Add increases brightness by adding the color values of the blending layer to the base layer. The brighter the colors you add, the brighter the result becomes, making it useful for intense light and glowing effects.
The Math
For each RGB channel, Add simply adds the value of the blending layer to the corresponding value of the base layer. If the result exceeds the maximum possible value, it is capped at that maximum.
Mathier Math
The basic operation is:
Result = Base + Blend
For example, if the base value is 0.6 and the blend value is 0.3:
0.6 + 0.3 = 0.9
The result is 0.9, making the color significantly brighter.
If the two values add up to more than 1, the result is capped at 1, which produces the maximum brightness for that channel.
Core Rules of Add
Black does nothing: Pure black has a value of zero, so adding it leaves the base color unchanged.
Colors get brighter: Mid-tones and bright colors increase the brightness of the pixels underneath them.
White wins: Adding enough brightness to exceed the maximum value simply clips that channel to its maximum, producing white when all three channels reach their maximum.
When to Use It
Glows and light sources: Paint bright yellows, cyans, oranges, or other saturated colors on an Add layer to create magical light, neon, or intense illumination.
Special effects: Great for energy blasts, fire, sparks, and hyper-vibrant highlights.
Add vs. Add (Glow): Clip Studio Paint also includes Add (Glow), which produces a similar brightening effect with a stronger, more concentrated glow. We’ll get to that one next.