Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Please use this part to report bugs & errors, ask questions & "How to..."
Post Reply
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 174
Joined: 14 Aug 2009, 09:28
Location: Denmark

Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by KenC »

Normally with layers in color mode I just use the cutbrush and stamp in place on a new layer, but when there's a blending mode like difference applied that doesn't work, the cutbrush is just blank.

Then I try just doing a selection of the whole layer and hitting "copy to new layer", but that copies the contents of the layer without the blending mode changes, like the layer was back in normal "color" mode.

Basically what I'm trying to do is copy what I see as an effect due to the blending mode to a new layer, and then continue painting on it as a normal color mode layer.
There's no place like ~/
User avatar
slowtiger
Posts: 2949
Joined: 08 May 2008, 21:10
Location: berlin, germany
Contact:

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by slowtiger »

Know that problem, happens in Photoshop as well.

The thing is that you can't expect to get the same visual result with only copying the layer with the blending mode set to something other than "color". It's like copying only one half of the equation and still expect the same result.

The only working way is to merge layers before cutting the brush. Usually I'll duplicate the involved layers before that. That way I could use the original top layer as a stencil to trim the merged layer.
TVP 10.0.18 and 11.0 MacPro Quadcore 3GHz 16GB OS 10.6.8 Quicktime 7.6.6
TVP 11.0 and 11.7 MacPro 12core 3GHz 32GB OS 10.11 Quicktime 10.7.3
TVP 11.7 Mac Mini M2pro 32GB OS 13.5
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 174
Joined: 14 Aug 2009, 09:28
Location: Denmark

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by KenC »

Yeah I know blending modes is a math equation based on pixels in the underlying layer(s). In photoshop just hit control+shift+alt+e and you get a new layer with everything visible consolidated to a new layer, that's what I'm looking for as I use blending modes like that alot.
There's no place like ~/
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 174
Joined: 14 Aug 2009, 09:28
Location: Denmark

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by KenC »

btw I tried merging the layers, but no matter what I try i get a change in what is displayed when merging.

For example start a new project, paint a blob of color on that first layer. Create a new layer and paint a little bit on top of where the previous blob of color is so there's a bit of overlap. Change the blending mode to something like difference or divide and note the changes.

What settings do I use in the merge dialog to get a merged layer that is exactly as what was seen before the merge so I can then cut it to a new layer? I can't do it.
There's no place like ~/
User avatar
slowtiger
Posts: 2949
Joined: 08 May 2008, 21:10
Location: berlin, germany
Contact:

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by slowtiger »

Uhm, did you think of making the background colour a real solid layer?

I run into this every now and then, especially when dealing with many half-transparent layers on "multiply".
TVP 10.0.18 and 11.0 MacPro Quadcore 3GHz 16GB OS 10.6.8 Quicktime 7.6.6
TVP 11.0 and 11.7 MacPro 12core 3GHz 32GB OS 10.11 Quicktime 10.7.3
TVP 11.7 Mac Mini M2pro 32GB OS 13.5
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 174
Joined: 14 Aug 2009, 09:28
Location: Denmark

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by KenC »

Didn't think of that but I just tried it and I still get a change. It's not just slight change in transparency or slightly darker as you'd get if you duplicate a layer in mutiply mode.

If you try the following:

New project.
Pick a color, doesn't matter what color and draw a blob on the first layer with a 50% transparent brush.
Create a new layer above, pick a blending mode like difference or divide and draw with some other color so it overlaps a bit with the blob you painted on the layer below. You get some funky colors and transitions when you paint where the blob on the layer below is.

Using whatever technique, try to get that onto a new layer so that when you turn this layer on and the others of or vice versa you see no change.

No matter what I try I get changes in color, one of the colors reverses, the hue is totally different, a bit of the whole merged area is missing etc.. I tried merging layer, cutbrush, Image/select all layers and copy/paste to new layer, copy/swap spare, clipboard, join layers.. I just can't do it without getting some change.

It seems like something so simple there's got to be a way.
There's no place like ~/
User avatar
slowtiger
Posts: 2949
Joined: 08 May 2008, 21:10
Location: berlin, germany
Contact:

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by slowtiger »

All I can say is that doing it my way seems to work ...

Let's check again.
- The blending mode layer is on top.
- The bottom layer is in "color" mode.
- The BG color is white.

Now when I merge those two layers I get the desired effect only in the area where both layers overlap. That's to be expected because there can't be a blending effect where there's only one layer = nothing to compute.

Second setup:
- The blending mode layer is on top.
- The bottom layer is in "color" mode.
- There's a layer beneath the bottom layer completely filled with 100% solid white.

Now when I merge these three I get a result which looks exactly like the three separate layers.
TVP 10.0.18 and 11.0 MacPro Quadcore 3GHz 16GB OS 10.6.8 Quicktime 7.6.6
TVP 11.0 and 11.7 MacPro 12core 3GHz 32GB OS 10.11 Quicktime 10.7.3
TVP 11.7 Mac Mini M2pro 32GB OS 13.5
User avatar
ZigOtto
Posts: 4102
Joined: 17 Feb 2006, 22:50
Location: south-Petazonia

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by ZigOtto »

I think Slowtiger is right, it's probably a matter of BG set to Color, so the display in the preview window take it in account,
but when you apply a merge operation on the visible layers, it will process only the layers's content, regardless the BG color.

I think a script could get rid of this difference,
basically, you need to "paint" where pixels are already existing with the BG color on a layer positioned at the bottom,
(in your exemple, layer1 = color mode, layer2 = difference mode, turn on the Stencil gadget for both,
add a layer underneath, pick the BG color, fill/paint the whole frame, and turn off the Stencil (both for L1 and L2),
now, I think "Merge visible" should give the same display than the un-merged (layered) image.
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 174
Joined: 14 Aug 2009, 09:28
Location: Denmark

Re: Copy a layer with blending mode "as is" to new layer?

Post by KenC »

After trying out your suggestions with fresh mind after some sleep I found that merging layers by dragging them on to eachother has been the culprit coupled with not having the background color be an actual solid colored layer.

I thought it was the same as dragging layers onto other layers since they are both called merge. :oops:

I'm getting no changes now when using the merge layers dropdown in the timeline tab with a solid background layer, so now I can do a temp merge all/copy to spare, undo merge and swap spare to new layer and I have my consolidated layer like control+shift+alt+e in PS, putting the consolidated layer on top and putting it in difference mode results in a pure black layer so they are 100% exact copies.

I can just write a script to do all that in one click now that I understand what's going on.

Just gotta get used to using an actual background layer and not rely on the background mode set to color.

Thanks for the help guys :)
There's no place like ~/
Post Reply