White layers on an image

[iCayne]

Hi everyone, I know it may seem like I am asking silly questions but I am trying to learn. I added and multiplied a layer to my background in order to change the colour of my background. I want to add another layer which is white and when I multiply it on to my now coloured background, the white does not show. If you could help me find a way to keep the white of the new layer while still having the multiply effect that would be great. Thanks for your help.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

There is no such thing as a silly question, we are all learning together.

 

Have you tried other blending modes? Or, how about simply lowering the opacity? If you only want the white on some parts of the image but not other parts, try erasing or deleting the areas that are unwanted.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[BoltBait]

When you MULTIPLY layers together you need to understand why you're seeing the colors you are.

In the multiply blend mode, the pixels of both the top and bottom layers are multiplied together and you see the results.

So, if you have a black pixel (basically 0) then when you multiply it with anything else the result is 0 or black.

If you have a white pixel (255) and you multiply it with anything, you get the full color of the other pixel.

If you have a shade of gray, you'll get some mixture of the other pixel and black depending on the shade of gray.

Have you tried other blending modes?

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

This page helps to explain the blending modes in Paint.NET : http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/BlendModes.html

[Riddley]

Have the new white layer above the coloured one and set it to lighten possibly, it's a bit hard to help without screenshots.

[BoltBait]

If you have an all white layer and you use the lighten blend mode, the result will be all white. Since white is lighter than everything else.

[Riddley]

I was assuming it wasn't fully white.

[iCayne]

I want the multiply effect though.

[Red ochre]

Hello iCayne,

I don't think you fully understand what the blend modes are doing - very few people do! (I include myself!)
BoltBait has explained exactly what multiply does, above.
Basically it darkens the 'colours' of the lower layer, using the tones of the top layer - so if the top tone is white, it does nothing!

I'm guessing that the 'Overlay' blend mode could help you - try it. Then try the Brightness/contrast Adjustment on the top layer.

 - or duplicate your layer twice - set one layer to multiply and one to Additive and change the layer transparencies to suite?

Good luck - there's always a way!