Inpainting problem

[MBR]

My inpainting brush behaves strangely. When I open a new picture, it works normally for about 6 times. Then, instead of a red highlight, it will inpaint only the area directly under the circle and only when I click. Sometimes using [ and ] to change the brush size will turn the red back on briefly. I am not aware of doing anything to cause this. On occasion it seems to duplicate rather than inpaint.

I am a newbie working on an iMac with Mojave. I have the workbook and have gotten as far as the first inpainting exercise which I eventually managed to complete. I have  looked at tutorials and browsed the forums. I am working on the background layer which is pixel. There is no other layer. The brush is set to basic.

Grateful for any help.  I assume it is something simple I am overlooking.

[Callum]

Hi MBR,

Welcome to the forums

Please could you try the suggestions found in the below thread?

 

Thanks

Callum

[jmwellborn]

4 hours ago, Callum said:

Hi MBR,

Welcome to the forums

Please could you try the suggestions found in the below thread?

 

Thanks

Callum

I probably have no business commenting here, because I am not a professional photographer, but I found a video solution (I think elsewhere in these forums) that seems to work every single time for making the inpainting tool work.    Open the JPEG.   Add a new pixel layer.   With that layer highlighted, select inpainting brush tool.    In the Context Toolbar, change the box that reads “Current Layer” to the other choice “Current Layer and below.”   Then choose the size of the brush, depending on what you want to remove, being careful not to make it overly large.  And paint away!!!!!   It is working flawlessly on my MAC Sierra.

[MBR]

I have read everything I can find on the forum including the indicated thread. The suggestion to add a pixel layer before selecting the inpainting brush worked better. I got the red and the removal for approximately 14 times. After that, no more red. If I positioned the cursor over something to remove and clicked, the spot below the cursor was inpainted. I tried adding an additional layer. On it, I continued to be able to inpatient only under the cursor. Intermittently (3-4 times) the red showed up but did not wok on the next try. I have not touched any other settings, controls, brushes, or what have you. 

The attached screenshot is the final result. 

I had a similar problem with the exercise with the freehand selection tool. Inpainting only worked for a while.