PS brush parameters

[marvpelkey]

Not a big issue, and I'm sure this is an easy fix, but just can't seem to solve it.

If I set the brush (in CS6) to soft round and apply it, the effect feathers beyond the boundary of the tool (circle of the cursor).

I wish to apply the brush along a sharp edge (and do not wish the sharpness of the edge to be affected), but it is hard to determine exactly the extent of the effect, without the visual aid of the cursor boundary (which is what I would have thought the cursor outline was for). So how can I get the brush to apply the effect entirely inside the cursor boundary? It works OK if the brush is set to hard rather than soft.

Have I inadvertently changed something in the brush settings that I am unaware of? Or is this considered normal??

Thanks,

Marv

[Peano]

I wish to apply the brush along a sharp edge (and do not wish the sharpness of the edge to be affected), but it is hard to determine exactly the extent of the effect, without the visual aid of the cursor boundary

I would protect the sharp edge with either a selection or a layer mask.

[marvpelkey]

Peano,

Thanks for the response.

I understand the mask idea, but I would prefer (much easier and quicker) to be able to do what I seek, with a brush.

Just seems weird that a brush would extend outside the cursor circle.

Marv

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

Go to Preferences>Cursors; select Full Size Brush Tip.

[Peano]

Would you mind posting the photo you're editing? I'm curious to see the problem area and what you're aiming to do with the brush.  Thanks.

[marvpelkey]

Simon,

It seems your suggestion solves the issue. Thanks very much.

Peano,

I don't necessarily have a particular image, but I have a number of images that I wish to process which require what I am trying to do.

I have taken some macro shots of a single water drop and I usually take two or three images of the drop, one focused for a sharp outline, and refocus for one or two sharp images of the interior of the drop to capture what the drop may be focused on.

I then open the images in PS, use the sharp outlined drop as the base image, then move the other images onto the base image. I then generate a black mask and using a white soft round brush I will "paint" the content of the second image into the interior of the drop. Often, I will need to sneak up to the edge of the drop, if the segment of the second image is close to that edge (although in the second image, the edge is blurred). I look to have a gentle blend between the two components of each image, hence the soft round.

With the tool the way it was, I found some of the second image, that fell outside the cursor but was captured by it, was slightly blurring the sharp edge of the drop, because I could not tell exactly how far the blur extended.

And I know I could do the auto-stack images thing, but for what I am doing, I find it sub optimal, plus I like the manual blending aspect.

Marv