Skip to main content
Participant
April 8, 2019
Question

Brush tool problem

  • April 8, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 283 views

choosing the brush tool defaults to pencil tool. Is there a fix for this?

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    April 8, 2019

    If that does not solve the issue please post a screenshot of the Toolbox and the Brush Tool-button expanded.

    What are the image’s Color Mode and bit depth?

    How do you »choose the brush tool« exactly – shortcut or clicking in the Toolbox?

    Participant
    April 8, 2019

    Hi,

    I work in 8 bit color depth and use the hotkey B to choose the brush, but

    it sometimes defaults to pencil. I thought it occurred when I was in

    Quickmask Mode only, but it occurs randomly, intermittently, both in

    Quickmask and not. Once it even defaulted to Mixer Brush Tool, something I

    did not even know existed as I never used it.

    This tool is a must-have for my work as a retoucher, and I do not know what

    I will do without it working properly. Thanks for any help you might be

    able to offer.

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    April 8, 2019

    Just to make sure: Is Photoshop > Preferences > Tools > Use Shift Key for Tool Switch checked?

    April 8, 2019

    Hi

    What version of Photoshop and OS do you have, have you tried resetting the Tools

    Participant
    April 8, 2019

    Hi,

    Thanks for your reply.

    I am running CS6 64bit on Windows 10, and I have tried resetting the brush

    tool many times, but the problem still occurs.

    This never happened when I first bought CS6 a few years ago; the problem

    started happening recently, and I must assume that Windows updated and

    changed something. Maybe it was the antivirus updating.

    Whatever it was, the program is impeded and my work crawls along at half

    the pace, and it is very frustrating to do a job that was once a pleasure.

    Computers are evil.

    April 8, 2019

    Have you tried resetting PS preferences

    To restore preferences quickly using a keyboard shortcut: Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Windows) or Option+Command+Shift (Mac OS) as you start Photoshop. You are prompted to delete the current settings. The new preferences files are created the next time you start Photoshop