>7639000
I'm not baiting...
I'm just curious since I'm mostly a trad artists and I don't understand digital at all.

>>7639009
Blending modes just change the mathematical formula to mix colors. If you're actually a tradfag and not a larping tranny from /g/, it's like how different mediums tend to mix differently. It's not a shortcut for anything and there's no hand holding involved.

>>7639009
i guess for the dim a tool you don't understand is the same as a randomizer

>>7638868 (OP)
>And how do you actually decide when you want to use one layer setting over the other, such as using Subtract over Multiply?
As far as I'm aware, subtract is basically meant to emulate how real-world illumination and paint mixing works, e.g. where as mixing lights together is additive (lightens and makes a new color), light striking any surface is subtractive because some of the light is being absorbed rather than reflected, hence "subtractive"
Now as to how people actually narrow down what specific tone they want to use for multiply/subtract shading I have no goddamn idea, I don't think I've ever seen any decently popular artist ever talk about layer modes in general
>mfw wondering what the fuck does "pin light" do

>>7639009
The multiply layer is just like adding a darker wash over paint to create shadows. The color layer is just like adding color over a grisaille underpainting. You're a tradfag you should know what these techniques are, right? Digital just has a different method of going about it. You still need a good underpainting, you can't just slap on these layer modes and then the drawing magically looks good.

>>7639016
You mean it's how you can color in different directions with a colored pencil to make them more vibrant? Or is it the mix for the intermediary color in between the two highest values?
>>7639018
I see... sort of. Can you even control that "dim"?

>>7639030
>I see... sort of. Can you even control that "dim"?
This has to be chatgpt. Nobody can be this retarded

>>7639028
>As far as I'm aware, subtract is basically meant to emulate how real-world illumination and paint mixing works, e.g. where as mixing lights together is additive (lightens and makes a new color), light striking any surface is subtractive because some of the light is being absorbed rather than reflected, hence "subtractive"
wouldn't tradfags actually know a lot about this one then?

>>7638868 (OP)
not all blending modes are meant to be used in a 2d drawing, some of them are useful in other contexts, in-game rendering, 3d, animation, etc. They are there because they are just standard.

>And how do you actually decide when you want to use one layer setting over the other, such as using Subtract over Multiply?
books and lectures, or understanding what the algorithm is doing. Basically start doing digital compositing and you will learn by trail and error, this book is golden: ron brinkmann - the art and science of digital compositing

>do you guys actually use them?
from time to time I try to explore this one was fooling around with the binary modes. not great but it was fun and got a feel of XOR and NOR blending modes.

>>7639028
>subtract is basically meant to emulate how real-world illumination and paint mixing works

Nah, not even close, multiply is closer to how paint blends. Subtract means you literally subtract that color, like if you paint a red stroke on white, it will make cyan, because (1,1,1) - (1,0,0) = (0,1,1). Because colors are expressed as fractions, multiply acts kind of like a weighted average.


>specific tone they want to use for multiply/subtract shading

Do your shading in black and white and treat every material as white, multiplying colors on top will give you the correct tone (minus highlights and reflections). 100% red multiplied on 50% grey will give you 50% red. If your scene is lit with a blue light, just throw in a big blue fill on multiply and all your colors will be accurate. Personally, I don't like to use blending modes except in editing/finalization and maybe mixing a palette. They make it really hard to keep edge and shape control. But for things where that doesn't matter it can help speed things up and keep consistency. Keeping it on normal is perfectly valid too.


>pin light
Pin light is like overlay but instead of swapping between multiply and screen, it swaps between lighten and darken. Works well as an overexposure effect I guess. (picrel)

Most of these are for editing photos and doing effects stuff.