Photoshop - Paint Brush Disappeared

[JimFox]

I was using Photoshop 2021 this morning and I went to do a layer mask and needed to do some hand painting with the brush tool. To my surprise the brush tool was only a cross hair, like a "+" sign.

The brush worked, it increased or decreased in size and opacity when I used it. I just couldn't see the normal circle showing it's area with the mouse pointer.

I then noticed that my Caps Lock was on. When I clicked Caps Lock back to Off, the mouse pointer turned back into a circle corresponding to the size I had selected for it.

This was only a few minutes of scratching my head, but I wanted to pass it on incase anyone has that happen to them.

Jim

 

[AlanLichty]

I guess I had never tried having caps lock on while in PS. I just confirmed your observations out of curiosity. Not certain what circumstances would benefit from having this feature but nice to know it's there.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I use caps lock all the time, and this is normal for PS. I use the eye dropper tool to set B&W point and turning the curser into a circle makes it easier to get exact placement on the target.

 

[JimFox]

I guess I had never tried having caps lock on while in PS. I just confirmed your observations out of curiosity. Not certain what circumstances would benefit from having this feature but nice to know it's there.

I never use Caps Lock, though with my new laptop I seem to be accidently pressing it all of the time now.

 

[JimFox]

I use caps lock all the time, and this is normal for PS. I use the eye dropper tool to set B&W point and turning the curser into a circle makes it easier to get exact placement on the target.

Hey Ben, you use Caps Lock all the time? I never use mine unless be accident. If there was a way to remove the Caps Lock button from my new laptop I would as I am always accidently turning it on. In the gaming world, it's bad form to use all caps, as it's taken that you are now yelling at whoever you are chatting with. So that's another reason why I don't use it.

 

[JimFox]

I guess I had never tried having caps lock on while in PS. I just confirmed your observations out of curiosity. Not certain what circumstances would benefit from having this feature but nice to know it's there.

I agree, what would be the purpose of it? Using the Paint brush without the circle of how large the brush is was horrible, I had to guess as to just how much and where exactly I was painting.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I spent most of my life as a drafter/Engineer where lower case letters were not permitted (too small and harder to reproduce from microfilm). When I learned to type I hated the shift key so I typed all upper case until I was booed down. I would settle for all lower or all upper case, but not both.

But I use upper case in Photoshop for the reason I outlined, and only use it for that purpose.

 

[AlanLichty]

I agree, what would be the purpose of it? Using the Paint brush without the circle of how large the brush is was horrible, I had to guess as to just how much and where exactly I was painting.

Someone must have had enough of a use for it for Adobe to include the feature. I am still trying to think of a use for it myself.