Painting Shortcuts

Brush Selection Shortcuts

Mac and Win
Select the Next Brush	]
Select the Previous Brush	[
Select the First Brush	Shift + [
Select the Last Brush	Shift + ]

Brush Selection Shortcuts

If the current brush was chosen from the brush presets in the Option bar, you can use the following shortcuts to select other brush presets:

Mac and Win
Next brush	. (period)
Previous brush	, (comma)
First brush	<
Last brush	>

Brush Editing Shortcuts

Mac and Win
Enlarge brush diameter	]
Shrink brush diameter	[
Increase brush hardness	Shift + ]
Decrease brush hardness	Shift + [

Create a New Brush

Both: Click in empty slot

In Photoshop 6, you can also modify the current settings (diameter, angle, hardness, and spacing) of the currently selected brush. Photoshop 7 permits even more customization of properties, including texture, brush angle, and opacity jitter.

Delete a Brush

Mac: Opt + click the brush in the Brushes palette

Win: Alt + click the brush in the Brushes palette

Look for the cursor to change to a scissors icon.

Edit the Current Brush Preset

Mouse: Double-click the brush

In Photoshop 7, double-clicking a brush preset allows you to rename the preset. Other modifications are made through the Brushes palette.

Decrease the Brush Radius

Both: [

Increase the Brush Radius

Both: ]

Decrease the Brush Hardness

Both: {

Increase the Brush Hardness

Both: }

Change Painting Tool Opacity in 1% Increments

Both: Type two numbers quickly (11=11%, 63=63%, and so on)

Change Painting Tool Opacity in 10% Increments

Both: Type a single number (1=10%, 2=20%, and so on)

Paint Constrained to Horizontal or Vertical Axis

Both: Shift + drag

This shortcut works when using any of the following tools: Airbrush, Paintbrush, Rubber Stamp, Healing Brush, Pattern Stamp, History Brush, Eraser, Pencil, Line, Blur, Sharpen, Smudge, Dodge, Burn, Sponge, and Gradient.

Paint or Draw in a Straight Line

Mouse: Shift + click

This shortcut works when using any of the following tools: Airbrush, Paintbrush, Rubber Stamp, Pattern Stamp, History Brush, Eraser, Pencil, Pen, Line, Blur, Sharpen, Smudge, Dodge, Burn, Sponge, and Gradient.

Set the Paint Bucket and Line Tools to Clear

Mac: Option + Shift + R

Win: Alt + Shift + R

Mouse: Blend Mode pop-up menu in Layers palette

Blend Mode Shortcuts

These shortcuts work only if you have a selection or the Move tool is the active tool. Otherwise, these shortcuts change the opacity of the active Painting tool. Blend modes can also be selected from the pop-up menu in the Layers palette.

Blend Mode	Mac	Win
Next Mode	Shift + + (plus)
Previous Mode	Shift + “ (minus)
Normal (Threshold Mode in Bitmap documents)	Option + Shift + N	Alt + Shift + N
Dissolve	Option + Shift + I	Alt + Shift + I
Multiply	Option + Shift + M	Alt + Shift + M
Screen	Option + Shift + S	Alt + Shift + S
Overlay	Option + Shift + O	Alt + Shift + O
Soft Light	Option + Shift + F	Alt + Shift + F
Hard Light	Option + Shift + H	Alt + Shift + H
Linear Light	Option + Shift + V	Alt + Shift + V
Vivid Light	Option + Shift + J	Alt + Shift + J
Pin Light	Option + Shift + Z	Alt + Shift + Z
Color Dodge	Option + Shift + D	Alt + Shift + D
Color Burn	Option + Shift + B	Alt + Shift + B
Darken	Option + Shift + K	Alt + Shift + K
Lighten	Option + Shift + G	Alt + Shift + G
Difference	Option + Shift + E	Alt + Shift + E
Exclusion	Option + Shift + X	Alt + Shift + X
Hue	Option + Shift + U	Alt + Shift + U
Saturation	Option + Shift + T	Alt + Shift + T
Color	Option + Shift + C	Alt + Shift + C
Luminosity	Option + Shift + Y	Alt + Shift + Y
Behind	Option + Shift + Q	Alt + Shift + Q