Using a Brush With Reduced Flow On a Path

[High Iron]

As the title states I'm using a soft brush to follow a path with a reduced flow value.

The trouble I'm having is that the start and end point is creating a "blob" as there is overlap on the flow. I have the flow set to 9% which is what I need for the proper effect but I can't seem to find any way to eliminate the overlap. I've experimented with many settings but all so far have failed. I have in the past used 100% on a new layer and then adjusted the opacity to get the softer effect as way of a cheat which eliminates the problem but adjusting the opacity unfortunately also effects the soft edge from the bush nearly eliminating it, so it will not work in this particular case.

Is there a way to get around this issue and get a perfect soft brush to follow a path with low flow values and not have the beginning and end points creating a flow overlap?

Cheers

[Trevor.Dennis]

Can you paste a screen shot of the path here please?

[Trevor.Dennis]

I'm trying to duplicate what you are seeing, but not managing to.   What brush size, and what settings are you using? Can you describe in detail what you are trying to achieve?  

[High Iron]

Soft round brush, Size 10, Opacity 100% and Flow 9%. Only "Brush Settings" checked is "Smoothing".

I'm trying to find a setting that eliminates the "double" over. When the brush is being applied, it's starting at the top node/point and following the path, but it's ending right at the top node/point again. It's equivalent to going over the same spot twice so naturally it's darker and heavier. Technically it's the same as doing two passes over the same point. I want the circle in this case or any other shape I brush to be uniform without this anomaly.

Cheers

[Chuck Uebele]

Okay, after seeing your example, I can see it in mine. Very faint.

[High Iron]

Faint as it may be, the eye anchors to it almost immediately. I'm not sure if there is a way around this issue or not. So far the only solution that I've tried that seems to work is using the Eraser and setting the size and flow to the same values of the brush and positioning centered over the node and give it a click or two. It seems to cancel or null out the issue on fine lines, but I'm not sure how well it would work in the size you had used. Thanks for testing Chuck, it confirms it's not just me.

[Jeff Arola]

See if setting the brush spacing to 1% works.

[High Iron]

Hmm, for some reason yours looks fine with that setting.

I have done the same and I can not get the same results. Same settings except the size. I even changed the brush to the same pattern indicated in your settings window and still achieved the same results.

Here's mine with the same settings, still getting the overlap. I adjusted the "spacing" to different values and all repeated the same thing.

[High Iron]

When I used your settings of Size: 25 and Flow:2%, I was able to replicate your results. This is good to know, but it hasn't solved the lower size setting of 5 and a flow of 9%. As you can see from before, mine is sharper and fine, while this one is large and soft. At least I now know how to eliminate it on larger shapes which is progress. Thank you.

[Trevor.Dennis]

What do you have hiding under that checked Shape Dynamics​?

[Trevor.Dennis]

If I merge the stroked layer with one filled with white so I can apply curves to it, then it becomes very apparent.  A useful tool for testing in fact.

Reducing the spacing makes for heavier lines, but the overlap build up is still visible.  These are with space set at 25% and 1%

 

The best I could do was the same as you.  Turn on Noise in Brush settings, and blur out the noise afterwards.  The join is at the top of the ark

The same with that radical curves applied, and you still can't see it.

[High Iron]

There was nothing set under the Shape Dynamics. I was testing different things due to seeing it checked in Jeff's images, but all the settings were off. It made no difference whether it was checked or not.

On your bottom image, was that created with noise turned on in the brush settings and then blurred afterwards? If so, you must have a larger brush size. The image looks good, but using noise in the 5 range makes a mess of the circle, it's not nice and sharp like your bottom image. I would like to get that type of finishing with the 5 size setting being used. I can manage the issue with circles as I can also just cut the overlap out and paste a flipped copy of the bottom of the circle of the same segment. This process however will not work when I get to the random shapes that I will need to create. Edit: I believe I figured out what you did. You used the noise setting and then used the blur tool to follow the complete path afterwards?

One would believe that this issue should be fixed with the Buildup option under the Brush Settings, no? It seems logical to me that with Buildup checked this overlap would occur and with it unchecked it would not, it would be more intuitive if I understand that function correctly.

[Jeff Arola]

Here's a good explanation of Flow versus Opacity when using brushes.

http://planetphotoshop.com/flow-vs-opacity.html

Also, "Buildup" is Airbrush (adobe changed it from Airbrush to Buildup in the brush settings panel), which allows the buildup of paint, like if you reduce the flow or opacity of the brush to a low level like 10 and then hold your brush in place you'll see buildup of paint. You have to turn smoothing to Zero to see the effect.

[High Iron]

Thanks Jeff. I fully understand the differences of the opacity vs flow. I switch between the two to create different effects. If I create a shape path with 100% flow, there is no issue as it's all a solid color even if I use a lower opacity less than 100% to soften it. The problem arises that I end up with a thicker line as the edge feathering contains more of a solid fill. In some cases this is of no issue, in my current case it is.

I suspected that the Build-up option functioned as you mentioned and have used it in such fashion in the past. I was hoping that I was wrong though and there were further extensions to this feature that would cure my issue. No such luck I suppose...

So far it appears the only solution is a series of additional steps that can be achieved in multiple different ways, each one resulting in a slightly different end result. I was feeling that I was just missing something and creating more work for myself than was necessary, this does not appear to be such the case.

Cheers

[High Iron]

Thanks for looking Dennis. The arrow is pointing at the problem in question. It's worse if higher flow values are used. I do have "Buildup" turned off in the brush settings as well.

[Chuck Uebele]

I'm not seeing it:

[High Iron]

I can see it. Look at the node/point next to your start. You will see that there is a build up at that point as the brush goes over where it started, it's as if you paused with the brush. Yours too has the "blob" like mine.

Cheers

[Sebastian Bleak]

Hi High Iron

"I have in the past used 100% on a new layer and then adjusted the opacity to get the softer effect as way of a cheat which eliminates the problem but adjusting the opacity unfortunately also effects the soft edge from the bush nearly eliminating it, so it will not work in this particular case."

Try using this method but adding a Gaussian Blur to keep that soft edge. I know it doesn't answer your question but I hope it's helpful in getting the right effect.

Cheers!

sb

[High Iron]

"Hi High Iron "

LOL. OK, now you have me a little freaked out... (where's that ninja emoji...)

Good idea with the Gaussian Blur for that soft edge, but the process of using 100% flow still leaves me with a thicker line for the brush size vs reducing the flow. For all intense purposes I am using the brush like using a airbrush and certain effects I can only achieve with controlling the flow. If I'm also not mistaken adding the Gaussian Blur is similar to noise and will add different pixel shades into the mix that will change the overall color or hue of the path being drawn. Can't have that on panel lines on the surfaces of an aircraft can we?...

I'll just have to keep plodding and fussing with the issue as I have before I believe, but there has been some excellent help and suggestions here that has given me solutions to other troubles I have had in the past that now I have solutions to, just not the one I posted.

Cheers,

Thad