What Is the Secret of Creating an Ultra Soft-Brush

[CEHARRIS3]

I posted this on the Beginners Forum, but could get no responses. It seems inappropriate here, in that I don't think the answer will be super-complex, byt I can't seem to get a response.

How does one make super soft edge brushes? I can't seem to do it! I am talking about the kind used to make a montage with multiple images and layer masks (as in Grant's Tools) where the blending appears almost "mysterious". I mean the kind that would emulate a large feathering effect in a selection. All of mine are too sharp, and I have experimented with the options, but without success. Am I missing an option somewhere?

[Diana]

In the scenario you describe, blending/masking photos in a montage, I just use one of the soft-edged brushes in the Default set. The larger you make the brush, the more feathered the edges are. I don't know of any ultra-soft brushes, maybe someone else does.

Diana

[CEHARRIS3]

Thanks for the reply, but I wish the information were different! It seems odd to me the PSE5 which seems to have so many extremes in such effects as filters, etc, seems somewhat restrained on "softness". The "hardness" option on the brushes seems to start at the default and just get sharper and sharper (but not the other way...softer and softer). Very "unPSE5"-like. Also in one of the paid courses (on Levels, I think...or maybe Techniques) it seems to me there was a brush used that was super-soft...almost like mist. I may have to resort to feathered selections.

Thanks for the help, Diana:)

[bayhli]

Hi,

Have you tried the air-brushes? I like using them for a softer touch on many things but they are about opacity rather than softness; worth a try perhaps. These are located in the default brushes list, following the soft brushes. Good luck.

[Diana]

I've always had good luck with the default soft brush for feathering the edges of masked images in a montage. A large brush gives a very good, thin feathering. Here's an example of a white background painted with a soft black brush of different sizes. Notice how much more feathering there is on the large brushes.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1KK3aatUf8PmYnssll7xlGqr3upRyv0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1KK3aatUf8PmYnssll7xlGqr3upRyv0)

Here's an example of one of my images where I combined two photos and blended them together using the soft brush on the masks.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1p8aeIYGLJxMTDaPkJtJJn7cGzwIp0_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1p8aeIYGLJxMTDaPkJtJJn7cGzwIp0)

Diana

[CEHARRIS3]

As usual...this forum is a lifeline, and I thank you all for the replies. The, airbrush...using the large brushes, and saving a desired selection as a brush. Stuff I would not think of (and perhaps should have:o).

Here is another obvious one which I thought of later. Search the web for Photoshop brushes! I did and there were literally a thousand sites!

I settled on this one:

http://www.psbrushes.net/space_01.php

Downloaded the one called "stars" (brush 149) and it fit my needs perfectly...the lazy persons way out! I am still confused by the way brushes work (with respect to Preset manager etc) so I just keep my custom brushes in a file on my desktop, and load them as I need them). Will figure this Preset business later:)

Now Diana...how did you get those images onto your reply directly? I have always resorted to attaching them as jpegs which are invariably too small to see:(

[Wendy]

Hi ...

I left you a reply in the other thread :)

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28558

Wendy

[Wendy]

To put thumbnails in the thread we tend to use Pixentral :)


First resize your image using "save for web"
Set the longest side to 750 pixels and click on Apply
then adjust the quality slider until the image is around 150K.
and save it with a new name.

then go to
http://www.pixentral.com/index.php

Follow the instructions on the site and then when your image is uploaded copy the URL from below the image (where it says forum) and paste it into a message here :)

Hope that helps ..

Wendy

[CEHARRIS3]

Wendy...thanks again for all the help...and especially the "bonus" on Pixentel!
I guess I am going through my renewed childhood (just turned 65:(), but I find this stuff simply amazing! I actually followed the instructions, uploaded and resized a picture which I am sending to you as proof that I did it!!! The picture is of my sister-in-laws garden in St John's, Newfoundland. The air-brush thing at lower opacity was exactly what I was searching for!!



http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1q7nmltsNJhxzBLYHD3U5df04NiVrr_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1q7nmltsNJhxzBLYHD3U5df04NiVrr)

[Wendy]

So glad that it all worked for you ... Elements really is fun to use and everyone here will help when you need it :)

Wendy

[pixlbandit]

The other way to control 'softness' is to reduce the opacity of the brush.
Vicki

[Rusty]

Depending on what you are attempting to do, experiment with different brushes. I'm talking about more than just the choice between "hard" and "soft".

I was having a devil of a time today painting a mask on an adjustment layer. I was getting extreme feathering bleeding over into areas where I didn't want my mask.

Well, guess what? I finally figured out that I had not changed my brush from "splatter" -- something I was using yesterday. :p :p

In addition to all that's available in the internet, Elements is preloaded with a lot of choices.

Rusty