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Paint Layers window

Paint Layer Blend modes

The following describes the behaviors of the layer blend modes that are available from the Paint Layer drop-down list. These items can be selected on a per-layer basis and affect the appearance of the composite result. For more information, see Blend paint layers.

NoteUsing layer blend modes on multiple layers in combination will not necessarily produce the results described. Some experimentation with the settings (and changing the paint layer stacking order) may be additionally helpful.

Normal

  Normal is the default blend mode for any paint layer. No blending/manipulation of the paint layer occurs when this mode is set. The composite result is that only the top paint layer in the layer stack is displayed (unless the layer opacity setting is set less than 100 percent or the top and lower paint layers have transparent regions).

Multiply

  Produces an overall darkening effect to the layer appearance. The value for each pixel in the layer is darkened by a value equal to or greater than the value of pixels on other layers occupying the same location in the layer stack. It produces a similar effect as if you combined one or more photographic transparencies together and looked through them to produce the final composite result.

Add

  Produces a lightening effect to the overall composite result similar to the Screen layer mode but in a more extreme manner. Each pixel in the layer is brightened by a value equal to or lesser than the value of pixels on other layers occupying the same location in the layer stack. It applies this mode as a linear calculation.

Screen

  Produces an overall lightening effect to the layer appearance. Each pixel in the layer is brightened by a value equal to or lesser than the value of pixels on other layers occupying the same location in the layer stack. It produces an effect opposite to that of the Multiply blend mode.

Overlay

  Useful for intensifying color and contrast. Multiplies (darkens) when the layer on which the mode is set is dark (1-49 percent overall brightness) and screens (brightens) when the layer on which the mode is applied is lighter (51-99 percent overall brightness). The base color on the layer is not replaced but is mixed with the blend color to reflect the lightness or darkness of the original color.

Paint Layers window menu

Items available from the Paint Layers window ( ) menu.

New Layer

  Creates a new layer directly above the selected layer.

Delete Selected

  Deletes the selected layer.

Duplicate Selected

  Makes an identical copy of the selected layer. The duplicate layer is inserted directly above the selected layer.

Refresh Selected

  Updates the information on the selected paint layer to take into account edits/updates that have occurred to the texture image outside of Mudbox. For example, if an image is edited using Photoshop, then saved while that image is referenced in the current Mudbox working session, the paint layer associated with the edited image can be refreshed to bring those edits back. Whenever a paint layer is modified within Mudbox since the last file save, a warning message is displayed prior to executing the layer refresh as a reminder of the possibility of overwriting any unsaved paint edits.

Merge Visible

  Combines the visible paint layers into a single merge layer and then deletes them. For more information, see Merge paint layers.

Import Layer

  Imports a bitmap image from disk and applies it to a paint layer.

Export Selected

  Saves the selected layer as a bitmap image to disk. File formats include: .psd, png, bmp, tif, gif, jpg, tga, and OpenEXR. Exporting using the .psd format provides additional interoperability for creating and editing paint layers in Photoshop. For more information, see Create and edit paint layers using Photoshop.

Export Channel to PSD...

  Exports a paint channel containing one or more paint layers as a Photoshop .psd format file. The .psd file is 8 bit (RGBA) (16 bit depth and higher images are converted to 8 bit for the export). A color background layer (Mudbox Background) and mesh layer ( Mudbox Base Mesh) containing an image of the UV layout are included with the file. For more information, see Export a paint channel containing multiple layers to Photoshop.

Import Channel from PSD...

  Imports a Photoshop .psd paint channel containing one or more paint layers that was previously exported from Mudbox for editing. Mudbox determines what edits were made on the paint layers and imports only the layers that changed since the original export, scales them if required, and converts them back to their original bit depth. The contents of the Mudbox Base Mesh and Mudbox Background layers are ignored during the re-import. For more information, see Export a paint channel containing multiple layers to Photoshop.

Related topics

Create a new paint layer

Rename a paint layer

Duplicate a paint layer

Import a paint layer

Export a paint layer

Delete a sculpt layer