diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
index bd7f9f6d2..7ad0b7a61 100644
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ list) · [roadmap.md](docs/roadmap.md) (milestones, plan) · [parity-checklist.m
 
 Newest first.
 
+- **2026-10-12** · On screen, blend modes blend with the objects below and not with the paper, as in InDesign and in PDF export: a Color Dodge or Screen object over blank paper shows as it is. No readiness percentage change.
 - **2026-10-12** · Text threads by hand: click a selected text frame's in or out port to load
   the text cursor, then click a frame to thread it, click empty space for a column-wide frame or
   drag one (it snaps like frame drawing); Shift-click autoflows, Alt-click stays loaded on the
diff --git a/crates/render/src/lib.rs b/crates/render/src/lib.rs
index aa8c052ef..97eac37ed 100644
--- a/crates/render/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/render/src/lib.rs
@@ -408,6 +408,13 @@ impl Renderer {
         if let Some(area) = grid_area.filter(|_| grid.in_back) {
             grid::draw(ctx, f, sp, grid, area);
         }
+        // Blend modes blend with the objects below, not with the paper (as in InDesign and in PDF,
+        // where the page's group starts transparent): a Color Dodge or Screen object over blank paper
+        // shows as it is. So the items are drawn in their own group, laid over the paper once.
+        let isolate = f.opts.paper && spread_blends(doc, sp);
+        if isolate {
+            ctx.push_layer(None, None, None, None, None);
+        }
         // Layers back to front; within each layer parent items first (document spreads only).
         for layer in doc.layers.iter().rev() {
             if !layer.visible || f.opts.printing_only && !layer.printable {
@@ -442,6 +449,9 @@ impl Renderer {
                 }
             }
         }
+        if isolate {
+            ctx.pop_layer();
+        }
         if let Some(area) = grid_area.filter(|_| !grid.in_back) {
             grid::draw(ctx, f, sp, grid, area);
         }
@@ -973,6 +983,17 @@ pub(crate) fn overprints(f: &Frame, swatch: &str, tint: f32, flag: bool) -> bool
     f.opts.overprint_preview && (flag || (f.doc.settings.overprint_black && swatch == designcraft_color::swatch::BLACK && tint >= 0.999))
 }
 
+/// Does any item on the spread, or on the parent pages it shows, use a blend mode other than
+/// Normal (groups and pasted-in items included)?
+fn spread_blends(doc: &Document, sp: &designcraft_doc::Spread) -> bool {
+    let blends = |it: &Item| {
+        let mut any = false;
+        it.walk(&mut |i| any |= i.blend != Default::default());
+        any
+    };
+    sp.items.iter().any(|i| blends(i)) || doc.parents.iter().any(|p| p.items.iter().any(|i| blends(i)))
+}
+
 pub fn blend_mode(b: DcBlend) -> BlendMode {
     use DcBlend as B;
     let mix = match b {
diff --git a/crates/render/tests/blend_over_paper.rs b/crates/render/tests/blend_over_paper.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0fd257027
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/render/tests/blend_over_paper.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+//! Blend modes blend with the objects below, never with the paper: over blank paper an object in
+//! Color Dodge (or any other mode) shows as it is, as in InDesign and in the exported PDF.
+
+use designcraft_color::{BlendMode, Color, Swatch};
+use designcraft_compose::Cache;
+use designcraft_doc::{Document, Fill, Item, ItemId, Shape, SpreadRef, build::NewDocument};
+use designcraft_geom::{Affine, Rect, shapes};
+use designcraft_render::{Placed, RenderOptions, Renderer};
+
+/// A 200 x 100 page: a mid-blue rectangle on the right half, and over both halves a black
+/// rectangle in `blend`.
+fn document(blend: BlendMode) -> Document {
+    let mut d = Document::new(&NewDocument { width: 200.0, height: 100.0, facing_pages: false, ..Default::default() });
+    d.swatches.push(Swatch::color("Mid blue", Color::rgb(0.2, 0.4, 0.6)));
+    let mut rect = |r: Rect, swatch: &str, blend: BlendMode| {
+        let id = ItemId(d.alloc());
+        let mut it = Item::new(id, d.default_layer(), Shape::Rectangle, shapes::rectangle(r));
+        it.fill = Fill::swatch(swatch);
+        it.blend = blend;
+        d.insert_item(SpreadRef::Doc(0), it, None).unwrap();
+    };
+    rect(Rect::new(100.0, 0.0, 200.0, 100.0), "Mid blue", BlendMode::Normal);
+    rect(Rect::new(20.0, 20.0, 180.0, 80.0), "[Black]", blend);
+    d
+}
+
+fn pixel(d: &Document, x: u32, y: u32) -> [u8; 4] {
+    let mut r = Renderer::new();
+    r.threads = 0;
+    let placed = [Placed { spread: SpreadRef::Doc(0), xf: Affine::IDENTITY }];
+    let img = r.render(d, &Cache::new(), &placed, 200, 100, Affine::IDENTITY, &RenderOptions::default());
+    let i = ((y * 200 + x) * 4) as usize;
+    [img.pixels[i], img.pixels[i + 1], img.pixels[i + 2], img.pixels[i + 3]]
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_blend_mode_over_blank_paper_shows_the_object_as_it_is() {
+    let d = document(BlendMode::ColorDodge);
+    // Over the paper: black ([Black] shows as about 52 grey), as in Normal (it used to dodge the white paper to white, vanishing).
+    let over_paper = pixel(&d, 50, 50);
+    assert!(over_paper[0] < 80 && over_paper[1] < 80 && over_paper[2] < 80, "{over_paper:?}");
+    // Over the blue rectangle it still blends: black in Color Dodge leaves the blue as it is.
+    let over_blue = pixel(&d, 150, 50);
+    assert!(over_blue[2] > 120 && over_blue[2] > over_blue[0], "{over_blue:?}");
+    // Normal is unchanged.
+    let normal = pixel(&document(BlendMode::Normal), 150, 50);
+    assert!(normal[0] < 80 && normal[2] < 80, "{normal:?}");
+}