Color Burn darkens the base layer while increasing contrast and intensifying its colors. It is based on the traditional darkroom technique of “burning,” where additional exposure is used to make selected areas of a photographic print darker.
The Math
Color Burn divides the inverted base color by the blending color, then inverts the result. Think of it like taking a photo, flipping the light and dark areas, cranking the contrast, and then flipping it back. The result is a darker, punchier version of the original color, with the blending color controlling just how hard the effect hits.
Mathier Math
Color Burn uses the following basic operation:
Result = 1 − [(1 − Base) ÷ Blend]
The colors are first converted to values between 0 and 1. The base value is inverted, divided by the blend value, and then inverted again.
For example, if the base value is 0.6 and the blend value is 0.5:
1 − [(1 − 0.6) ÷ 0.5] 1 − [0.4 ÷ 0.5] 1 − 0.8 = 0.2
The resulting value is 0.2, significantly darker than the original base value of 0.6.
The division is what gives Color Burn its characteristic contrast boost: as the blend value gets darker, the effect becomes increasingly aggressive.
Core Rules of Color Burn
White disappears: Pure white on the top layer produces no change, allowing the base layer to show through unchanged.
Dark colors hit hard: Darker colors on the top layer create stronger darkening and contrast, often producing rich, highly saturated results.
Mid-tones intensify: Color Burn can dramatically increase contrast and saturation in mid-tones, making colors appear deeper, richer, or more intense.
White stays white: Unlike some other darkening modes, Color Burn preserves pure white areas of the base layer rather than turning them gray.
When to Use It
Stylized shading: Add rich, high-contrast shadows to clothing, patterns, or other areas where you want more color and drama than Multiply provides.
Atmospheric grading: Use a tinted Color Burn layer over an illustration to push the overall palette toward a darker, more unified mood.