Keep your strokes short to sample color frequently (which happens automatically if the Strength is low).At a lower Strength the first color fades out and new ones under the cursor are picked up and smeared as the cursor goes over them.At 100% Strength – it applies only the first color(s) it samples (and makes longer strokes).The higher the Strength setting in the Options Bar, the farther the Smudge Tool will smear each new color it encounters.If the brush tip is big enough to pick up more than one color, the Smudge Tool applies streaks from each color.If Finger Painting is turned off – each stroke starts by sampling the color under the cursor.If Finger Painting is turned on in the Options Bar – the smear will start by using the Foreground Color when first stroked.Thanks once again to the old gold standard PS book called The Photoshop Wow Book for CS3 and CS4 by Linnea Dayton and Cristen Gillespie (this is still one of the best references every written on PS) for the tips below. First, here is what I have learned about the Smudge Tool itself. I will go into the brushes used on him below. My favorite Leopard from the Jacksonville Zoo had just the right amount of hair to see what I could do to get some furry edges on his body. I guess that is why I have never used it a lot – but I am finding with the right brush tip, it is very useful. It has been very “eye opening” to me! Basic Smudge Tool CharacteristicsĪ lot of PS writers feel that the Smudge Tool only smears the paint around creating an awful effect or gives an unnatural flatness when used.
So what is going on with the selected Smudge Tool – it helps to look at the settings to know how to use it correctly. This week it was used on the two images to bring out the fur details. Sometimes I use it all the time and sometimes I wonder why would I use it with the fabulous Mixer Tools available. There is something about the Smudge Tool that creates a love-hate relationship for me.