Overlapping Brush Stroke don't darken CS / CS2

[Gaikotsu-San]

Greetings all!

I was wondering if the powerful gurus here can figure out this issue I have been having with the CS and CS2 versions of Photoshop.

If you set your brush to 50% opacity and make 1 continuous stroke and begin to overlap that stroke, IT WILL NOT DARKEN!!! To darken, you have to now go back over this stroke with your second stroke. So your paintings look like a mesh of transparent overlapping strokes not unlike using markers.

This is annoying. Painter, and Open Canvas do not have this defect. If your single stroke overlaps, it will darken. This to me is natural. If you take a 6B pencil and keep stroking the same stroke, it will get darker no matter how soft your stroke is.

Does anyone know how to change this in Photoshop? Everywhere I read people just 'deal' with it by messing with opacities on the brush strokes and in the layers.

Please tell me there is a better way. I don't want to have to RE-INSTALL version 7.0 of Photoshop just to get this feature back

Thanks,
Gaikotsu-San

[Isick]

You can't change it. Sometimes I wish it was changed also, but then I think of how many times that feature comes in handy. The same is true with all tools (Dodge, Burn, Sponge, Clone, etc).

A way around it would be to make the design once, duplicate its layer, and then delete where you don't want doubling up. It will take longer, but it will be the same.

[Gaikotsu-San]

Damn. What a loss WEll...I guess what I'll do is use photoshop to make base colors in various layers and then open the PSD in Painter

Thats so silly. How hard would it be to have that be something you could turn on and off?

[Excruciating]

You can make it more realistic.
When I use photoshop to paint I always make sure never to have the flow option (right to opacity and blend mode) for the brush above 10%. I usually work with a percentage of 4-6.

[tombothetominator]

Wow, this is one of my favorite things in photoshop. For me it makes masking easier if I dont have to worry about going over the same area twice and getting a weird patch in my mask.

[Gaikotsu-San]

>Excrutiating
I can make things realistic but its more work Actually what I do Is once completed I duplicate the layer and add grain, then blend it ontop of what i ahve done. That way I get the 'skin marbelization' that occurs

I just wanted to paint the way I used to

>tombothetominator

I know what you mean, it DOES have its benefit, But I think it should able to be turned on/off like the Airbrush option <shrug>

Lastly, I think with as expensive and powerful as Photoshop is, that I would have 'basic' functionality found in other paint programs.

[Excruciating]

I do see why your using the grain to avoid the computer-looking paintings.
But I still don't understand your problem. Changing the flow percentage will give you the effect and feel your looking for I believe.

[Gaikotsu-San]

Excruiating.

I beleive flow doesn't have any effect over my issue. Flow determines the 'amount' of 'paint' that comes out. My issue deals with the inability to darken my stroke with the same stroke.

Example. If you took a pencil and with 'light' preasure started going back and forth in the same place, the stroke will get darker and darker and darker until it reaches it's top level of darkness.

Currently in photoshop, if you begin marking in the same place it will not continue to darken. it will reach a 'max point' and stay there. This is useful if you want to color an entire area a solid 'transparent' shade. Simply never lift up the pen.

If you want to reproduce my issue, do this:

A) open a new document. DPI and res doesn't matter.
B) Choose RED as a color.
C) Select a brush that fades at it's edges.
D) Set Opacity to 35%
E) Set flow to 50%
F) Set the Shape Dynamics to none.
G) Now make 1 stroke that overlaps on itself. You will notice it will be the same shade no matter how many times you over lap.
H) Now lift up your pen.
I ) Make a new stroke that overlaps on your previous stroke and overlaps on itself.

The effect looks like you are using Alchohol markers. When the 2 strokes meet it is 50% darker than before

This is what causes banding and creates a severe lack of realism in painting.

If you open Painter or Open Canvas, you will not see this issue. If your mark over laps in the same stroke, that line gets darker. Just like real media does in real life.

This is what I want fixed and am being told that it cannot be fixed. I apologize but I find that disapointing from the makers of Adobe. Any chance this is an on/off option in CS3?

Thanks for all your comments.

-Gaikotsu

[Excruciating]

Now, I know it's not that smooth because I didn't take my time, but I still think it's the best solution to your problem.
Though it still reaches a max point of colour, it is up to you to choose that max point by choosing the right color, or alternate this color with the dodge or burn tool or preferable add another touch of colour to the stroke.
I tried you method and compared it to what I'm doing when I draw:

[Gaikotsu-San]

Excruciating,

I appreciate your suggestion. I can make the painting look smooth by working around the issue. However, time and speed are a factor for my clients. I was hoping I had over looked a setting. Below is a screen shot of what I am talking about and the differences between painting in PS and in Painter.