dodge and burn tool dont work

[Jesse32155413i2yh]

I wanted to give a little more brightness to specific areas on my design, but im facing the issue that it just won't work. There's no change at all when I try to add the dodge or burn tool and just don't understand what is going on. I tried to duplicate the layer and then try something, but all other discussions about this topic and resolutions don't have a possitive effect on my work. Does anyone know here what is going on?

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

You can't dodge or burn on a blank layer. Create a layer and fill with 50% gray (edit>fill).

Then change that layer blend mode to Overlay (which makes 50% gray neutral transparent).

Now use Dodge and burn on that layer - darker tones burn and lighter tones dodge.

[Jesse32155413i2yh]

its not a blank layer but i think you might not see it because its reallt detailed and hard to see on a png, does that matter?

[Jesse32155413i2yh]

it works indeed, but now when I merge the layers or remove the black background (which I want to do in the end because I want to put in on a shirt) it shows the gray layer and all the spots where I have been using the dodge or burn tool...

[c.pfaffenbichler · Accepted solution]

it works indeed, but now when I merge the layers or remove the black background (which I want to do in the end because I want to put in on a shirt) it shows the gray layer and all the spots where I have been using the dodge or burn tool...

By @Jesse32155413i2yh

Then, as previously, create a new white Layer based on the amended image (by loading a Channel as a Selection etc.). 

[Jesse32155413i2yh]

🙂