Darker Color compares the brightness of the colors on the blending and base layers and keeps whichever color is darker. Unlike Darken, it selects the entire color from one layer rather than comparing the individual RGB channels.
The Math
Darker Color evaluates the overall brightness of each pixel and selects the darker of the two. It does not combine the colors or create a new color between them.
Mathier Math
Think of Darker Color as a whole-pixel version of Darken.
Darken: Compares R to R, G to G, and B to B, then selects the lower value for each channel.
Darker Color: Evaluates the brightness of the entire pixel, then selects the whole pixel from whichever layer is darker.
For example, imagine the top layer contains (80, 200, 150) and the base contains (120, 160, 180).
Darken could produce a new color by selecting the lower value from each channel:
(80, 160, 150)
Darker Color instead chooses one of the original colors in its entirety based on which pixel is darker.
That’s the key difference: Darken can create a new color; Darker Color picks a winner.
Core Rules of Darker Color
The whole pixel wins: Darker Color selects the entire pixel from either the top or bottom layer rather than combining individual channels.
White loses: Pure white is the brightest possible color, so it will normally lose the comparison against any darker color.
Dark colors win: A darker color on the blending layer replaces the base color when it is determined to be darker.
No color mixing: Unlike Multiply, Darker Color never creates a new blended color. It simply chooses one of the two existing colors.
Darker Color vs. Darken vs. Multiply
Darken: Compares the RGB channels individually and can create a new color by combining channels from both layers.
Darker Color: Compares the overall brightness of the pixels and selects one complete color.
Multiply: Combines the two colors mathematically, producing a new, darker color.
When to Use It
Comparing versions: Place one version of an image over another to let the darker areas of either layer show through without mixing their colors.
Textures and line art: Use Darker Color when you want darker details from a texture, sketch, or ink layer to replace lighter areas of the artwork without creating new blended colors.
Combining artwork: When stacking two versions of an image, Darker Color can select the darker pixels from either version while preserving their original colors.