Term
Last updated on
Oct 27, 2026
Learn how each blending mode affects the interaction between overlapping artwork in Adobe Illustrator.
Blending modes determine how the colors of selected objects, groups, or layers combine with the colors of the underlying artwork.
Blending mode terminology
The following terms describe how blending modes work:
|
|
Description |
|
Blend color |
The original color of the selected object, group, or layer |
|
Base color |
The underlying color beneath the blend color. |
|
Resulting color |
The color produced after the blending mode is applied. |
Blending modes
Illustrator provides the following blending modes.
|
Blending Mode |
Description |
|
Normal |
Paints the selected artwork using the blend color without interacting with the base color. This is the default blending mode. |
|
Darken |
Displays either the blend color or the base color, whichever is darker. Pixels lighter than the blend color are replaced, while darker pixels remain unchanged. |
|
Multiply |
Multiplies the blend color by the base color to produce a darker result. Multiplying with black produces black, while multiplying with white leaves the original color unchanged. |
|
Color Burn |
Darkens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with white produces no change. |
|
Lighten |
Displays either the blend color or the base color, whichever is lighter. Pixels darker than the blend color are replaced, while lighter pixels remain unchanged. |
|
Screen |
Multiplies the inverse of the blend and base colors to produce a lighter result. Screening with black leaves the original color unchanged, while screening with white produces white. |
|
Color Dodge |
Brightens the base color to reflect the blend color. Blending with black produces no change. |
|
Overlay |
Multiplies or screens colors depending on the base color, preserving highlights and shadows while blending the selected color. |
|
Soft Light |
Darkens or lightens colors depending on the blend color, producing a soft lighting effect. |
|
Hard Light |
Multiplies or screens colors depending on the blend color, producing a stronger lighting effect than Soft Light. |
|
Difference |
Displays the difference between the blend color and the base color. Blending with white inverts the base color, while blending with black produces no change. |
|
Exclusion |
Creates an effect similar to Difference but with lower contrast. |
|
Hue |
Combines the hue of the blend color with the saturation and luminance of the base color. |
|
Saturation |
Combines the saturation of the blend color with the hue and luminance of the base color. Applying this mode to grayscale artwork produces no change. |
|
Color |
Combines the hue and saturation of the blend color with the luminance of the base color. Useful for coloring monochrome artwork or tinting color artwork. |
|
Luminosity |
Combines the luminance of the blend color with the hue and saturation of the base color. This is the inverse of the Color blending mode. |
Note
The Difference, Exclusion, Hue, Saturation, Color, and Luminosity blending modes don't blend spot colors. In addition, with most blending modes, artwork filled with 100% K black knocks out the underlying color. To produce rich black blending effects, use a CMYK rich black instead of 100% K.
Apply a blending mode
Select an object or group or target a layer in the Layers panel.
Select Window > Transparency.
Select a blending mode from the Blending Mode menu in the Transparency panel.
To apply a blending mode only to a fill or stroke, select the object, select the Fill or Stroke attribute in the Appearance panel, and then choose the blending mode.
Isolate blending
Use Isolate Blending to limit blending effects to objects within a selected group or layer.
In the Layers panel, select the target icon for the group or layer.
In the Transparency panel, select Isolate Blending.
If Isolate Blending isn't available, choose Show Options from the Transparency panel menu.
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