Mark D

OK thanks. I will put my mind to it. I agree that one needs to try and see what works. Along these lines, I tried the following two approaches to burning (darkening) the sky, using a gradient. Original picture is the Background layer. Approach (1). Duplicate the Background layer, apply a linear gradient to the new layer (Transparent Mode) that leaves only the sky. Dial in -20 Brightness adjustment to that layer. (Blending Mode of the second layer is Normal.) Approach (2). Above the Background layer, create a 50% gray layer (#808080). Apply a linear gradient to that layer (Transparent Mode) that leaves only the top. Dial in -20 Brightness adjustment to that layer. Set the Blending Mode of that layer to Overlay. I was guessing that these would look the same but they don't. (1) darkens the sky a lot more than (2), and in (1) the contrast in the sky is lower. I actually like the look of (1) more but is there a way to get the same result without duplicating the image? Thanks, Mark p.s. With either of the above approaches, one can fine-tune the result by reducing the opacity of the added layer. I think I see a limitation of the Overlay approach, by the way. It seems to have no effect on the brightest highlights.

Thanks David. If there is anyone who has tried both methods and thinks one gives better results than the other, I would be interested in their opinion. What I should have written, by the way, is "create a 50% gray (hex 808080) layer, change the Blending mode to Overlay, restore the Primary color to black (since you probably changed it when you created the gray), lower the Transparency-Alpha of the Primary or Secondary color way down (depending on whether you are burning or dodging), and paint on the new layer." I guess what I am trying to say is that, as a newcomer to Paint.NET, one of the first questions I'm asking is, "How do I burn and dodge?" And it's unfortunate if a newcomer gets the impression that it's more complicated to do than it really is. Mark

Hello, I'm a newbie (my first post here), so please set me straight on this, but I searched on http://www.getpaint.net/search.html for "dodge burn", and the first two links that came up pointed me to a post entitled "Faking Soft Brushes and the Blur/Dodge/Burn Tool." Maybe I'm not reading it correctly, but it seems that to use that technique you need to use three layers and the Clone Stamp tool. But why not just use the technique described here http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/dodge-burn/, where you create a 50% gray (hex 808080) layer, change the Blending mode to Overlay, lower the Transparency-Alpha of the Primary or Secondary color way down (depending on whether you are burning or dodging), and paint on the new layer? Is the other technique better? Thanks, Mark