Getting Started with Blend Modes 4 Flash

Using the UltimateBlendModeShader SWC with CS4

If you have Flash CS4 installed a SWC can be referenced from your FLA. Go to File > Publish settings > Flash > Settings Then choose the tab 'Library path' and click the plus icon and select the UltimateBlendModeShader.swc file.

Applying custom blend modes with Actionscript to DisplayObjects

Once the UltimateBlendModeShader.swc is referenced in your FLA or your Flex Project you may apply custom blend modes in the following manners.

1) Using Static references to custom blend modes

import flash.display.BlendModeShader;

myDisplayObject.blendShader = BlendModeShader.SOFTLIGHT;

2) Using constructed instances of custom blend modes

import flash.display.BlendModeShader;
import flash.display.shaders.*;

myDisplayObject.blendShader = new BlendModeSoftlight();

3) Altering custom blend modes via multiplying and undoing

import flash.display.BlendModeShader;
import flash.display.shaders.*;

var customBlendMode: BlendModeSoftlight  = new BlendModeSoftlight();
customBlendMode.multiply = 2; //exaggerates the blendmode effect by double
customBlendMode.alpha = 0.5; // reverts the blendmode effect 50% back to the source blending layer

myDisplayObject.blendShader = customBlendMode;

Altering custom blend modes with Actionscript

Custom blend modes have 2 parameters which you can tweak to get a desired result. These parameters are alpha and multiply.

The alpha parameter

The alpha parameter undoes the blend shader to the source image where 0 is undone and 1 is the custom blend shader completely applied.

The multiply parameter

The multiply parameter exaggerates the blend shader effect. This can be thought of as similar to a process you may consider doing via applying the same custom blend shader onto duplicates of the same DisplayObject.