Non-destructive Dodge and Burn #2 (using Affinity Photo)

Here are some more useful tips for using dodge and burn layers in Affinity Photo, including:

-- How to use Blend Ranges to constrain tonal ranges, more flexibly doing what the dodge and burn brushes do when applied to highlights, mid-tones and shadows.

-- Not using grey layer (as is often recommended).

-- Using multiple layers to separate dodge and burn batches.

Free resources, including macros, palettes, etc. are here:

If you are a beginner, start here:

[jimcrawley]

Excellent, as ever, and I use these adjustments below threshold get fine control.

[simonbanks]

another great video :) keep them coming

[wrzlbrnth]

Very nicely done! Using a blank layer in linear light blend mode is the way I have been doing it . You can adjust the intensity with the layer opacity slider in Affinity photo. you need data in the layer for this to work and if you try normal blend mode and try to use the dodge and burn tools, the approach with a blank layer won't work . In affinity I seldom use overlay or soft light blend mode . Linear light, which is a combination of dodge and burn blend mode, does not really work in Affinity photo the way it should but is preferable to overlay as it should actually darken the very darks and lighten the very lights which overlay or soft light will not do. In photoshop you adjust the intensity with the layer fill slider which is sadly not available in affinity photo. In photoshop i use this approach with linear light blend mode . I just hope serif fixes the eight special blend modes soon. Cheers hans

[WeiChong]

This 2nd version of non-destructive Dodge & Burn was particularly enlightening to me with the use of non-gray-layer Overlay and Blend Ranges. I have 2 questions, posed in this message and the next one (they are rather long, for me).


Are there more examples of using Blend Ranges? I knew of the luminosity masking, and with your insight, now I can better burn ‘n dodge with Overlay and Blend Ranges. I support and look forward to your sharing more examples of the powerful Blend Ranges.

[rayallen]

Very good video and I now understand I don't need 50% grey but:-
To get 50% grey I'm adding a new pixel layer then edit, fill but how do I set 50% grey as a custom colour?

[WeiChong]

Question 2: In your modes dropdown, how were you able to place white lines between the groups of modes--to make them easier to find. I can send a pic, if you like. One example is the white horizontal line between Lighter Colour and Overlay. So it was easy for you to go directly go to the Overlay Mode, rather than (like the rest of us) going down and trying to read each mode, rather than look for the visual clue of a line.
Is there an option in Affinity 1.6.7 or 1.7 beta to do this? Or is this an API special? (I realize Serif has not publicly released an API.)