Comparison Test

Self administered test on Levels, Curves and Hue/Saturation

Question 1.  Figures 1, 2 and 3 each show three sets of color chips.  Figures 2 and 3 were created from Figure 1 using the inverted Curve shown in Figure 4.  However, when creating Figures 2 and 3, the adjustment layer blending mode of the Curve was Normal for one and was Luminosity for the other.  Which blending mode, Normal or Luminosity, was used to create Figure 2 and which blending mode, Normal or Luminosity, was used to create Figure 3?

1. Answer
   1. Figure 2 was created using a blending mode of Normal on the Curves adjustment layer.  Because of the inverted Curve and blending mode of Normal, the colors in Figure 1 were inverted to their color wheel opposite.  Red became cyan, green became magenta and blue became yellow.  A blending mode of Luminosity would not have affected the color.
      
      Figure 3 was created using a blending mode of Luminosity on the Curves adjustment layer.  The colors in Figure 3  are a very light red, a medium light green and an extremely light blue.  The biggest clue was the color green.  In Figures 1 and 3, the middle color chip stayed green but its luminance is different.  The luminance in Figure 1 is much darker than in Figure 3.  A blending mode of Luminosity affects tone only, not color.