Question about using the airbrush with a tablet.

[nomore]

Hi

I have a Wacom Intuos graphics tablet. I'm having difficulty with the airbrush in Photoshop.

When I paint with the brush, the colour is painted onto the layer, however when I move the brush back over where I just painted, it doesn't increast the opacity of the paint. It's as if the paint doesn't flow on a bit I've already done. If I lift the pen up from my tablet, and then paint again, it will increase the opactity.

Why can't I use the airbrush like a real airbrush and go over the same bit a few times?

Thanks.

 

[kiwi]

Hmm Intuos 3 here,its the same for me if I use the same amount of pressure,ie the paint stays the same opacity.Try pressing harder and it should build up for you.


If you think there might be something wrong with the tablet go {Intuos and Intuos 2] to help and run down the menu to diagnose,you should be able totest all switches are opening and closing properly in there.



I have my brushes set up as "other Dynamics" > set opacity jitter to pen pressure,leave the slider at 0. With this set up for an airbrush type feel I flick my brush from side to side with a stroke,it does give a nice air brushed type of effect.The other good thing about being setup this way is you just un check other dynamics to get a solid opacity stroke of 100% instead of pressure if you want to.


It also pays to mess around the tip pressure controls to get a nice workflow you like as well


hth

 

[nomore]

Hi

Many thanks for your reply.

If I press harder, it will go darker, up to an extent.

If I keep brushing over the same area, it gets to a certain amount of opacity and then wont go any darker. It as if Photoshop stops the paint flow. If I lift the pen, and then paint over the same area, it will start to get darker again, until it gets to a certain level.

I want it to be like an airbrush where if I keep going over the same area (in on continuous motion) it will spray more paint until it become a solid colour.

In the example below, I painted the top area over and over in one motion, and it got to the shade you see there, but wouldn't get any darker. I then lifted the brush and painted an area below. Where they overlap, it has gone darker. This seems to be the only way I can get it to do this, which means I end up with solid colour streaks in my pictures.

 

[nomore]

I've solved it now.

 

[sPECtre]

yes, and how? remember that on a forum, your question, and its answer might help others

The airbrush switch was not on? BTW, were you using a regular stylus?

Stu, the intuos 3 rocks, isn't it? had you a V2 that you sold?

 

[kiwi]

yes, and how? remember that on a forum, your question, and its answer might help others

The airbrush switch was not on? BTW, were you using a regular stylus?

Stu, the intuos 3 rocks, isn't it? had you a V2 that you sold?

Ya Pierre it does rock,I am finding the new lpi increase for responsiveness on the tablet surface quite a bit better for painting,for say masking etc.The touch strip is also brilliant for brush size change and zooming,although I still find myself using the bracket keys for brush resize before the touch strip .


The new keys are excellent as well,thats the main reason I upgraded to the 3 version,as I use a Mac and having those keys is very nice for 3D also.I do have a number setup for PS though as well.And my pen is back switch X front switch option.



Ah the v2,well my first tablet was an Intuos 9 x 12,and thats a bit big for my environment and as much as it worked great its size just became cumbersome,so I bought a 6 x 8 Intuos 2.The intuos 2 was also great a much better size etc,but in the Wacom Asia Pacific region {until recently} if you bought anything under the size of a 9 x 12 it came with no mouse,even though in the US they are included.When the 3 turned up with keys and a mouse included {the mice were 150 extra here until recently that is} I couldnt resist upgrading.I gave my old Intuos to my cousin who loves it,and the 2 I am going to give to a very young artist I know who is very talented and has no chance of being able to afford a tablet anytime soon,so he will love it.


Cheers

Stu.

 

[sPECtre]

You should write a mini review for the review board, stu!

 

[kiwi]

Thats a good idea Pierre ......I will ask Mark to re punctuate it for me


The Intuos 3 is a very different animal to the 2 so it does deserve a review.