When you want to add an adjustment to a small section of the image, you can create a New Filled Layer and then use the Erase (E) to brush the mask or adjustment away from the area you want to exclude. To see the effect on a directly applied adjustment on-screen, select the relevant adjustment and Never Display Mask (M) from the Mask Selection menu before brushing away. The edge detection feature of the Auto Mask can be a useful option to include when using the Erase brush.
Hold down Alt/Option to toggle between brush and eraser (Brush, Magic Brush, AI Select).
- From either the Layers tool or the Viewer’s toolbar, long-press the New Layer button, the (+) icon, and select New Filled Layer from the menu. An Adjustment Layer is automatically created with a mask covering the whole image.
- From the Layers tool's foot bar, select Erase Mask (E), if not already selected.
- Open the Mask Visibility Settings by clicking on the appropriate icon
in the Layers tool foot bar and select Always DIsplay Mask or Only Display Mask When Drawing.
- Modify the erase brush parameters before editing the mask. To open the Brush Settings dialog window, either click on the Brush Settings icon in the Layers tool or Ctrl/right-click in the Viewer after selecting the Erase brush.
- Select an adjustment tool and set the parameter as required. For example, add a +0.6 EV exposure adjustment.
- Brush away the mask or adjustment. The image is updated in the Viewer with the modification.
- To brush back the areas of the mask or adjustment, select the Draw Mask (B) option from the Layers tool. Modify the Brush Settings as necessary and carefully brush in parts of the mask to tidy up.
- For a quick "before and after" view of the applied adjustment, toggle the orange check-mark adjacent to the relevant layer in the Layers tool.
<< Brushing in adjustments | Modifying brush size and hardness >>