Smart Brush Hardness

[JRW]

I have just started using Photoshop Elements 9 and think the smart brush is one of its best features, but can anyone tell me what the "hardness" setting for the smart brush actually affects? It can't be the selection; a pixel is either inside or outside the selected area and can't be in an intermediate state like "50% selected" (though I have seen that phrase in a manual). I also thought that it might feather the opacity as you paint the mask, but if I understand it correctly the mask is black or white at any point and the opacity setting applies equally to all the white points, so feathering isn't possible. Also, when using the smart brush I haven't noticed that changing the hardness setting affects its behaviour in any way. So what does this setting do?

[jerryb]

hi,
i don't have elements 9 however i had strong suspicion what it is....

it throw you alittle bit since it more or less a all in one type brush tht can do a quick selection and paint and also add adjustment layer.. smiling... which is nice..
I looked at a few tutorials,,, difficult to find anything definite on it but there glimpses...

I believe there referring to the brush edges if there soft or hard...

a low number would be soft edge, the edge partially faded or a hard edge nice sharp clean edge....

you may not see that much diffence between 75% hardness and 65% hardness but if 100% hardness compared to 50% hardness it should be quite noticable....


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