Warning: Your blending layers might be ruining your shadows

I spent two years making digital art. Always used multiply for shadows. Thought I was doing it right. Then a friend pointed out my shadows looked muddy. Told me to try linear burn instead. Changed the opacity to 30% and it was night and day. Now my shadows actually glow. Anyone else stuck on the wrong blend mode for years?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_riley1d ago

Oh man overlay was my crutch too, felt that one hard.

hayden5871d ago

Man I feel this. Spent a whole year using overlay for everything cuz I saw some tutorial say it was the secret sauce. Turns out my highlights were just blown out and flat the whole time. Switched to soft light and it was a total game changer for skin tones.