How to Dodge and Burn Non-Destructively in Photoshop

For those who deal a lot with model retouching, burning and dodging non-destructively is a must! This technique will make your Photoshop retouching must simpler, and save you from starting your edit over. This technique can be used in many of the recent versions of Photoshop, including CS6, CS5, CS4. Take a look how it's done.

MORE FROM ICEFLOWSTUDIOS:

Subscribe!

Website!

Facebook!

Twitter!

Howard Pinsky provides free #graphicdesign tutorials covering #CreativeCloud, Adobe #Photoshop, Lightroom, and Adobe XD to the graphic design and photography community. To date, the videos uploaded to this channel channel have been viewed over 80 million times.

No matter what you're looking to learn in Photoshop, you're bound to find it in our library of over 350 tutorials. Topics include: Text Effects in Photoshop, Photo Composition, Photo Retouching, The Basics of Photoshop, Designing in Photoshop, Special Effects, and more! While new videos will be taught using the latest version of Photoshop, you'll find videos covering Photoshop CC, Photoshop CS6, CS5, CS4, and CS3.

[HowardPinsky]

While there are a few ways to do it, here's a method of burning & dodging non-destructively in Photoshop! This will ensure you don't ruin your original image.

[eddiealbert]

Great tip. For pre-press, it is important to note that this only works in RGB. In CMYK, overlay alters the underlying layer. Also, for some reason, using Fill:50% grey does not fill with 50% grey. It fills with either the RGB representation of it (128, 128, 128), or a CMYK representation, based on what your color profile is. Mine is set to CMYK / "Sheetfed Coated v2" so I get 47, 37, 36, 5. Being a printer, I always expect something called 50% grey to be 0, 0, 0, 50. (cmyk).
Like I said, great tip!

[GFXSupreme]

Howard.
I have always been very talented at creating pictures, by drawing etc.
I never went to any graphic- or artrelated school, but simply started digital-art cause
of my love to create things.
SO i found you and your tutorials that really helped me getting started.
Now i am working for an advertising agency and am one of the few 21-year-olds who
were able to pull up corporate-design for a really big company, using self-obtained skills.
i am still progressing but i love my life. THX MAN!

[darrentrentacosta]

Great tutorial...straight to the point, clear voice, easy to follow, no rambling...:)

[ReYsiRiDLeY]

This is a very clear tutorial to have a basic understanding on these tools

[MahmoudKhaiti]

Of all the channels I'm subscribed to on YouTube, this is perhaps the most interesting one. I love the way you do your tutorials! Keep it up and thanks a lot for your efforts!! Well done..

[DannyBudeanu]

This has to be one of the best tips you ever gave!

[pierreandrews]

You've helped increased my photoshop skills so much in just a week. The skin blur tutorial was clear and concise just as is this one. Cheers!!!

[CharlieSillVO]

Best tutorial on this subject I have found!  Thank you Mr. Pinsky!

[EMPured]

Very very very, VERY useful technique. Thanks a lot for the concise tutorial Howard!

[HowardPinsky]

As grey is a neutral color, it allows the Burn and Dodge tool to 'paint' in the tones necessary for burning/dodging.

[giodjmusic]

Man, I really love your tutorials. You're the YouTube channel that I was looking for long time ago. Thanks for the great advices!

[Caeleinn]

Excellent video! I do a lot of photo retouching, but I'm not always happy with my dodge and burn effects. Thanks for showing me how to do this without messing up my original photo!

[skyking]

i was just using the burn and dodge tool for my graphic arts class today and this helped a bunch

[IxXWaLTeRXxI]

Finally a way to work with those tools non-destructively. Thank you so much for this tip!

Btw Howard, a little tip for you:

To make easier and faster the "before and after" effect, simply go to your history panel, select the state that you wanna use and then just press Command/Control+Z quickly and there you have!

[BoyOfLol]

I've always wanted to be able to do this. Thank you so much, Howard!

[myWong]

That was a really good tip! Putting it to good use! Thanks!

[NicolasKeeton]

Thanks, great tut. One of my first non-destructive tutorials, and it was great.

[fallennate]

awesome tutorial! just what I was needing!

[Andriusb]

Thank you so much! I'm just have this problem every time, and finally, i thinking, why not to search, how to do it on another layer, not on original :) thank you!