Opacity Brush Panel
The menu item to show and hide the Opacity Brush panel can be found in the main menu under Window > Astute Graphics > Opacity Brush.
Opacity Brush Panel
1. Flyout menu
See Opacity Brush Panel: Flyout Menu.
2. Panel banner
The help button on the right opens the help documentation in the Astute Manager. If this does not automatically appear, please ensure your Astute Manager is running first.
Click on the other area of the color bar to activate the Opacity Brush tool. This is a quick method of locating the tool within the default Advanced toolbar or a custom toolbar.
3. Size Specification
The size (diameter) of the brush, from 1pt to 1000pt.
4. Hardness Specification
The hardness of the brush, from 0% to 100%.
5. Opacity Specification
The opacity of the brush, from 0% to 100%.
6. Noise Specification
The amount of noise in the brush, from 0 (no noise) to 100 (maximum noise).
7. Roundness
The roundness of the brush, from 10% (highly elliptical) to 100% (circular).
8. Angle
When the brush is not at 100% roundness, the angle of the major axis of its elliptical shape.
9. Size Control
Visible when the panel is expanded. When using a mouse as the input device, it should be set to Fixed; otherwise, enables the brush size to be controlled by either the pressure or wheel setting of a stylus-like device.
10. Opacity Control
Visible when the panel is expanded. When using a mouse as the input device, it should be set to Fixed; otherwise, enables the brush opacity to be controlled by either the pressure or wheel setting of a stylus-like device.
11. Roundness/Angle Control
Visible when the panel is expanded. When using a mouse as the input device, it should be set to Fixed; otherwise, enables the brush opacity to be controlled by either the tilt/bearing or tilt/rotation setting of a stylus-like device.
12. Reset Mask
Visible when the panel is expanded. The value input specifies the base opacity of the entire mask when it is reset (or first created, if the tool preference Base Opacity Applies to New Masks is enabled), with a default of 100%. The Reset Mask button resets the mask, removing all existing brush strokes that may have been made to it and filling it with the base opacity specified in the value input box.
13. Invert Mask
Visible when the panel is expanded; inverts the raster portion of the opacity mask.
Opacity Brush Panel Invert Mask
Opacity Brush Panel Flyout Menu
Opacity Brush Panel Flyout Menu
1. Expand/Compact Panel
When expanded, the panel shows the size control, opacity control, roundness/angle control, reset mask area, and invert mask button.
2. Reset Mask
Resets the opacity mask(s), just as clicking the Reset Mask button on the panel would.
3. Invert Mask
Inverts the opacity mask(s), just as clicking the Invert Mask button on the panel would.
4. Extend Mask to Fit Art
By default, Opacity Brush automatically extends an raster opacity mask if the art to which it belongs is made larger. However, if that preference is turned off, choosing this menu item will manually extend it.
5. Remove Mask
Removes the currently selected opacity mask(s). If the art had an existing opacity mask before being brushed by the Opacity Brush, only the raster portion of the mask that was created by the tool will be removed.
7. Opacity Brush Preferences...
Brings up the Preferences dialog (see Opacity Brush: Preferences).