Photoshop Quick Tips #4 - Color Dodge Blend Mode for Light EffectsListThumbs
Photoshop Quick Tips #4 - Color Dodge Blend Mode for Light Effects
Color Dodge is one of the Blend Modes I use the most. It's in my opinion the easiest and best way to create light effects, and, even though I have already written quite a few tutorials showing how to use it, I decided to write a quick tips all about this very useful blend mode.
Because of that in this Quick Tips I will show you how it works. You can use this technique in all programs that have Color Dodge, such as GIMP, Pixelmator, Fireworks, and others.
Step 1
Open Photoshop, the size of the document is not important because the idea is to learn how the Blend Mode works. So the first thing is fill the Background with Black.
Step 2
With the Ellipse Tool (U) create an ellipse in white. Then go to Filter>Convert to Smart Filter. That's available in Photoshop CS4, if you're not using the CS4 just skip this part.
Step 3
Go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Use 10 Pixels for the Radius.
Step 4 - Understanding the Color Dodge Blend Mode
First change the Blend Mode of the Ellipse layer to Color Dodge. You will notice that the layer simply disappear. That happens because the color dodge doesn't work over Black. Change the color of the background to a very dark brown (#15100c). You will see that the ellipse will be visible, but without the effect we want. Now add a folder, or group the ellipse layer in a folder, and change the Blend Mode of the folder to Color Dodge. That's the effect we want.
In Photoshop that's the best way, in my opinion, to use the Color Dodge for light effects. Another way, and that works for the different apps is to create the ellipse in a layer with black background. For example:
- Add a new layer and fill it with black
- Create an ellipse in the black layer and fill it with white and apply the Gaussian Blur.
- Change the blend mode to color dodge
When you have a layer filled with black with white objects, it's not necessary to group them and apply the Color Dodge.
Step 5 - Real Example
Create a group and rename it to Light. In this folder create 5 lines using the Rectangle Tool (U), then apply a Gaussian Blur to them. Use 2-3 pixels for the Radius only. Right after that with the Ellipse Tool (U), create some ellipses and apply a Gaussian blur to them. Use a much bigger value, 15-20 pixels for the radius. After that add a text. I used Zapfino for the font. Again apply a Gaussian blur to the word layer. Use a small value, 2 pixels for the radius. Use the image below for reference.
Step 6
Now, change the Group Blend Mode to Color Dodge. You will have a very nice light effect.
Step 8
Create a new layer on top of the others and not inside the Light folder. Make sure you have black and white for the background and foreground colors, then go to Filter>Render>Clouds. With the Eraser Tool (E) delete some areas like the image below.
Step 9
Change the Blend Mode of the Clouds to Color Dodge and you will add a nice smoke effect.
Conclusion
You can create all sorts of light effects, glows, stars and many more using the Color Dodge. But remember it won't work over black backgrounds, so for example if you want to make it work over black you will have to create another layer between The color dodge layer and the black layer with another color. Also if you want to try different colors, just create another layer on top of the others using the Overlay Blend Mode, but that's for another Quick Tips.
Another Example
About the author
My name is Fabio Sasso, I'm a graphic/web designer from Porto Alegre, Brazil and I'm the founder of Abduzeedo. I hope we can share lots of information, tips, and ideas through Abduzeedo. Also you can follow me on Twitter or my personal site at http://fabiosasso.com.
59 Comments
Parabéns Fábio, ótimo tutorial como sempre.
cool tips
Nice effect, good job.
Cool post! Maybe i will use such an effect for my new Homepage :-)
thank for useful tut :). But I still unknown what the different between use Color Dodge for layer and use Color Dodge for Folder. Why we use Color Dodge for folder It will be OK
Someone tell me more about that :)
@hailua if you use color dodge for layer, you will have to fill your layer with black first then paint white over black. If you use color dodge on the folder, you won't need to have layers filled with black, just transparent with white.
Well do the experiment and you will understand, it's hard to explain but easy to do ;)
Thanks a lot for the comments.
good job
Acho que quando tens muito "clouds" perde o encanto.
nice tip, first example look better!
Nice one! Thanks :)
Great tutorial... cool use of color dodge a sometime very over look blending mode... but zapfino?
Midi
How o you make the misty clouds its so hard it just makes a big could not see through
Il tuo sito è stupendo, ma tu sei italiano? Helga
very nice :)
Featured here: http://www.presidiacreative.com/web-picks-11/
cool tutorial, yeah i got confused (didn't pay attention) and applied the dodge to the layer rather than the folder at first.
I didn't understand why by putting the ellipse in a folder and changing the blend mode of that folder to color dodge the effect turns out better. can you explain it to me?
Boa noite!
Eu sempre estou lendo o blog aqui e já aprendi mta, mta coisa mesmo, estarei eternamente grato pela ajuda de vcs....mesmo...
porém eu precisava fazer uns efeitos legais assim com fundos brancos, ou transparentes... eu tentei fazer mas sem sucesso, ficam horríveis...
alguem tem ideia como começar?!?
obrigadooo!
This is an awesome tutorial, I can't wait to try out the effect.
thank's for the tip
FAB(io)tastic. Great stuff :-P
very nice tips! thanks a lot!
Youre pretty fucking incredible you know that
Try this guys!
just follow Step1,2,3,4 and try to move new layer ellipse up and down...
looks GR8
@abduzeedo: Thank you, I'll try more :)
It looks kinda christmassy ;)
Cool technique!
Thanks for the tutorial. This effect gives way too lots of projects that can build upon it. Almost looks a little like light writing.
www.stopdropanddesign.com
neat cool
I'm experimenting on this cuz I didnt get the same result wit your TUt. ( ah, My background is red )
The light- dot just become red so they
really nice tut, thanks a lot =)
waiting for the next awesome tut ))
Nice tuto...i really like this kind of tutorials....
SALUDOS GENTE !
The first part was a little confusing but the rest was pretty simple and had a very nice outcome.
and Fabio "revelead" his favourite technique ;) Well, at least bascis. More Qiuck Tips Please! :))
"Group with Color Dodge Blend Mode over Dark Brown" said there were not the event. Am done how Photoshop or even where are made.
sorry english is not good
im realy confused how to do the grouping can someone help me please.
Hey, I'm trying to do this. I got everything right and it looks really cool. I'm just having trouble getting the colors to really pop. Like you did in the second example. Does it have to do with what the background color is?
Ciao Fabio..
E da tanto tempo che sto imparando tante cose da tuoi tutorials......
Magari un giorno diventero esperta come te ..
Tanti baci 6 gradissimo
Fabio you are doing a great job here, we feel really identified with your work so we will publish a few of them. Our team is composed of several Uruguayan including me so the sympathy is huge. um abraço
http://needtodesign.com
I like this alot.. never thought u could do so much with just one blending mode!! lol
legal ótimo tuto parabéns!
Nice, it does look very cool Thanks'.
Hi, I am kind of new to the graphic design industry and was wondering if any talents could send me some simple backgrounds from smart,grunge,urban etc and also this abduzeedo guys is amazing does any one know what font he uses for the abduzeedo logo cheers. My email is dangore1993@hotmail.com
thanks,very cool....
i love this tut. !
nice one there
Hi, I am having trouble getting this to work....not sure if PS preferences can affect this outcome? I don't get the 'yellow' glow when I change the blend mode of the group, it stays white and becomes a little less blurred....can anyone help me please as I'm getting very frustrated now! Thank you :o)
I have figured it out, my document was CMYK as opposed to RGB! D'oh!
great post. That´s and amazing effects. Thanks for it
Excellent work
??????~??~
I don't understand how to change the blend mode of the "folder". Are a "group" and "folder" the same thing? Because I've never seen an option to create a new "folder", only create a new "group". And I cannot find any way to change the blend mode of a group. This makes no sense. Help please!
This is gorgeous! Dude, your work is really impressive!
I wish I could have your talent!
I'm so glad you chose to share this tip for the greater good. As a converted "newbie" I really appreciate all the tips I can get. Especially impactful ones like these that can be applied so broadly. Abduzeedo - you're my only friend. : )
This is a great tutorial! I just posted the tutorial on my deviant art page @ http://jmiale.deviantart.com/art/INV-lighting-effects-tutorial-125281233 so more people can view it, I hope you don't mind. can't wait to use more of your handy tuts. Have a good one!
Sincerely,
Justin Miale
This is one of the better light tutorials on the web... Good job
Good tip!
I have photoshop elements, and I'm really confused on how to make a folder so that the color dodge works right. Can anyone help me?
@ cool tut,think's ABDUZEEDO
a should know effect for lighting fx.
Post new comment