Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 5.5 Help Manual page 167

Adobe After Effects Help
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Overlay Mixes colors between layers, preserving highlights and shadows to reflect the
light and dark areas of the layer colors.
Soft Light Darkens or lightens resulting colors, depending on the layer color. The effect is
similar to shining a diffused spotlight on the layer. If the underlying color is lighter than
50% gray, the layer lightens. If the underlying color is darker than 50% gray, the layer
darkens. A layer with pure black or white becomes markedly darker or lighter, but does not
result in pure black or white.
Hard Light Multiplies or screens the resulting color depending on the original layer
color. The effect is similar to shining a harsh spotlight on the layer. If the underlying color is
lighter than 50% gray, the layer lightens as if it were screened. If the underlying color is
darker than 50% gray, the layer darkens as if it were multiplied. This option is useful for
creating the appearance of shadows on a layer.
Color Dodge Brightens the resulting color based on the original layer color. The lighter
the original layer color, the brighter the resulting color. Pure black in the original layer
does not change the underlying color. Pure white in the original layer usually changes the
underlying color to white.
Color Burn Darkens the resulting color based on the original layer color. The darker the
original layer color, the darker the resulting color. Pure white in the original layer does not
change the underlying color. Pure black in the original layer usually changes the under-
lying color to black.
Darken Compares the channel values of the underlying and layer colors and displays the
darker of the two. Specifying this option can cause color shifts in layers with color.
Lighten Compares the channel values of the underlying and layer colors and displays the
lighter of the two. Specifying this option can cause color shifts in layers with color.
Difference Subtracts the channel values of the layer and underlying colors and displays
the absolute value of the result.
Exclusion Creates an effect similar to but lower in contrast than the Difference mode.
Blending with white inverts the base color values. Blending with black produces no
change.
Hue Creates resulting colors with the luminance and saturation of the underlying colors
and the hue of the layer colors.
Saturation Creates resulting colors with the luminance and hue of the underlying colors
and the saturation of the layer colors. If you use this option with a layer having no
saturation (gray), there is no change.
Color Creates resulting colors with the luminance of the underlying colors and the hue
and saturation of the layer colors. This preserves the gray levels in the image.
Luminosity Creates resulting colors with the hue and saturation of the underlying colors
and the luminance of the layer colors. This option is the inverse of the Color option.
Alpha Add Composites layers normally, but adds complementary alpha channels
together to create a seamless area of transparency. Useful for removing visible edges from
two alpha channels that are inverted relative to each other, or from the alpha channel
edges of two touching layers that are being animated.
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