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Brush size and softness - that's it? Adjusting brush after the fact? #1
ksignorini's picture
by ksignorini
May 29, 2011 - 3:33pm

I'm new to Aperture 3 and have been playing with the brushed in adjustments, such as Tint, etc.

What I've noticed is that even at maximum Softness, the feathering of the adjustment isn't very pronounced…at least not when compared to other editors. I have found the button in the tool's brush HUD that lets you soften the edges after the fact (the middle button), but I'm wondering why on earth those are two separate functions? If a brush edge could be softened out to, say “x” after the fact, why can't I just brush it in as “x” soft to start with?

I'm also wondering about making other adjustments after the stroke is made. For example, if I make a brush stroke and have my strength at say, 0.5 and don't like the way the effect looks (pretend it's too weak), what I would do in other editors is adjust the Strength up a bit, say to 0.75 and see how the stroke I had made looks with the new setting. If that's how Aperture is supposed to work, it doesn't seem to be doing that for me. It seems that if I'm unhappy with a stroke I made at 0.5 and want that same stroke to be stronger, I have to bump up the Strength to 0.75 and then re-stroke. Is this right? (I hope not…what if my stroke was fairly complex?)

I'm loving Aperture so far, but I'm just confused on the brushes is all. They seem different than other brushes I've used.

Thanks and I'm looking forward to figuring out how this works!

PhotoJoseph's picture
by PhotoJoseph
May 30, 2011 - 7:35am

ksignorini,

You’re right—Aperture brushes work differently than anything else you’ve used before :)

When you brush in Aperture, you’re not brushing in the effect. You’re brushing in a mask between two versions of the photo; the original and the effected one. This is why you can alter the intensity of the brush, but then after the fact still change the effect itself.

The easiest way to understand this is to apply an effect (anything) and start brushing it in. Then switch to Brush Strokes view and see the mask that you’re creating [screenshot].

In that screenshot, you can see a stroke painted at 0.25, at 0.5 and at 1.0.

Does that make more sense now?

-Joseph @ApertureExpert

@PhotoJoseph
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ksignorini's picture
by ksignorini
May 30, 2011 - 9:12am

So I have to think: “mask”. Got it.

I can do that.

I just wish I could make the brush softer on the initial strokes…more blending, you know.

Thanks for the great answer!

PhotoJoseph's picture
by PhotoJoseph
May 30, 2011 - 9:15am

ksignorini,

Your question inspired a new tip; “Understanding Brushes in Aperture 3”. Enjoy ;-)

-Joseph @ApertureExpert

@PhotoJoseph
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