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R
Random_Artist
Participant
October 17, 2024
Answered

Soft Brushes Are Not Working Properly

  • October 17, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 426 views

I am having an issue related to soft brushes. This issue happens to me from time to time and I am never able to solve it unless it disappears itself. So what happens is as I try to use soft brushes with any tool it creates really bad gradient with jagged edges and for the eraser is erasing like I am modelling a 3D mesh. I tried other suggestions related to similar issues but couldn't figure out what is happening restarting the software and computer also not working. I am using PS 2024. and did not have any issues until yesterday.

Please see the image below for better info about my issue.

 

Any idea or help is appreciated, thank you so much beforhand.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer D Fosse

The technical term for this is banding, and the cause is always insufficient bit depth.

 

As long as you're working in 16 bit depth, it's not in the data; it's all in your display system. Unless you have an (expensive) 10-bit capable monitor, your whole display pipeline is at 8 bit, and with most office/gaming monitors even 6 bit + temporal dithering (rapid flashing).

 

With 8 bit data, there are only 256 discrete steps per channel. Those are visible steps. And there are several components that each impose those 256 steps on top of each other - in other words, banding is cumulative.

 

The standard advice is to add a tiny bit of noise. Not much, just enough to break up the banding. In a photograph there is always just enough noise so that this isn't an issue, so this is really only seen with synthetic gradients like a soft brush.

1 reply

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
October 17, 2024

The technical term for this is banding, and the cause is always insufficient bit depth.

 

As long as you're working in 16 bit depth, it's not in the data; it's all in your display system. Unless you have an (expensive) 10-bit capable monitor, your whole display pipeline is at 8 bit, and with most office/gaming monitors even 6 bit + temporal dithering (rapid flashing).

 

With 8 bit data, there are only 256 discrete steps per channel. Those are visible steps. And there are several components that each impose those 256 steps on top of each other - in other words, banding is cumulative.

 

The standard advice is to add a tiny bit of noise. Not much, just enough to break up the banding. In a photograph there is always just enough noise so that this isn't an issue, so this is really only seen with synthetic gradients like a soft brush.

R
Random_ArtistAuthor
Participant
October 17, 2024

Thank you so much. That really helped me

 

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