User Guide Cancel

Paint with the Mixer Brush

Last updated on 15 November 2022

Photoshop User Guide
Introduction to Photoshop
1. Dream it. Make it.
2. What's new in Photoshop
3. Edit your first photo
4. Create documents
5. Photoshop | Common Questions
6. Photoshop system requirements
7. Get to know Photoshop
8. Keep Photoshop up to date
Photoshop and other Adobe products and services
1. Work with Illustrator artwork in Photoshop
2. Work with Photoshop files in InDesign
3. Substance 3D Materials for Photoshop
4. Use the Capture in-app extension in Photoshop
Photoshop on the iPad (not available in mainland China)
1. Photoshop on the iPad | Common questions
2. Get to know the workspace
3. System requirements | Photoshop on the iPad
4. Create, open, and export documents
5. Add photos
6. Work with layers
7. Draw and paint with brushes
8. Make selections and add masks
9. Retouch your composites
10. Work with adjustment layers
11. Adjust the tonality of your composite with Curves
12. Apply transform operations
13. Crop and rotate your composites
14. Rotate, pan, zoom, and reset the canvas
15. Work with Type layers
16. Work with Photoshop and Lightroom
17. Get missing fonts in Photoshop on the iPad
18. Japanese Text in Photoshop on the iPad
19. Manage app settings
20. Touch shortcuts and gestures
21. Keyboard shortcuts
22. Edit your image size
23. Livestream as you create in Photoshop on the iPad
24. Correct imperfections with the Healing Brush
25. Create brushes in Capture and use them in Photoshop on the iPad
26. Work with Camera Raw files
27. Create and work with Smart Objects
28. Adjust exposure in your images with Dodge and Burn
29. Auto adjustment commands in Photoshop on the iPad
30. Smudge areas in your images with Photoshop on the iPad
31. Saturate or desaturate your images using Sponge tool
32. Content aware fill for iPad
Photoshop on the web (not available in mainland China)
1. Common questions
2. System requirements
3. Keyboard shortcuts
4. Supported file types
5. Introduction to the workspace
6. Open and work with cloud documents
7. Generative AI features
8. Basic concepts of editing
9. Quick Actions
10. Work with layers
11. Retouch images and remove imperfections
12. Make quick selections
13. Image improvements with Adjustment Layers
14. Add a fill layer
15. Move, transform, and crop images
16. Draw and paint
17. Draw and edit Shapes
18. Work with Type layers
19. Work with anyone on the web
20. Manage app settings
21. Generate Image
22. Generate Background
23. Reference Image
Photoshop (beta) (not available in mainland China)
1. Get started with Creative Cloud Beta apps
2. Photoshop (beta) on the desktop
3. Reference Image
Generative AI (not available in mainland China)
1. Common questions on generative AI in Photoshop
2. Generative Fill in Photoshop on the desktop
3. Generate Image with descriptive text prompts
4. Generative Expand in Photoshop on the desktop
5. Replace background with Generate background
6. Get new variations with Generate Similar
7. Generative Fill in Photoshop on the iPad
8. Generative Expand in Photoshop on the iPad
9. Generative AI features in Photoshop on the web
Content authenticity (not available in mainland China)
1. Content credentials in Photoshop
2. Identity and provenance for NFTs
3. Connect accounts for creative attribution
Cloud documents (not available in mainland China)
1. Photoshop cloud documents | Common questions
2. Photoshop cloud documents | Workflow questions
3. Manage and work with cloud documents in Photoshop
4. Upgrade cloud storage for Photoshop
5. Unable to create or save a cloud document
6. Solve Photoshop cloud document errors
7. Collect cloud document sync logs
8. Invite others to edit your cloud documents
9. Share files and comment in-app
Workspace
1. Workspace basics
2. Preferences
3. Learn faster with the Photoshop Discover Panel
4. Create documents
5. Place files
6. Default keyboard shortcuts
7. Customize keyboard shortcuts
8. Tool galleries
9. Performance preferences
10. Use tools
11. Presets
12. Grid and guides
13. Touch gestures
14. Use the Touch Bar with Photoshop
15. Touch capabilities and customizable workspaces
16. Technology previews
17. Metadata and notes
18. Place Photoshop images in other applications
19. Rulers
20. Show or hide non-printing Extras
21. Specify columns for an image
22. Undo and history
23. Panels and menus
24. Position elements with snapping
25. Position with the Ruler tool
Web, screen, and app design
1. Photoshop for design
2. Artboards
3. Device Preview
4. Copy CSS from layers
5. Slice web pages
6. HTML options for slices
7. Modify slice layout
8. Work with web graphics
9. Create web photo galleries
Image and color basics
1. How to resize images
2. Work with raster and vector images
3. Image size and resolution
4. Acquire images from cameras and scanners
5. Create, open, and import images
6. View images
7. Invalid JPEG Marker error | Opening images
8. Viewing multiple images
9. Customize color pickers and swatches
10. High dynamic range images
11. Match colors in your image
12. Convert between color modes
13. Color modes
14. Erase parts of an image
15. Blending modes
16. Choose colors
17. Customize indexed color tables
18. Image information
19. Distort filters are unavailable
20. About color
21. Color and monochrome adjustments using channels
22. Choose colors in the Color and Swatches panels
23. Sample
24. Color mode or Image mode
25. Color cast
26. Add a conditional mode change to an action
27. Add swatches from HTML CSS and SVG
28. Bit depth and preferences
Layers
1. Layer basics
2. Nondestructive editing
3. Create and manage layers and groups
4. Select, group, and link layers
5. Place images into frames
6. Layer opacity and blending
7. Mask layers
8. Apply Smart Filters
9. Layer comps
10. Move, stack, and lock layers
11. Mask layers with vector masks
12. Manage layers and groups
13. Layer effects and styles
14. Edit layer masks
15. Extract assets
16. Reveal layers with clipping masks
17. Generate image assets from layers
18. Work with Smart Objects
19. Blending modes
20. Combine multiple images into a group portrait
21. Combine images with Auto-Blend Layers
22. Align and distribute layers
23. Copy CSS from layers
24. Load selections from a layer or layer mask's boundaries
25. Knockout to reveal content from other layers
Selections
1. Get started with selections
2. Make selections in your composite
3. Select and Mask workspace
4. Select with the marquee tools
5. Select with the lasso tools
6. Adjust pixel selections
7. Move, copy, and delete selected pixels
8. Create a temporary quick mask
9. Select a color range in an image
10. Convert between paths and selection borders
11. Channel basics
12. Save selections and alpha channel masks
13. Select the image areas in focus
14. Duplicate, split, and merge channels
15. Channel calculations
Image adjustments
1. Replace object colors
2. Perspective warp
3. Reduce camera shake blurring
4. Healing brush examples
5. Export color lookup tables
6. Adjust image sharpness and blur
7. Understand color adjustments
8. Apply a Brightness/Contrast adjustment
9. Adjust shadow and highlight detail
10. Levels adjustment
11. Adjust hue and saturation
12. Adjust vibrance
13. Adjust color saturation in image areas
14. Make quick tonal adjustments
15. Apply special color effects to images
16. Enhance your image with color balance adjustments
17. High dynamic range images
18. View histograms and pixel values
19. Match colors in your image
20. Crop and straighten photos
21. Convert a color image to black and white
22. Adjustment and fill layers
23. Curves adjustment
24. Blending modes
25. Target images for press
26. Adjust color and tone with Levels and Curves eyedroppers
27. Adjust HDR exposure and toning
28. Dodge or burn image areas
29. Make selective color adjustments
Adobe Camera Raw
1. Camera Raw system requirements
2. What's new in Camera Raw
3. Introduction to Camera Raw
4. Create panoramas
5. Supported lenses
6. Vignette, grain, and dehaze effects in Camera Raw
7. Default keyboard shortcuts
8. Automatic perspective correction in Camera Raw
9. Radial Filter in Camera Raw
10. Manage Camera Raw settings
11. Open, process, and save images in Camera Raw
12. Repair images with the Enhanced Spot Removal tool in Camera Raw
13. Rotate, crop, and adjust images
14. Adjust color rendering in Camera Raw
15. Process versions in Camera Raw
16. Make local adjustments in Camera Raw
Image repair and restoration
1. Remove Tool
2. Remove objects from your photos with Content-Aware Fill
3. Content-Aware Patch and Move
4. Retouch and repair photos
5. Correct image distortion and noise
6. Basic troubleshooting steps to fix most issues
Image enhancement and transformation
1. Replace sky in your images
2. Transform objects
3. Adjust crop, rotation, and canvas size
4. How to crop and straighten photos
5. Create and edit panoramic images
6. Warp images, shapes, and paths
7. Vanishing Point
8. Content-aware scaling
9. Transform images, shapes, and paths
Drawing and painting
1. Paint symmetrical patterns
2. Draw rectangles and modify stroke options
3. About drawing
4. Draw and edit shapes
5. Painting tools
6. Create and modify brushes
7. Blending modes
8. Add color to paths
9. Edit paths
10. Paint with the Mixer Brush
11. Brush presets
12. Gradients
13. Gradient interpolation
14. Fill and stroke selections, layers, and paths
15. Draw with the Pen tools
16. Create patterns
17. Generate a pattern using the Pattern Maker
18. Manage paths
19. Manage pattern libraries and presets
20. Draw or paint with a graphics tablet
21. Create textured brushes
22. Add dynamic elements to brushes
23. Gradient
24. Paint stylized strokes with the Art History Brush
25. Paint with a pattern
26. Sync presets on multiple devices
27. Migrate presets, actions, and settings
Text
1. Add and edit the text
2. Unified Text Engine
3. Work with OpenType SVG fonts
4. Format characters
5. Format paragraphs
6. How to create type effects
7. Edit text
8. Line and character spacing
9. Arabic and Hebrew type
10. Fonts
11. Troubleshoot fonts
12. Asian type
13. Create type
Filters and effects
1. Use the Blur Gallery
2. Filter basics
3. Filter effects reference
4. Add Lighting Effects
5. Use the Adaptive Wide Angle filter
6. Use the Oil Paint filter
7. Use the Liquify filter
8. Layer effects and styles
9. Apply specific filters
10. Smudge image areas
Saving and exporting
1. Save your files in Photoshop
2. Export your files in Photoshop
3. Supported file formats
4. Save files in graphics formats
5. Move designs between Photoshop and Illustrator
6. Save and export video and animations
7. Save PDF files
8. Digimarc copyright protection
Color Management
1. Understanding color management
2. Keeping colors consistent
3. Color settings
4. Duotones
5. Work with color profiles
6. Color-managing documents for online viewing
7. Color-managing documents when printing
8. Color-managing imported images
9. Proofing colors
Web, screen, and app design
1. Photoshop for design
2. Artboards
3. Device Preview
4. Copy CSS from layers
5. Slice web pages
6. HTML options for slices
7. Modify slice layout
8. Work with web graphics
9. Create web photo galleries
Video and animation
1. Video editing in Photoshop
2. Edit video and animation layers
3. Video and animation overview
4. Preview video and animations
5. Paint frames in video layers
6. Import video files and image sequences
7. Create frame animations
8. Creative Cloud 3D Animation (Preview)
9. Create timeline animations
10. Create images for video
Printing
1. Print 3D objects
2. Print from Photoshop
3. Print with color management
4. Contact Sheets and PDF Presentations
5. Print photos in a picture package layout
6. Print spot colors
7. Print images to a commercial printing press
8. Improve color prints from Photoshop
9. Troubleshoot printing problems | Photoshop
Automation
1. Creating actions
2. Create data-driven graphics
3. Scripting
4. Process a batch of files
5. Play and manage actions
6. Add conditional actions
7. About actions and the Actions panel
8. Record tools in actions
9. Add a conditional mode change to an action
10. Photoshop UI toolkit for plug-ins and scripts
Troubleshooting
1. Fixed issues
2. Known issues
3. Optimize Photoshop performance
4. Basic troubleshooting
5. Troubleshoot crash or freeze
6. Troubleshoot program errors
7. Troubleshoot scratch disk full errors
8. Troubleshoot GPU and graphics driver issues
9. Find missing tools
10. Photoshop 3D | Common questions around discontinued features

Learn how to easily paint with the Mixer Brush in Photoshop

Paint with the Mixer Brush

The Mixer Brush simulates realistic painting techniques such as mixing colors on the canvas, combining colors on a brush, and varying paint wetness across a stroke.

The Mixer Brush has two paint wells, a reservoir and a pickup. The reservoir stores the final color deposited onto the canvas and has more paint capacity. The pickup well receives paint only from the canvas; its contents are continuously mixed with canvas colors.

Select the Mixer Brush tool . (If necessary, click and hold the standard Brush tool to reveal the Mixer Brush.)
To load paint into the reservoir, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the canvas. Or, choose a foreground color.

Note:

When you load paint from the canvas, the brush tip reflects any color variation in the sampled area. If you prefer brush tips of uniform color, select Load Solid Colors Only from the Current Brush Load pop-up menu in the options bar.
Choose a brush from the Brush Presets panel. See Select a preset brush.
In the options bar, set tool options. For common options, see Paint tool options. For options unique to the Mixer Brush, see the following:

Current Brush Load swatch

From the pop-up panel, click Load Brush to fill the brush with the reservoir color, or Clean Brush to remove paint from the brush. To perform these tasks after each stroke, select the automatic Load or Clean options.

Preset pop-up menu

Applies popular combinations of Wet, Load, and Mix settings.

Wet

Controls how much paint the brush picks up from the canvas. Higher settings produce longer paint streaks.

Increasing paint wetness

A. 0% B. 100%

Load

Specifies the amount of paint loaded in the reservoir. At low load rates, paint strokes dry out more quickly.

Increasing load rates

A. 1% B. 100%

Mix

Controls the ratio of canvas paint to reservoir paint. At 100%, all paint is picked up from the canvas; at 0%, all paint comes from the reservoir. (The Wet setting, however, continues to determine how paints mix on the canvas.)

Sample All Layers

Picks up canvas color from all visible layers.
Do one or more of the following:
- Drag in the image to paint.
- To draw a straight line, click a starting point in the image. Then hold down Shift, and click an ending point.
- When using the Brush tool as an airbrush, hold down the mouse button without dragging to build up color.

Stroke smoothing

Photoshop performs intelligent smoothing on your brush strokes. Simply enter a value (0-100) for Smoothing in the Options bar when you're working with one of the following tools: Brush, Pencil, Mixer Brush, or Eraser. A value of 0 is the same as legacy smoothing in earlier versions of Photoshop. Higher values apply increasing amounts of intelligent smoothing to your strokes.

Stroke smoothing works in several modes. Clicking the gear icon () to enable one or more of the following modes:

Pulled String Mode

Paints only when the string is taut. Cursor movements within the smoothing radius leave no mark.

Stroke Catch Up

Allows the paint to continue catching up with your cursor while you've paused the stroke. Disabling this mode stops paint application as soon as the cursor movement stops.