Acorn Acorn 7

Soft Lighting



This tutorial will go over how to create soft lighting in your image using filters and gradients.  Open your image in Acorn, File ▸ Open. 

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Duplicate your image layer, Layer ▸ Duplicate Layer (⇧⌘D).  Choose Filter ▸ Color Effect ▸ Color Monochrome.  Click on the color well in the FIlters palette and choose a soft pink.    


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Change the blending mode of the duplicated layer to 'Multiply'.  Now add a new layer, Layer ▸ New Layer (⇧⌘N).  Select the gradient tool and create a light pink to dark pink gradient.  Draw out the gradient vertically in the new layer.  You can hold down the shift key while drawing the gradient to keep it straight. 

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Change the blending mode of the pink gradient layer to 'Soft Light'.  


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Perform the following steps to create a light blue gradient:  Add a new layer, Layer ▸ New Layer (⇧⌘N).  Select the gradient tool and create a blue to light blue gradient.  Draw out the gradient in the new layer.  Change the blending mode of the gradient layer to 'Soft Light'.  Repeat the process to create a light yellow gradient layer.  


Screen Shot 2021-02-04 at 10.24.51 AM.png

Play around with the opacity of the layers to achieve a darker or lighter effect. 



       soft lighting final2.acorn     soft lighting final3.acorn


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