Needless to say, the Options Bar plays a vital role in our checklist because it holds the settings for every tool.
Later on we'll look at each tool in detail, but for now, here are the fundamental questions that apply to many of Photoshop's tools:
Is a Tool Preset chosen ?
Is the correct blend mode chosen?
Is the Opacity at 100%? If not, should it be?
Is the correct brush size , shape, or font chosen?
The choices in the Options Bar change depending on what tool you're using, but before you start using any tool, check the Options Bar first!