Edges and Blending problems

[ChaoticKnight]

I've been finding that my edges are blurry or undefined and that the picture is too soft with my work lately in Photoshop. Also, I've been having trouble blending values and colors and to be honest, I'm not sure what I should be doing differently. I set the main brush to 100% opacity, I've messed with the flow (though I admit I don't quite understand what it affects yet), and turn off the opacity pressure sensitivity to try for harder lines but the edges still blur out. I guess I don't know enough about the program to know what I'm doing wrong. Are there settings I'm not looking at?

Also, Blending has become a huge pain in the ass. I've never liked the smudge tool, as it doesn't really blend it just creates a mess. And for smaller brush strokes with less flow and opacity, I can see every brush stroke and it looks bad.

Does anyone have any suggestions or things I should try?

[shutupyourface]

i don't know if you have checked it out but there are two threads near the top that go into blending with a hard brush to achieve that crisp line, and yet give a good painterly look. they are the Digital Painting in PS threads. i haven't had a chance to try them yet (total n00b) but they seem incredibly informative, and there is a big community effort to help get through the process.

[ChaoticKnight]

Yeah I've searched through them and have been trying to follow everything thats there, but my stuff is not looking right. I must have a setting on that I don't know of or something.

[naralim]

I've been finding that my edges are blurry or undefined and that the picture is too soft with my work lately in Photoshop. Also, I've been having trouble blending values and colors and to be honest, I'm not sure what I should be doing differently. I set the main brush to 100% opacity, I've messed with the flow (though I admit I don't quite understand what it affects yet), and turn off the opacity pressure sensitivity to try for harder lines but the edges still blur out. I guess I don't know enough about the program to know what I'm doing wrong. Are there settings I'm not looking at?

Also, Blending has become a huge pain in the ass. I've never liked the smudge tool, as it doesn't really blend it just creates a mess. And for smaller brush strokes with less flow and opacity, I can see every brush stroke and it looks bad.

Does anyone have any suggestions or things I should try?
Wow I might be able to help with this I feel so special.
Allright when useing the smugde tool keep your Strength around 50% that will make it smoother and you wont see every individual line. Also a tip I learned is do your strokes one at a time. Its time consumeing but it seriously helps.
The higher your strength is set the more it smudges it and it looks wonky especialy if your trying to blend colors.
Hope it helps :)

[S.M]

Its strange that u have so much trouble with blending/edges!

To blend i use a hard round brush set to pressure sensitivity with no spacing (1%) and the flow at 100% (these two elements may soften edges).
I use it in combination with the eyedropper to colorpick quick using the alt key.

I use it to get different kind of edges too; Heavy brushstrokes for hard edges and light brushwork for soft edges.

Ive attached u a little something to illustrate my words. :)


Hope it helps and sincerly sorry if u already knew this technique...

[J Wilson]

S.M, good quick tutorial. I've tried explaining that technique to people before, but it's so much easier to how them.

[ChaoticKnight]

Yeah that was useful thank you. I'm still just so used to pencil that I think my mind wants it to be more like it, even though its clearly not. I should've started learning it 2 years ago from scratch instead of trying to liken it to other mediums haha. >.<

[Deon]

To blend i use a hard round brush set to pressure sensitivity with no spacing (1%)

OMG!!! Thank you so much - I never knew about that setting before, so I thought there was something wrong with my tablet pen's update or sensitivity or that perhaps my computer was too slow or something! I am so stoked now thanks!