Blending with multiple blend modes for image manipulation

A method of blending groups of image layers using a processor of a machine, the processor being coupled to an accumulation buffer, comprising:

• identifying a group that includes a plurality of image layers, a style effect to be applied to the group, and a background disposed behind the group;
• blending the background behind an initial result stored in the accumulation buffer to generate an intermediate result, the initial result being initially empty;
• blending the intermediate result and a first image layer of the plurality of image layers into the accumulation buffer according to a first blend mode, and re-blending the background behind the intermediate result in the accumulation buffer to generate an updated result;
• blending the updated result with a second image layer of the plurality of image layers into the accumulation buffer according to a second blend mode, and re-blending the background behind the updated result in the accumulation buffer to form a re-blended result;
• setting the re-blended result in the accumulation buffer to have a combined shape of the first image layer and the second image layer, such that the accumulation buffer does not include a shape from the background to generate a revised result;
• blending the style effect with the revised result in the accumulation buffer based on the combined shape of the revised result to generate a semi-final result;
• and
• merging the semi-final result with the background to form a final result.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium in communication with at least one processor, the machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor of a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

• establishing a group buffer to store image data, the group buffer being initially empty;
• identifying a group that includes a plurality of layers and a group background;
• repeating the following three steps for each of the plurality of layers in the group until all layers in the plurality of layers are processed to produce a preliminary group result:
• (1) blending the group background behind the group buffer, and storing a result of the blending in the group buffer,
• (2) blending image data from a layer of the plurality of layers on top of the group buffer while ignoring a transparency of the image data to produce a group result, and
• (3) factoring out the group background from the group result;
• after all layers in the plurality of layers are processed to produce the preliminary group result comprising the plurality of layers blended together, applying a style to the preliminary group result to produce an intermediary group result;
• and
• blending the group background behind the intermediary group result to produce a final result wherein a transparency of the final group result is such that the style is clipped to the image data of the final group result.

A system comprising:

• at least one processor of a machine operable to store graphic elements in one or more buffers;
• and
• a graphics module operable to execute on the at least one processor, the graphics module being configured to:
• establish a group buffer to store image data, the group buffer being initially empty;
• identify a group that includes a plurality of layers and a group background;
• repeating the following three steps for each of the plurality of layers in the group until all layers in the plurality of layers are processed to produce a preliminary group result:
• (1) blend the group background behind the group buffer, and storing a result of the blending in the group buffer,
• (2) blend image data from a layer of the plurality of layers on top of the group buffer while ignoring a transparency of the image data to produce a group result, and
• (3) factor out the group background from the group result;
• after all layers in the plurality of layers are processed to produce the preliminary group result comprising the plurality of layers blended together, apply a style to the preliminary group result to produce an intermediary group result;
• and
• blend the group background behind the intermediary group result to produce a final result wherein a transparency of the final group result is such that the style is clipped to the image data of the final group result.