trouble erasing selection on adjustment layer

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

06/28/2012 08:05:54 PM · #1

I have not found a solution or what I'm doing wrong. I will have a base image, create an adjustment layer (let's say brightness/contrast), and want to delete a piece of it. I add a mask and make sure that's selected (otherwise I get the "nothing editable" error message), use a selection tool (marquee, lasso tool, whatever), and then hit delete, backspace, eras, but the selection remains unchanged. It does not delete. Any ideas?

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/28/2012 08:11:36 PM · #2

when you use a mask you have paint either white or black, black will allow the base image to show through, white will mask out. you can also use opacity to allow some thing to partly show through the mask.

you can create mask for any layer. adjustment layers come in attached with a mask. just hit the little mask icon at the bottom of the layer toolbox and it will add one to the current layer, then just click on it and paint away. no more destructively erasing pieces of you layers.

Message edited by author 2012-06-28 20:14:44.

EL-ROI

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

06/28/2012 08:17:31 PM · #3

Are you trying to erase a piece of the adjustment layer or a piece of the base layer based on your selected adjustment layer mask?

Do you have a layer showing under the layer you are trying to erase??

06/28/2012 08:17:45 PM · #4

Thanks! That worked, but I used to be able to use erase before and now I can't. I also tried using the opacity in the selection but that didn't work either.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

06/28/2012 08:20:00 PM · #5

I had a background image, and added an adjustment layer over it. I wanted to erase a piece of the adjustment so that the background image showed through unadjusted. I could not get the selected portion on the adjustment layer to erase.

I know that adjustment layers come with built in masks, and taht you can add a mask to any layer at all. I was just not able to erase the selection on the adjustment layer mask.

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/28/2012 08:28:36 PM · #6

i think you can use the eraser if the background color is black, not sure as i used to do this too, i forget what made it work.

with the opacity you have to set it in the brush so you paint shades of gray, not the opacity of the layer.

ETA: yep, just tried it, background color needs to be black to use the eraser. i switch the colors and it ceased to work.

Message edited by author 2012-06-28 20:30:28.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Canon Mount

06/28/2012 08:44:11 PM · #7

Fantastic, Mike!!! Thank you. I KNEW I wasn't crazy, and that I'd "erased" before.

Thanks everyone. You're MUCH better (and cuter) than the Geek Squad :-)

Mike

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/28/2012 08:57:41 PM · #8

Originally posted by tanguera:

Thanks everyone. You're MUCH better (and cuter) than the Geek Squad :-)

probably cheaper too.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

06/28/2012 09:55:28 PM · #9

Using the eraser on a mask with BG color set to black is EXACTLY the same thing as painting with black on a mask, and if you change BG color to white it's like painting with white. There's absolutely no difference at all.

Message edited by author 2012-06-28 22:04:20.