Dave,
Are you sure that black is showing as the foreground color in the Tool Box? Do you see in the Layers Palette for the adjustment layer, next to the eye, a box with a circle in it? (not a brush)
Dave, are you using the Gradient tool from the toolbox and have it set to the right parameters? I think you want the foreground color set to black, background to white and the Foreground-to-Background gradient. You also have to be pointing at the adjustment layer containing the mask and draw the line on the image screen, not the mask thumbnail. (I’m not home and don’t have my book with me, although I wish I had brought it)
Also, some folks who’ve had trouble with that tutorial have been trying to use the gradient map adjustment layer or the Fill Layer – Gradient but that doesn’t sound like it applies in your case.
Chuck
Nancy and Chuck, the key was in the foreground layer being black and the background layer being white. The really odd thing is that the tutorial did talk about the foreground and background layer needing to be set to their default black and white, and even mentioned that clidking on the Default Colors icon at the bottom of the toolbox would do so. However, when I click on that icon, my foreground color becomes white, and my background color becomes black! I don’t see anything in preferences that would change this, so I’m kind of stumped as to why they would be reversed. BTW, if I click on the Reverse icon they do switch, but clicking on the Default Colors icon puts them right back again. ???
Dave, I’m glad you got the tutorial conquered but the behavior you describe for the Color Picker default is bizarre indeed. Perhaps you need to do the Delete Preferences routine…?
Chuck
Ouch. I really didn’t want to hear that. You know, even the little drawing on the icon shows a white foregound color and a black background color…Is there some setting somewhere that sets the default foreground and background colors? If necessary I’ll delete the preferences, but I’m going to hold off a little bit to see what folks say about this. Thanks!
Dave,
The permanent tiny icon below the larger fore/background colors in the Tool Box is black for foreground on my computer. Sounds like something is screwy over your way. If you don’t want to delete preferences it’s no big deal (if that would force them to exchange positions), just remember to check them, black on top.
There’s also a little two pronged arrow within the Foreground/Background box. It automatically reverses the foreground or background colors. So, to return to the default black/white (or white/black) click the icon Nancy is referring to. To reverse the direction, click on the little arrow thingy.
If you are on an adjustment layer, the default is white=foreground. On a normal layer, the default is black=foreground.
The little "default" icon at the bottom of the tools palette also changes from white/black to black/white, depending whether you are on an adjustment or a normal layer.
So, it sounds to me like Dave was merely on an adjustment layer when he reset colors to default, and nothing is wrong with his installation.
Byron
Byron, re the different default foreground/background on adjustment layers: that’s a new one on me! Thanks!!
Chuck (et al),
I should be more clear… you get the different fore/background default colors when on a LAYER MASK. Of course, in native PSE, this is only possible with an adjustment layer.
If you have one of the aftermarket tools which allows you to add a layer mask to a normal layer, then you will observe the switch in default colors when you select between the layer mask and image thumbnails in the layers palette, as well.
Sorry if my too-terse reply caused any misunderstanding.
Byron
Wow! I go away for 4 hours and you folks have it all figured out by the time I return <G>. Byron is, of course, correct. I had come to realize that everything went back to normal when I had closed out the photo that I was working with, but I couldn’t recreate the situation by re-opening the photo. I had not made that quantum leap to realizing that the key was in the adjustment layers. The default does indeed switch back and forth when going between the background and an adjustment layer. Looks like I learned one of the fine points today. Thanks everyone!
Well I had never noticed that either, the black and white swapping postions!!
I wonder if they swap because when you’re pointed at an adjustment layer, you’re using the brush tool to paint the mask – white to show, black to mask? Or something like that….
Chuck,
I haven’t tried to look up any information relating to the bahavior, but the way you describe it is the way I think of it.
Byron
