The Blend node composites a foreground shape over a background shape using one of several common blend modes. It provides an artist-friendly way to achieve effects similar to layer blending in applications like Photoshop or Figma.
Inputs
The Blend node has two inputs. The order matters for how the blend is applied.
Foreground (FG)
The geometry that will be blended on top. The Mode and Opacity parameters affect this input.
Background (BG)
The base geometry that will appear behind the foreground.
Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
Label | The display name for the node. |
Mode | Specifies the global compositing operation. |
Opacity | Controls the opacity of the foreground layer. |
Swap Inputs | Swaps the foreground and background inputs. Useful for non-commutative blend modes. |
Blend vs. Merge
While both nodes combine inputs, they serve fundamentally different purposes.
- The Merge node is for stacking and organizing. It takes multiple inputs and simply draws them on top of each other in order. It’s like putting layers in a folder.
- The Blend node is for color compositing. It changes how the colors of the foreground shapes visually interact with the colors of the background shapes below them. It’s like changing a layer’s blend mode in Photoshop.
Use Merge when you want to:
- Combine several separate shapes into a single stream to be transformed together.
- Apply multiple properties (like a fill and a stroke) to the same shape.
- Simply control the drawing order of elements without changing their colors.
Use Blend when you want to:
- Achieve artistic effects like Multiply, Screen, or Overlay.
- Create lighting effects, glows, or complex color interactions.
Rule of Thumb: If you just want to put one shape on top of another, use
Merge. If you want to change how their colors mix together, useBlend.
Blend Modes
Normal
Multiply
Screen
Overlay
Darken
Lighten
Color Dodge
Color Burn
Hard Light
Soft Light
Difference
Exclusion
Hue
Saturation
Color
Luminosity