Using the Edit Brush

While the tools in Edit mode allow you to make a variety of global adjustments, sometimes you may only want to adjust specific areas of your photos. For example, instead of blurring an entire photo, you may want to blur certain areas, such as the background. To do this, and other local adjustments, you can use the Edit Brush.

The Edit Brush allows you to selectively edit your photo by simply brushing on the effects. The Edit Brush is essentially creating a mask that is used to determine which pixels will be affected by the current settings of the chosen operation.

Edit Brush

The Edit Brush button displays at the center of the top editing panel toolbar for all applicable Edit mode tools.

To Use the Edit Brush:

  1. In Edit mode, select the tool you want to use.
  2. Click the Edit Brush button to enter Brushing mode and open the Brush controls. Or, toggle the Brush panel open and closed with the B key.
  3. Specify the brush settings in the panel or on the fly as described in the table below.
  4. Start painting the effects on your photo.
  5. Adjust the sliders to get the effect you want.
  6. Press Done to apply your brush strokes.

Edit Brush Controls

Add brush stroke

Brush while holding the left mouse button down.

Erase brush stroke

Brush while holding the right mouse button down.

Nib Width

Adjusts the size of the brush. You can use the mouse wheel to adjust nib width or adjust the Nib Width slider.

Feathering

Adjust the slider to control the softness of the transition between the brush strokes and the image. Use Shift + mouse wheel to adjust the amount of feathering or adjust the Feathering slider.

Pressure

Adjust the slider to control the strength of the brush.

Alternating between Brush mode and cursor-applied tools

For filters that involve drawing or clicking on the image, such as Light EQ™ and White Balance, hold down the Alt key to switch from Brush mode to using the tool.

Clear all brush strokes

Removes all brush strokes from the image.

Invert all brush strokes

Toggle this option to invert brushed strokes. This makes brushed areas no longer brushed and untouched areas brushed. This is useful if you want the majority of the image brushed and a small section untouched. Simply brush only the small area you don't want affected and invert the brush strokes.

Load last applied brush strokes

Applies effects to the area most recently brushed and applied.

Smart Brushing

See Smart Brushing section below.

Show brush strokes

When this option is checked, your brush strokes will be displayed in the color shown. This is helpful when brushing a complex area with a subtle effect, as it can be difficult to tell if you have missed a spot. Alternatively, hold down the S key to see your brush strokes on the image.

When you click the Edit brush and enter Brushing mode, you need to apply brush strokes in order to see any of your adjustments.

To exit Brushing mode, toggle the Edit brush button.

You can undo and redo each brush stroke individually using the Undo and Redo buttons at the bottom of the Filter Menu.

You can also use the Edit Brush with Blend Modes and Selections to alter the way the effect is applied.

The Edit Brush is enabled in many of the editing tools and special effects filters. When it does not make sense to have this option, it is omitted. The Edit Brush is not available in the following tools: Crop, Resize, Lens Distortion Correction, Perspective Correction, Rotate, Flip, Watermark, Text, Red Eye Reduction, Repair Tool, and Selections.

Smart Brushing

You can use the Smart Brush to target your brushing to specific colors, brightness values, or a combination of color and brightness. The Smart Brush only affects pixels similar in value to the pixel in the center of the brush stroke, and allows you to apply adjustments to those pixels.

To Use the Smart Brush:

  1. In Edit mode, select the tool you want to use.
  2. Click the Edit Brush to enter Brushing mode and open the Brush controls. Or, toggle the Brush panel open and closed with the B key.
  3. Select an option from the Smart Brushing drop-down menu:

    Color

    Uses the color of pixels similar in value to the pixel in the center of the brush stroke to determine if they should be brushed on, depending on the Tolerance slider setting.

    Brightness

    Uses the brightness of pixels similar in value to the pixel in the center of the brush stroke to determine if they should be brushed on, depending on the Tolerance slider setting.

    Magic

    Uses a combination of the color and brightness values similar to the pixel in the center of the brush stroke to determine which pixels should be brushed on, depending on the Tolerance slider setting.

  4. Use the Tolerance slider to increase or decrease the range of pixels affected by the Smart Brush.
  5. Place your cursor over the color or brightness you wish to select and begin painting on the effect.
  6. Adjust the sliders to get the effect you want.
  7. Press Done to apply your brush strokes.

Hold down Shift prior to making a brush stroke to temporarily disable the Smart Brush. You can use this keyboard shortcut on a stroke by stroke basis.

You can erase brush strokes by right-clicking and brushing over your strokes.

To Turn off Smart Brushing:

Select Off from the Smart Brushing drop-down menu.

See also: