Smart Brush Tool

[hudakore]

I recently installed PSE7 and there is a Smart Brush Tool. However, even with B. Brundage's book "PSE7, the Missing Manual", I don't have the foggiest idea how it works. It looks interesting and I like to play around with it but I don't know where to begin. Can someone help me...is there a tutorial (for dummies)?

[Sepiana]

Hi hudakore,

I'm still learning the ins and outs of PSE7. To help me with the Smart Brush tool, I've been using these tuts:

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/learningcenter/ (6th video down)

http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/videos/techniques/299560/adobe-photoshop-elements-7-smart-brush-tool.html

[TonyW]

I have played with it and it's not that smart and doesn't do anything you couldn't do in PSE6 which just had the quick selection tool. What it does is make a selection (like the quick selection tool) but then adds an appropriate adjustment layer/blend mode that depends on what you selected in the drop down - so blue skies adds a blue/transparent gradient set to Color Burn to the selected area. Quite clever and you can adjust the adjustment layer after it's done and it's interesting what they use to achieve different effects but it doesn't actually do anything that couldn't be done in earlier versions.

Tony

[hudakore]

Thank you Sepiana. It looks like a fun tool to use so I'm going to get right on it and see how much fun I have.