ps-blend-modes

name	ps-blend-modes
description	Photoshop blend mode science with math formulas: darken group (darken, multiply, color burn, linear burn), lighten group (lighten, screen, color dodge, linear dodge), contrast group (overlay, soft light, hard light, vivid light), component group (hue, saturation, color, luminosity). Quick reference for removing black/white backgrounds, adding glow/shadow, texture overlay, color tinting, high-pass sharpen.
license	MIT
compatibility	opencode
metadata	{"audience":"designers","workflow":"photoshop-mcp"}

§2 BLEND MODE SCIENCE

Every blend mode is a math formula combining the current layer (top) with layers below (bottom).

DARKEN GROUP — Result is always darker or same

Mode	Formula	Use For
DARKEN	min(top, bottom)	Composite dark elements, remove white backgrounds
MULTIPLY	top x bottom / 255	Shadows, dark overlays, multiply textures. Black stays black, white disappears
COLOR_BURN	1 - (1-bottom)/top	Intense dark contrast, dramatic shadows
LINEAR_BURN	top + bottom - 255	Darker than Multiply, harsh dark blending

LIGHTEN GROUP — Result is always lighter or same

Mode	Formula	Use For
LIGHTEN	max(top, bottom)	Composite light elements, remove black backgrounds
SCREEN	1 - (1-top)(1-bottom)	Glow effects, light leaks, neon text. White stays white, black disappears
COLOR_DODGE	bottom / (1-top)	Intense highlights, glowing edges
LINEAR_DODGE	top + bottom	Brightest additive blend, lens flares

CONTRAST GROUP — Darken darks, lighten lights

Mode	Formula	Use For
OVERLAY	Multiply if bottom<128, Screen if >128	Most versatile. Texture overlay, high-pass sharpen, color grading
SOFT_LIGHT	Gentle Overlay	Subtle color tinting, gentle light/shadow. Best for color grading
HARD_LIGHT	Multiply if top<128, Screen if >128	Like Overlay but keyed to TOP layer
VIVID_LIGHT	Color Burn/Dodge combo	Use batchplay for this blend mode

COMPONENT GROUP — Blend specific color properties

Mode	Formula	Use For
HUE	Hue from top, Sat+Lum from bottom	Change colors without affecting light/shadow
SATURATION	Sat from top, Hue+Lum from bottom	Desaturate/saturate specific areas
COLOR	Hue+Sat from top, Lum from bottom	Colorize. Tinting photos, hand-coloring B&W
LUMINOSITY	Lum from top, Hue+Sat from bottom	Apply brightness changes without color shifts

QUICK REFERENCE

Remove black background  → SCREEN
Remove white background  → MULTIPLY
Add glow/light           → SCREEN or LINEAR_DODGE
Add shadow/darkness      → MULTIPLY
Texture overlay          → OVERLAY or SOFT_LIGHT
Color tinting            → SOFT_LIGHT or COLOR
High-pass sharpen        → OVERLAY
Color grading            → SOFT_LIGHT

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