Using Transfer Modes

Transfer modes control the way a layer's surface is blended with any other layers behind it. You can animate transfer modes in the same way as any other property in combustion. For information on creating animations, see Keyframing.

Note: Only some transfer modes are illustrated. The effects of others can be best observed by experimenting with them in combustion.

To select a transfer mode:

1. Select the layer.
2. On the Surface controls, select a transfer mode from the list. For 2D composites, this list is in the Layer controls.

The transfer modes are described as follow:

Normal

Shows the layer in its normal colors.

Dissolve

Randomly dissolves pixels of the current layer over the layers behind it.

Add

Adds the Red, Green, and Blue values of the current layer's pixels to the layers behind it. The resulting composite can make the layer's pixels appear very bright, especially over a bright backdrop.

Subtract

Subtracts the Red, Green, and Blue values of the current layer's pixels from the layers behind it. The resulting composite can make the layer's pixels appear very dark.

Multiply

Multiplies the pixel values of the current layer with the pixels in the background, and clips all RGB values at 255. The overall effect is similar to drawing with a colored marking pen over an image: it darkens and colorizes at the same time using the current layer imagery.

Screen

Combines the pixels in the current layer with the pixels in the background so that the current layer is composited over the layers in the background with lighter pixels than before. The effect is similar to the photographic technique of combining two slides in a slide "sandwich" and then reshooting them. Screen mode is the inverse of Multiply mode.

Overlay

Displays the image through a gel of the current layer. It combines the colors of the current layer with those of the layers behind it to create new tints based on these results. It boosts contrast and color saturation at the same time.

Soft Light

Shines a soft, diffuse light of the current layer onto the layers behind it. It does not completely affect areas of detail, but does reduce the contrast levels in the image.

Hard Light

Shines a harsh light of the current layer onto the layers behind it. It mostly affects areas of detail, but greatly reduces the contrast levels in the image.

Darken

Composites only pixels of the current layer that are darker than the pixels of the layers behind it.

Lighten

Composites only pixels of the current layer that are lighter than the pixels of the layers behind it.

Difference

Displays the difference between the pixels in the current layer and the pixels of the layers behind it. When a brighter pixel is subtracted from a darker pixel, the positive value of the color is used and results in bright color shifts. The layer order is not significant, as both layers contribute nearly equally to the result.

Negative

Inverts the colors of the current layer wherever it overlaps other layers behind it.

Hue

Changes the hue of the current layer to the hue of the layers behind it. This effectively makes the current layer take on the "tint" of the elements in the background of the composite.

Saturation

Changes the saturation of the current layer to the saturation values of the layers behind it. (This differs from Saturate, which uses the saturation of the current layer to increase that of the layers behind it.)

Colorize

Changes the hue and saturation of the current layer to the hue and saturation values of the layers behind it.

Luminance

Changes the luminance of the layers in the background of the composite to the luminance value of the current layer.

Fully Additive Mix

Adds non-opaque pixels of the current layer to the layers behind it, but composites opaque pixels normally. This transfer mode is useful for some keying operations to get a slightly cleaner edge against the background.

Gray (Luma)

Displays the current layer in grayscale wherever it overlaps other layers behind it. The gray calculation is based on the luminance of the current layer.

Gray (HSV)

Displays the current layer in grayscale wherever it overlaps other layers behind it. The gray calculation is based on the HSV colorspace value of the current layer.

Shade

Uses the current layer to "shade" layers behind it. The hue and saturation of the current layer are used, but the value of the background elements is retained. This looks as if the current layer is taking on the "texture" of the background elements wherever they overlap.

Saturate

Uses the saturation of the current layer to increase the saturation of the layers behind it. (This differs from Saturation, which equalizes the saturation of the current layer with that of the layers behind it.)

Desaturate

Uses the saturation of the current layer to decrease the saturation of the layers behind it.

Behind

Hides the current layer behind the alpha channel of the current composite, without moving it or changing its stacking order in the Timeline list.

Exclusion

Creates an effect similar to Difference, but lower in contrast and resulting in a grayer image. The layer order is not significant, as both layers contribute nearly equally to the result.

Color Dodge

Uses the color information in each channel of the current layer to brighten the layer behind it. The order of the layers effects the result —the underlying layer stands out more.

Color Burn

Uses the color information in each channel of the current layer to darken the layer behind it (the opposite of Color Dodge).