Lighten/Darken Brush???

Biffstress · #1 01-21-2006, 07:33 PM

Yes I am new...
I was working with Paint Shop Pro A lot. Then I decided to switch to Photoshop CS2 and Photoshop Elements. I have learned Quite a bit about the program in the past couple months. But there is something I really liked about Paint Shop Pro and that was the Lighten/Darken, Saturate/Desaturate Brush. It was extremely useful.

The only thing I have been able to find with similar is the menu for Lighten,blah blah. And all though I have become very proficiant in it's use, it still does not have the ease or handyness of the Brush. Is there any techniques or ways of doing a similar brush? And If so could you post some explanations or tutorial links for me. I would be extremely greatful. Thank you.

I have both Photoshop CS2 and Photoshop Elements.

Biffstress

Biffstress · #2 01-21-2006, 07:38 PM

Yes I am new...
I was working with Paint Shop Pro A lot. Then I decided to switch to Photoshop CS2 and Photoshop Elements. I have learned Quite a bit about the program in the past couple months. But there is something I really liked about Paint Shop Pro and that was the Lighten/Darken, Saturate/Desaturate Brush. It was extremely useful.

The only thing I have been able to find with similar attributes is the menu for color, Hue, saturation,blah, blah. And all though I have become very proficiant in it's use, it still does not have the ease or handyness of the Brush, let alone the control.

Are there any techniques or ways of doing a similar brush? And If so could you post some explanations or tutorial links for me. I would be extremely greatful. Thank you.

I have both Photoshop CS2 and Photoshop Elements.

Biffstress

mistermonday · #3 01-21-2006, 07:53 PM

Hi Biffstress and welcome to RetouchPRO! I am not a Paintshop user and in Photoshop the names are different. You will find these brushes in the main tool bar. In Photoshop, the "lighten" brush is called the Dodge tool. The Darken brush is called the Burn Tool, and the Desaturate brush is called the Sponge tool. The 815 page user manual that installs itself with Photoshop CS2 has full explanation of all of these for your reference.
Regards, Murray

Biffstress · #4 01-21-2006, 07:57 PM

Thank You I didn't realize thanks again.

Foxkatt · #5 01-22-2006, 07:40 PM

Hi Biffstress,
I have worked with numerous photos that needed one part or another lightened or darkened. I have a couple of methods that work really well which you might also enjoy. One was in a book and one was shown to me by a teacher.

1. Go to the flyout menu on your layers palette. (Click on the little sideways triangle in the upper right corner). Select New Layer and when the dialog box comes up, change the mode to overlay and check the bottom box to fill with neutral gray. Click ok.
Now you can paint on the overlay layer. Set the colors to black/white. You can switch back and forth by using the shortcuts D for black and X for white. Set your brushes to a lowered opacity. How much is up to you. I use between 12% and 30% regularly. Now as you paint on the overlay layer you'll see the black darkening details and the white lightening them. I think this looks much nicer and more subtle than what you get when using the burn and dodge tools.
When you have what you like, use Ctrl/Cmd E to merge the layer down or leave it in the original file so as not to disturb the original image pixels.

2. I often want to tweak the shades after doing step #1 above. Try going to Image>Adjustments>Selective Color. Make sure the Method at the bottom is set to absolute. Go to the dropdown menu at the top and select whites or neutrals or black and tweak the black amount in each, either higher or lower as the image requires. You can add colors as well and can mess with individual colors too. It's a good tool.

Hope these help.
Foxkatt

bart_hickman · #6 01-23-2006, 03:28 AM

Hi Biffstress,

I prefer doing things similar to what Foxkatt suggested--namely, creating a separate layer using the appropriate blend mode. Results are more controllable.

However, just as an FYI, there is a slight difference between the lighten brush and the dodge brush (Paintshop Pro has both.) Thinking in terms of the HSL model (Hue/Saturation/Lightness), the lighten brush simply turns up the lightness. The dodge brush turns up both the lightness and the saturation. For small changes, the difference is fairly minor.

Bart

Flora · #7 01-23-2006, 05:15 AM

Hi,

Biffstress, Foxkatt,

Welcome to RetouchPRO!

Biffstress,

... just a couple of additions to the tips you have already received...

* You can achieve lightening or darkening by simply changing your Brush's Mode.. (Attachment 1) .... This method works both directly on the image or on a blank layer placed on top of it ....

* Dodge and Burn Tools work only if applied directly on the image and, as Bart has already said, they both influence saturation as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxkatt

... check the bottom box to fill with neutral gray.

...this is an optional .... I found that if I don't fill my layers with neutral gray I get the same results and the final file size is smaller...

If interested, you can read about the 'Blank Layers Technique' in this Tutorial under the praragraph BLANK/EMPTY LAYERS SET TO....

Hope this helps ...

Foxkatt · #8 01-23-2006, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flora

...this is an optional .... I found that if I don't fill my layers with neutral gray I get the same results and the final file size is smaller...

Hey, thanks for the tip Flora. I'll definately go the no gray route from now on. Anything to get those file sizes down.
I'm learning SO much on this site.

thanks again,
Foxkatt