9 Replies Latest reply: Dec 9, 2008 7:06 AM by Markzeb RSS

    Brush size

    leuallen-BfBe3G Community Member
      I would like a series of buttons to set specific brush sizes. For example, 3px, 5px, 10px, 15px and 20 px. A slider is no good as I want to hit those values without having to concentrate or look at what I am doing. I see no way with actions and presets as the preset picks up the attributes of the brush other than size and I do not want those changed.
      Any ideas?

      Larry
        • 1. Re: Brush size
          Community Member
          Here's what I'd suggest:

          -- Create tool presets (via the underused Tool Presets panel) for the brush configurations you want.
          -- Create one action for each preset. (Start recording the action, click the tool preset you want, and then stop recording.)
          -- Add these actions to your panel in Configurator.
          -- If you plan to distribute the panel, make sure to bundle up the actions along with the panel. You can use Extension Manager to facilitate the process.

          Hope that helps,
          J.
          • 2. Re: Brush size
            leuallen-BfBe3G Community Member
            I know how to do that but it won't give me what I want. If I create a brush preset (very much used by me), it will not only set the brush size but all of the other attributes as well (except color can be ignored). I only want to change the brush size and not effect any of the other attributes. I have three brushes that I use in skin retouching: they are all the same except for the opacity, with presets I would have to have 15 buttons to cover the combinations. I have other brushes for other uses so that would further increase the button count. Unmanageable.

            Regardless of the brush in use, I just want to change only its size as if I were using the bracket keys. The bracket keys and the brush size sliders in the dialogs are unexposed and can not be used by Configurator. I would like some way to expose this functionality.

            Larry
            • 3. Re: Brush size
              Markzeb Community Member
              Hi Leuallen, you need to get used to the new brush resizing shortcut. When you get used to it, its fastest and most accurate method I've ever seen. I do a lot of skin too and know the problem.
              • 4. Re: Brush size
                leuallen-BfBe3G Community Member
                I've tried the new brush resizing method and it's OK with a mouse but with a pen it is not so good as it is awkward to click the pen (you have to pull the finger back to reach the button and then rotate the pen so that the button is under the finger). Besides it is finicky to get to the correct size, you have to concentrate and control the pen precisely. With a button click, no concentration or manual dexterity required. I want to focus on the task at hand, not changing brush size. The keyboard shortcuts ( [ ] ) are good that way. If they could be used in Configurator, that would be great.

                Larry
                • 5. Re: Brush size
                  leuallen-BfBe3G Community Member
                  OK -success! I have most of it figured out. I spent a day and a half learning scripting and searching for appropriate scripts, I used to program AutoCad so it wasn't hard to pick up. Just like Adesk, Adobe often leaves you hanging - no way to get where you want.

                  I have the brush sizes coded to script file icons so that clicking on them sets the brush to a given size without altering any other parameters. Works great, with brushes, erasers, etc. Also have icons for setting the brush hardness likewise. Would like to set the opacity/flow but that seems to be out of bounds.

                  Solved the problem of the pen/lasso etc not being selectable by actions and being able to select a preset for them. Even got a toggle to switch the visibility of a group of layers.

                  Happy camper. My panel works great in production, really speeds things along with less effort and concentration.

                  Can't wait for this tool to be further developed. Noticed that if you select an icon on the panel, it shows active as expected - but if you select another tool from another panel, it stays active when it should not be. A little confusing. Probably need two way communication so the Photoshop can send a message of the change and the panel act on it.

                  I would like to see user definable icons for the buttons so that they can be much smaller and indicate the state like on a toggle action. Also panels to group sets of buttons of similar function. Radio buttons, check boxes, -- gimme all of it!

                  Larry
                  • 6. Re: Brush size
                    Markzeb Community Member
                    Larry - I am a professional retoucher and I work in a studio with 4 others all doing skin pretty well all day. We all use Wacom Intuos tablets, not mouse.

                    You can set the buttons on your pen to use the [ and ] shortcuts. This USED to be the best way to resize brushes in CS3, and its still a very good way now. In CS4 its very easy when you get the hang of it to rescale the brush precisely using the new option control slide.
                    • 7. Re: Brush size
                      leuallen-BfBe3G Community Member
                      Mark,

                      Maybe it is the way I hold the pen. I find that anything that requires a button click is awkward for me. The upper button is near impossible - my and becomes very contorted and uncomfortable. A big problem is that the button is never in the correct place - I always have to rotate the pen to bring it under my finger. Maybe that comes from my days as a board draftsman where we rotated the pencil to keep the point uniform. So I am in the habit of often releasing my grip on the pen and rotating it. Never know where the button is. Perhaps if the button were a ring foreword the finger, it would work for me. Of if the pen had flat sides so its position in the fingers stayed constant.

                      I use the [] keys on the wheel of the mouse and it works great. The new drag cursor size is just too awkward with a pen, works great with a pen and I use it.

                      I use the two curves layers method of D/B. The panel is very good for this and my workflow. It works for me because I only work on my own files and retouching layers are always named the same. This allows me to automate a button click to change to the correct layer and set the correct brush for that layer. I have lighten and darken layers for D/B plus color layers that change the saturation or color (one layer set to sat - use white to desat or sat color to sat, other layer set to color - pick color to change.) I correct the color shifts caused by D/B as I go along so I am bouncing back and forth between the layers. With the panel, I can go from D/B mode to color correction with a single click and be sure that I am on the correct layer and the pen is set correctly.

                      Sounds complicated but in practice is very fast. Probably not work in your case where you are working on files touched by someone else and the layer names are all different.

                      I am very sensitive to the issue of automation for productivity as I used to write programs for AutoCad covering that issue before I retired.
                      • 8. Re: Brush size
                        Markzeb Community Member
                        "sensitive to the issue of automation for productivity" - yes well when you've been around and seen how inefficiently a lot of people work, and how many hours they tack onto their days by not working through these issues, then an understanding of how important automation can be becomes clear, I agree.

                        In terms of layer structure, your method (there are about 3 or 4 methods for this in general use) is one of the most complex, but controllable for doing D&B. I've got 3 people all using different methods, and honestly, its what you can achieve and how long it takes you that's important. That's where efficiency comes in. Most people seem to work with the button removed or taped on the pen and their left hand on the keyboard. I still find the buttons useful.
                        • 9. Brush size
                          Markzeb Community Member
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