PS Burn and Dodge

[xdiii]

I recall hearing of a technique to burn and dodge via a normal layer filled with 50% Gray with the Blend mode set to Soft Light. Presumably, this allows the image to be to be modified (burn and dodge) by a soft brush with low opacity.

And that's where I'm stuck. Regardless of the default color selected, all I seem to do is dodge (darken).

Suggestions?

[ohenry]

I haven't tried this method, but dodge should lighten. Burn is the tool to darken an area of the image

[xdiii]

ohenry is correct.

I should have said "all I seem to do is burn (darken)."

[picnic]

I use this method all the time--much more control than the dodge/burn tools (I use it primarily for my b/w images).

Go to the layer palette, click on new layer icon at the same holding down the alt. key ((PC). YOu will get a dialog box. Choose 'overlay' for the mode and then click in the 50% gray box. Choose your brush tool and somewhere between 7-10% and use black to burn, white to dodge.

I don't remember where I learned about this--probably on a Photoshop forum or maybe one of my myriad PS books LOL, but I find it offers a great deal more control than the tools on a separate layer. And--remember that you could actually do a layer for burn and one for dodge and change your opacity for each or the mode, etc. and have even more control.

Diane B

[xdiii]

Diane B,

Thanks. It all came back to me when I read your note.