Silly question?

[Britsdad]

When I am useing the art history brushes to create a piece of "art" I start with a blank layer above a white layer above the base image, then do what I want to do with the image then save as a PSD as normal, no problem. However yesterday I was in the middle of the proccess when I saved it, ready to resume again today. When I opened the image up again today and started with the ahb (all the layers were shown, and the source was set to the original) it picked up only the layer I had been working on yesterday with the ahb, in the areas where I had not "painted" yesterday the brush layed down white and where I had painted yesterday it picked up only the info from the ahb layer. Am I doing it wrong? and if I am can someone point me in the right direction?.......any help is welcome......John

[Flora]

Hi John,

... have to admit to have never used the Art History Brush... .... so ... I don't really have a clue ... but could it be that being a 'history' tool its full function is 'bound' to the working session only?? .... Meaning... after closing and re-opening the session it went back to/picked up the only 'history' available in your new session ....

[byRo]

John, that a GOOD question - and I'm sure you're not the only one who has this problem.

Flora is quite right, the history state that you were using before was linked to the image as it was when you originally opened it (and which now resides on the background layer) and does not get saved in the PSD file. When you opened the image the second time, the history state that it now remembers is the present state of your work, which will include your new AHB layer - and this history state is what it will use as the base for cloning.

Here's my workaround (maybe someone knows a better way):

- Turn off your AHB and White layer (now you just see the original image);
- Duplicate (Image>Duplicate or right-click on the images toolbar), and mark the option "Duplicate Merged Layers Only". This makes a clean image with the history state pointing to the right place.
- We are now going to copy white and AHB layers. With both the new and old images on screen, select the old. Press <Shift>* and click and drag the white layer to somewhere in your new image. Repeat with the AHB layer.
- OK, resume fun with AHB!

*This ensures that the layer gets lined-up properly

Rô

[Britsdad]

Thankyou both for the replies,
Ro, I will try that the next time I need to save "midstream" , although it will be easier to finish what you start! , it does seem a little odd that Photoshop does not save the history state though.
Many thanks John
ps. by the way Ro did you get my e-mail about your Chalk AHB's download.

[byRo]

Originally Posted by Britsdad

ps. by the way Ro did you get my e-mail about your Chalk AHB's download.

No, was it recent?

I changed my e-mail registered at RetouchPRO a few weeks ago, maybe your e-mail ended up at the old one.

Please send again, OK?

Rô

[Britsdad]

Ro.......done that, and it was yesterday I sent the first......Cheers John