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BH888
Inspiring
August 10, 2019
Answered

Returning to a prior layer to do additional retouching

  • August 10, 2019
  • 4 replies
  • 1760 views

Made a duplicate layer on which I applied the Spot Healing Brush on a face to remove blemishes. Then, made a duplicate layer of the Blemish Layer, on which I removed hot spots.  So far, so good.

Later realized I missed a blemish or two.  So, made Blemish Layer active again, but Healing Brush & Spot Healing Brush do not seem to function now.

Can anyone tell me what I’m overlooking?  Shouldn’t I be able to simply return to a prior layer and continue where I left off? – without resorting to a stamped visible layer or without creating a brand new duplicate layer on top of the stack?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer jane-e

    Taking a suggestion mentioned in a few comments above, I went thru the entire procedure again with a different (reject) image (i.e., blemish removal & hot spot removal, each on separate layers).  This time, however, I kept the retouching on each layer simple; i.e., retouched one single blemish on the Blemish (blank) Layer; removed one single hot spot on the Hot Spot Layer, AND was careful to deselect the patch selection.  Happily surprised to see that problem disappeared!!

    Followed the same procedure again, but this time, I purposely did not deselect.  Problem reoccurred.  No matter what layer I activated, Healing Tool simply did not function.  Seems to confirm that "failure to deselect" was the cause of the problem.  Since I hid each patch selection (Cntrl + H) when I adjusted "the fade", I didn't have a visual selection to remind me to deselect.

    It seems, therefore, that I must have one or more active selections still on the Hot Spot Layer that have disabled the Healing Brush Tool (at least, outside the active selection area).

    Last question on this tread:  Would like to preserve the work I already invested on the Hot Spot Layer.  Since the active selection(s) have been hidden in various areas within the Hot Spot Layer (i.e., Cntrl + H), is there a quick way to deselect one or more of these (invisible) selections that may still be active on the Hot Spot Layer? - in one fell swoop.


    Hi

    A quick way to deselect is Ctrl+D (Cmd+D) on a Mac) or go to Select > Deselect.

    When you make a new selection, it replaces the old one. If you modify a selection by adding to it or subtracting from it, it is considered to be one selection.

    When you have an active selection, you can only work inside that selection (as you figured out). You are doing well!

    ~ Jane

    4 replies

    B
    BH888Author
    Inspiring
    August 12, 2019

    With the non-functioning Healing Brush problem solved, another issue has become apparent, which hopefully someone can help resolve.

    As mentioned in my original post, a duplicate of the Background Layer was created to remove facial hot spots (i.e., the Hot Spots Layer).  This layer appears “clean” – because it is below the Blemish (blank) Layer (in the layer stack) where blemishes were removed; i.e., Blemish (blank) Layer on top of layer stack & Hot Spot (a duplicate of Background) immediately underneath in 2nd position.

    However, when I create a selection with the Patch Tool (in the Hot Spot Layer) and move it to, what appears to be, a clean source area, the source area – once chosen & transferred to the selected area - turns out to contain blemishes previously retouched out, as well as blotchy artifacts of prior retouching on the Blemish Layer.

    Even though the Hot Spot Layer appears to be free from blemishes, the blemishes, along with artifacts, reappear within the patch selection after choosing a source area.

    Although I may not know how to specifically accomplish it, I suspect that I should have created the Hot Spot Layer by duplicating both the Blemish Layer (originally blank) and the Background Layer together, - rather than duplicating just the Background Layer alone.  This is just a guess, of course, but this recent problem may stem from the fact that, although the Hot Spot Layer appears clean (because of the Blemish Layer above it), I am really sampling a source area from layers beneath the Hot Spot Layer.

    In any event, can someone point me in the right direction?

    Stephen Marsh
    Community Expert
    Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 11, 2019

    Check the tool options (sample current layer, all layers, current & below), perhaps reset the tool. Check the targeted layer, visibility and or image or mask channel. Check for active selections. These are probably the most common issues when things are not working as you expect. Working on a transparent layer for the corrections may be preferable than on a full duplicate of the original.

    B
    BH888Author
    Inspiring
    August 11, 2019

    Will definitely check for any “active selections”, as I had been making selections with the Patch Tool to remove hot spots on the subsequent layer after the Blemish Layer.  In retrospect, I had been hiding the selections (Cntrl+H) before fading the patch selection.  Since the selections were now hidden, I may have forgotten to "deselect" one or more of the selections.  Might that have prevented the Healing Tool from functioning on the prior Blemish Layer??

    Could you briefly explain what you mean by “reset the tool”?  Are you referring to changes in the Option Bar?

    Many thanks.

    Mohammad.Harb
    Community Expert
    Mohammad.HarbCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 10, 2019

    When working on a layer below ( ex. Blemishes Layer)

    make sure to hide the upper layer ( make it invisible) by clicking on the eye icon .

    B
    BH888Author
    Inspiring
    August 10, 2019

    Yes, tried making upper layer invisible, but Healing Tools just don't seem to work any longer on the Blemish Layer.  Even tried moving the Blemish Layer to the top of he stack, with & without Hot Spot Layer (now below) visible, but no luck.

    jane-e
    Community Expert
    jane-eCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    August 10, 2019

    Hi

    Your workflow has gotten you into trouble.

    You are making different edits on different layers and whichever layer is on top will hide the layer with its edits that is underneath.

    It appears that your Background layer is staying untouched, which is fine.

    ~ Jane

    Bojan Živković11378569
    Community Expert
    Bojan Živković11378569Community Expert
    Community Expert
    August 10, 2019

    Can you post screenshot with Layers panel and Options bar visible? I think that problem is because you have duplicated layer above layer on which you want to retouch and content is covering what you are doing on layer below but this is only my guess and possibility.

    B
    BH888Author
    Inspiring
    August 10, 2019

    I also tried moving the Blemish Layer to the top of the stack in the Layers Panel.  But I still could not get the Healing Tool to operate.

    To summarize what I did: Blemish Layer is a duplicate of the Background Layer; - and the Hot Spot Layer is a duplicate of the Blemish Layer after I did blemish retouching on it.

    B
    BH888Author
    Inspiring
    August 10, 2019

    With all 3 layers visible and the Hot Spot Layer upper most and active, tried using the Spot Healing Tool on the Hot Spot Layer.  Surprised to find that the Healing Tool doesn't work there either.  Yikes!  What's happening?

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