(photo) selecting with a mask, the short cut X does not work

[Amy Choue]

I am practicing selecting with a mask. Removing the background is done with black Paintbrush, and if too much is removed, white Paintbrush can add that removed part back in. And short cut X is used between black and white. 

This worked fine until yesterday. Then today it somehow does not. I remove part of the pomegranate with black Paintbrush, and I cannot correct it with white Paintbrush. Now that I think about it, the short cut X itself works fine, but the white Paintbrush does not work.  

 

Please pardon me if this is something really silly. I've tried opening the file afresh and going over the same process, and the problem persists. I remember I could do this until yesterday. What went wrong? 

 

Many thanks in advance.  

[carl123]

From the look of your screenshot, it looks like you have a pixel layer selected. You need to have the mask layer selected if you want to paint black or white on it

 

[Amy Choue]

Thank you for the comment. I added that pixel layer to create that text note. 

I thought, reading your comment, yes I must have done something really silly again, then looked at the file again, opened a new file and tried again on the mask layer, and the problem still persists. 

 

 

[carl123]

In the context toolbar try changing the Blend Mode from Darken to Normal

[Amy Choue]

Is the context toolbar the one shown right above the layers? It is set in Normal. 

Hah... (sighing). I must have done something, I remember doing a Shift + something, when I meant to do Ctrl + something. After that this problem began. 

[Amy Choue]

Oh the context tool bar was the one on the top of the screen! 

And it was fixed! 

The term "context tool bar," even after months of practicing Photo, still is something mysterious to me. Anyhow many thanks! Now I can practice again! 

[carl123]

7 minutes ago, Amy Choue said:

I remember doing a Shift + something, when I meant to do Ctrl + something.

"Shift+=" will select the next blend mode for the brush, when you have the Brush Tool selected

You probably did this accidentally

[Amy Choue]

Going beyond the beginner level is so difficult to some beginners because they create many obstacles on their own. I've experienced this so often, repeatedly. 

This is a great relief! Thanks again!