Cannot choose Paint Brush tool

[Patrick Bell]

 I am playing with adjustment layers and find the Paint Brush tool does not  work as I believe it should.

Using a brightness adjustment layer, invert and lower the brightness very low for testing purposes.  Selecting the Paint Brush tool from the flyout shows it to be selected on the tool bar but does nothing on the adjustment layer. "B" cycles to color replacement brush or pixel tool (or selecting from the flyout) the brush then works.

The tutorial I have been following only talks of using the paint brush but I can't seem to get the actual paint brush tool to do anything.

This has been the source of puzzlement to me for a while can anyone suggest what I am doing wrong, or have I got a bug?

 

I have attached a loom video where I set the adjustment layer, inverted it, set the brightness low , selected the paint brush tool from the flyout tried to use it and failed, then I selected the other two on the flyout, both of which worked. I hope this helps.

 

https://www.loom.com/share/43617ffa03c348f9862b15f1ca14d37e

 

[MEB]

Hi @Patrick Bell,
Check if you have Protect Alpha ticked in the context toolbar for the Paint Brush Tool (this control not visible in your video). If so untick it. If you aren't seeing its checkbox click the ">>" symbol at the right end of the context toolbar to display the hidden controls.

[Patrick Bell]

That sounded like exacly the problem. But no Protect Alpha is not ticked. I tried ticking it... testing... then unticking to no avail.

[carl123]

You should also check the Blend Mode for the Paint Brush Tool, also accessible via the ">>" symbol (it should be on Normal)

Also choose one of the Basic solid brushes for the tool to eliminate the chosen brush as the source of the problem

[Patrick Bell]

Hi Carl

Thats was it - blend mode set back to normal.

I had reset the brushes but this wasn't changed by the factory reset!

 

Thanks

[Patrick Bell]

I spoke to soon. Back in the same image and the pain brush still doesn't work (nor other images) yet the other tools on the flyout seem to be ok.

[PaulEC]

Looking at your video, you seem to be painting on the adjustment layer, rather then on the pixel layer.
(NB - The Colour Replacement Brush does not actually "paint" as such, it just changes the colour it goes over.)

[Patrick Bell]

Yes thats true and as I understand it,correct. I am painting on the brightness adjustment layer to darken the background. I tried to paint on the background, which is what I guess you mean by the pixel layer, it actually paints white, But the paint brush is doing nothing when painted on the adjustment layer.

Edited June 24, 2021 by Patrick Bell

[Patrick Bell]

In my testing I was too quick. I was using the wrong brush color. I have it now!