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How to Use Photoshop's Dodge, Burn and Sponge Tools

Use these tools to apply subtle color and lighting changes.

By Tom Green Tom Green Writer Humber College Tom Green is a former Lifewire writer, the author or coauthor of 15 books on computer graphics, and is a professor at Humber College. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 20, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Design Graphic Design Photoshop Animation & Video 3D Design

What to Know

Duplicate the background layer containing the image. Select the Dodge, Burn, or Sponge tool in the toolbar.Paint over the image with the chosen tool. The Dodge tool lightens. The Burn tool darkens.The Sponge tool brightens or tones down color. Adjust brush size and intensity in the menu bar. This article explains how to use the Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools in Adobe Photoshop to improve the quality of a photo. It includes information on the purpose of each of the tools and the options related to them.

Overview of Photoshop' s Dodge Burn and Sponge Tools

Adobe Photoshop's Dodge, Burn, and Sponge tools are great ways to shift the focal point of a photograph that didn't turn out the way you'd hoped. They are based on classic darkroom techniques used to remedy under-exposed or over-exposed parts of a photograph. Put simply, the Sponge tool saturates or desaturates the color in an area, while the Burn tool darkens, and the Dodge tool lightens. Before you reach for these controls, there are a few things you should know: Dodge, Burn, and Sponge are destructive editing techniques. That means the changes are applied directly to the image. For that reason, it's a good idea not to work on the background layer. Making duplicate layers and working with those allows you to toss out mistakes if you go too far. These tools are brushes, meaning you "paint" with them. You can make the brush larger or smaller by pressing the ] and [ keys, respectively. Painting over an area applies a dodge or a burn. Painting over an area that has been dodged or burned reapplies the effect to the pixels being painted. The keyboard shortcut command to access these tools is the number 0.

Working With the Dodge Burn and Sponge Tools

Screenshot Select the background layer in the Layers panel and create a duplicate layer. You don’t want to work on the original due to the destructive nature of these tools. Next, select the Dodge tool in the menu bar. If you need to use either the Burn or Sponge tool, select the tiny arrow in the lower-right corner of the tool icon and then choose the appropriate tool. If you need to brighten an area, choose the Dodge tool. If you need to darken an area, choose the Burn tool. If you need to tone down or increase the color of an area, choose the Sponge Tool. Each option has its own set of options in the menu bar. Here is a rundown of each: Dodge and Burn Tool Options. There are three Ranges: Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights. Each choice only affects the area falling into your category choice. The Exposure slider, with values ranging from 1% to 100%, sets the intensity of the effect. The default is 50%. If midtones are set to 50%, then only the midtones are darkened or lightened to a maximum of 50 percent. Sponge Tool Options: There are two mode choices: Desaturate and Saturate. Desaturate reduces the color intensity and Saturate increases the color intensity of the area being painted. Flow is a bit different. The value ranges from 1% to 100% and refers to how quickly the effect is applied. For example, to lighten the tower in this image, the best choice is the Dodge tool.

Using the Dodge and Burn Tools in Adobe Photoshop

Screenshot When painting, treat the subject much like a coloring book and stay between the lines. In the case of the tower, mask it in a duplicate layer and name it Dodge. Using a mask means the brush cannot affect areas outside the lines of the Tower. Zoom in on the Tower and select the Dodge tool. I increased the Brush size, selected Midtones to start, and set the Exposure to 65%. From there, I painted over the tower and brought up some detail. I liked the bright area at the top of the tower. To bring it out more, I reduced the exposure to 10% and painted over it once more. Then I switched the Range to Shadows, zoomed in on the base of the Tower and reduced the brush size. I also reduced the Exposure to about 15% and painted over the shadow area at the base of the Tower.

Using the Sponge Tool in Adobe Photoshop

Screenshot Over on the right side of the image, there is a faint color between the clouds due to the setting sun. To make it a bit more noticeable, I duplicated the Background Layer, named it Sponge and then selected the Sponge tool. Pay particular attention to the layering order. The Sponge layer is below the Dodge layer due to the masked tower. This explains why I didn’t duplicate the Dodge Layer. I then chose the Saturate mode, set the Flow value to 100% and started painting. Keep in mind that, as you paint over an area, that area's colors become increasingly saturated. When you are satisfied with the change, let go of the mouse. Photoshop is all about subtlety. You don’t need to make dramatic changes to make parts of a photo “pop.” Take your time to examine the image, develop a strategy, and move slowly to avoid "overproducing" an image. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use the Photoshop Background Eraser Tool The 4 Best Photo Editor Apps of 2022 How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop The 5 Best Alternatives to Photoshop for Android How to Change Background Color in Photoshop How to Make a Pattern in Photoshop 10 Best Free Photo Editing Programs Remove Red Eye Manually in Photoshop How to Use the Photoshop Clone Stamp Tool How to Fix Screen Burn on Any Screen How to Insert and Paint 3D Models in Paint 3D How to Correct White Balance Color Cast Using GIMP How to Apply Rubber Stamp Effects in Photoshop Elements 8 How to Use Adobe Photoshop Fix CC How to Remove the Background in Photoshop How to Unlock the Background Layer in Photoshop Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies