Very green at Photoshop. iIam using the eraser tool, and am wondering if there is a keystroke to enlarge and reduce the brush size as I work. I'm in PS 6. Have tried the + (plus) key, and up and down arrows., not doing it. Your answer much appreciated.
Mick
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
I use CS, but seems that using the [ and ] has been around since as long as I can remember to change brush size.
By the way, all of Adobe's products have very useful and extensive "help" menus.
Posted by Mick samsel (Member # 311) on :
Thanks for the reply Don, works great in PS6. Previous to asking on the Bullboard, I typed in Photoshop help searches such as 'eraser shortcuts', 'eraser tool shortcuts', 'keyboard shortcuts' (that came up with a hit - but nothing for eraser tool as I needed); and 'shortcuts'. I don't find online help worth a hoot in most cases (note my search examples), because it is designed by 'engineers' rather than by real world users? MHO. Again Don, thanks!
Posted by Kelsey Dum (Member # 6101) on :
I don't know if you can in 6, but in CS you can set your own keyboard shortcuts.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
"Brushes" shortcut would have probably hit it for you. As often is the case, it's not the answer, but how we ask the question. I don't know crap, but I've got a natural talent for asking questions.
BTW, that shortcut works for any tool that utilizes a brush-like technique. Clone, brush, eraser, airbrush, etc.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
Mick, here's a pdf that you can print out for your wall...Photoshop 6 shortcuts/hotkeys.
[ May 25, 2006, 03:41 PM: Message edited by: Don Coplen ]
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
After you click on the eraser, brush or airbrush..click on the down arrow where yo see the Brush button (upper left tray). Yow can then click on any size brush and/or hard edge, fuzzy, edge or spotted .
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
All those tools have a 'brush size' option, and are treated as though they are brushes, even if not named brushes. (like the eraser, the pencil, the airbrush, the clone stamp...)
[ & ] enlarge or decrease the size, and pressing <shift> and the same time as [ or ] hardens or softens the edge of the brush.
The eraser erases to the background colour, so you can set it as white (default) or any other colour, and it becomes like a brush that paints the background colour rather than the foreground colour.
[ May 25, 2006, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
Mick just right click the mouse for chances Size and shapes.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
quote:Originally posted by Stephen Deveau: Mick just right click the mouse for chances Size and shapes.
Technically, I'd recommend a digital tablet for Photoshop and not a mouse. Photoshop is a pressure sensitive program, and that feature is entirely lost with a mouse. Using a mouse is almost like drawing with one arm tied behind your back.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Don - I only use one arm/hand anyway when drawing with a mouse...so drawing with the other arm tied behind my back wouldn't affect me.
Kiddin' aside....I am intrigued by your comment about Photoshop being a "pressure sensitive" program.
So, would using a tablet and a pressure sensitive pen allow you to "slowly and gradually" bring in a spray of color from nothing to the full size and intensity of the selected brush size based upon increasing the pressure applied to the pen as you move along the tablet?
This could be very helpful....I may be missing out on some very desirable functionality.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
quote:Originally posted by Todd Gill: So, would using a tablet and a pressure sensitive pen allow you to "slowly and gradually" bring in a spray of color from nothing to the full size and intensity of the selected brush size based upon increasing the pressure applied to the pen as you move along the tablet?
Yes.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Hmmmmm....that sounds very cool.
Next question would be what is your preference for tablet/pen?
I vaguely know there are different sizes of tablets but am wondering what the *standard* would be for accuracy, durability, etc?
If you had your wish....what would be the perfect setup?
And if you had to settle for very good - but not the Lexus version, what would you recommend?
Thanks.
Posted by Kelsey Dum (Member # 6101) on :
Yes it's just like using a real airbrush. The same goes for Corel Paint (I believe). Use a tablet pen and you can go from thick to thin in one stroke. Or with the airbrush tool a large spray to a fine spray.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Gotta have a pretty steady hand with the *pen* as opposed to defining a path, filling it, and then applying a gaussian blur?
Posted by Kelsey Dum (Member # 6101) on :
That's the nice thing is (when you get used to it) the line is not as harsh and you can go over it a couple of times to get a good soft line. Also if you don't want to use the gaussian blur there is the blur tool (looks like a water drop) or you can use the erasure tool on the airbrush setting...more than one way to skin a cat...but the pen tool is realy good once you get used to it.
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
I like to know how this question started from a "Hot Key" of a button to the topic of a Tablet?
(Don Coplen) I can show you one arm bandit artwork with a mouse............
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
Stephen, the hot key question got answered early on. The thread didn't deviate before question being answered. I'm not sure...have you been offended somehow?
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
Don No I am not offended..... I just think the question went off track!
Posted by Dawn Drake (Member # 6533) on :
I just zoom in untill I can see pixels -the eraser gets smaller. Zoom out -eraser is less specific- broader stroke. I like the mouse.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
Do you like the mouse better than the tablet for Photoshop, Dawn?
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
quote:Originally posted by Stephen Deveau: Don No I am not offended..... I just think the question went off track!
There's a first time for everything.
Posted by Russ McMullin (Member # 5617) on :
Using the square bracket keys for adjustment is much quicker than a right-click on a mouse for me. I can also see the change to the brush size right away, rather having the brush editing dialog box cover up the art. I use keyboard commands whenever possible, and it makes a big difference in speed.
Posted by Dawn Drake (Member # 6533) on :
I use the mouse a lot because I'm not a great typist (better than hunt"n"peck but not fast)
customers and agencys send me digital files to incorporate or re-work into different uses so a lot of times I don't use a hardcopy of anything untill near the finished thing. 'havent used the tablet maybe I should. But I like to DRAW letters with illustrator too.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)