Help, My eraser tool is painting

When I select my basic eraser tool, it paints instead of erasing. I was playing around with the background eraser one night and it has been messed up ever since. I have tried resetting my tools with no luck. I'm new to elements and I'm sure it is something simple but I just can'y figure it out. I need it back in a hurry to finish a project. Can anyone help?

If you use the regular eraser on a background layer (as opposed to a regular layer) it replaces what you erase with the background color. Does it work the way you want if you first double click the background layer to change it to a regular layer?

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Help with my eraser tool please

I got a new laptop and installed a copy of fireworks on it. It seems to work differently on this new computer than my older one. The Eraser tool is all jittery and jumpy and will even continue on after I have released the mouse button. This sure makes it hard to erase small details. Can anyone help to identify what may be causing this?
PS. I just noticed that the brush tool has this jittery aspect also but the other tools seem fine.

If your new laptop is running Windows Vista and your Fireworks is CS3, then the problem is that the bitmap tools in CS3 don't run well with the transparent Aero theme.
You can change a setting (for Fireworks) so that Aero turns off when you launch Fireworks.
1) Go to where Fireworks is installed, usually C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Fireworks CS3
2) Right-click on Fireworks.exe and select Properties
3) Select the the Compatibility tab
4) Under Compatability mode label, select the checkbox for Run this program in compatability mode for: and select Windows XP (Service Pack 2) from the drop down box.
5) Under the Settings label, check Disable desktop composition
6) Click OK.
Now, when you start up Fireworks, your system should flicker as Aero is disabled (there's a message, which you can disable), but your bitmap tools should work. When you close Fireworks, your system will flicker as Aero returns.

[iPhone] Creating an "eraser" tool kind of like in a paint program.

I was wondering if any of you have implemented an eraser tool in code using Quartz 2D? I have tried many a thing and looked high and low. Someone mentioned switching to GL ES. Someone who wrote some working paint code for the Mac OS (i.e. not explicitly the iPhone) didn't implement an eraser but alluded that you could clip the CGContextClearRect() method to clear a non-square shape. I can get by using a square eraser with just CGContextClearRect() without clipping but a round eraser (or even a transparent stamp or stamp through to the background/underlying layer) would be a nicety.
Can CGContextClearRect() be prefaced and clipped with, say, CGContextClipToMask()? I cannot seem to get it to work as the one guy suggested.
I guess I could always mask the background and copy the revealed area from the background but that seems cheap.
Regards.

You will also find links to many
free tutorials in the PremiereProPedia that will quickly show you how things are done in Premiere Pro.
All versions of After Effects can do it. There is an After Effects forum for asking questions pertaining to that product.
Cheers
Eddie
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Adobe CS5 Eraser tool won't work

My eraser tool won't work on any adjustment layers I add. It will erase on a background copy but not on a curves or black and white layer. It's strange because my brush tools are working and the eraser tool has been working up until now. It's not even showing up on the thumbnail image and my opacity is set to 100 % and I have tried pencil, block and brush tool. The burn and doge tools won't work either.
I have tried resetting my tools under the drop down menu awa resetting tool preferences, preferences and restarting the program whilst holding down ctrl, alt, shift. I am working on a Microsoft Windows 7 (OS). Everything else seems to be working okay.
Any help or suggestions would greatly be appreciated
Tamzyn

If you paint Black on the Layer Mask, it will mask the effect of the adjustment in the Adjustment Layer. Likewise if you paint White on the Layer Mask it will cause the adjustment to take full effect. Grays in between will cause the adjustment to be only partially applied in that area.
If you happen to have Black selected for the background color, the Eraser tool will act like a brush painting black (and thus hiding the adjustment) when you use it on the Layer Mask. That's probably what you did to see the Eraser tool work on an Adjustment Layer in the past.
As stated above, most folks use the brush tool for working on Layer Masks.
-Noel

What happened to my eraser tool? PS CS4

Suddenly the eraser tool doesn't work any more on settings layers. If I want to erase partly a curves layer, nothing happens. If I want to erase a part selection setting layer, the eraser adds instead of erasing. Otherwise it works normally on pixels layers. I restarted the computer but nothing changed. The erase history box is unchecked.
Did I activate some function that I am not aware of? Or is this a bug and should I reinstall?

>Are you erasing to black, white, transparent? Depending on what you are erasing it is easy to flip the colours accidentally and it will look like eraser is not working...
That was it! I was erasing to white. Strange that I had never come by this before in 12 years of Photoshop use!
>When I paint on Layer Masks I usually just reset back- and foreground-color (D) if necessary, use the Brush Tool and switch the two colors (X) as needed.
I will try that technique, it should help fine tuning. Thanks!
Thanks a lot for getting me out of this!
Paul

Photoshop CC 2014 unusable due to the brushes/eraser tools freezing on a 64 bit Windows 7 PC!

Help I can't work
I'm using PS CC 2014 on a 64 bit Windows 7 PC. Photoshop is unusable due to the brushes/eraser tools freezing.
Anyone else have this issue or know how to fix it, or how to revert to Photoshop CC using a Creative Cloud subscription?
If this helps, all other cc 2014 programs are running perfectly - as was the previous version of Photoshop.

When exactly does your brushes/eraser tools freeze?
Do you use any Wacom or other brand tablet? If so, have you checked for an updated driver? Disconnect Wacom and use a mouse instead and check.
Disconnect all the external devices and then retry.
Install all the PS updates. Help > Updates
Try resetting the PS CC preferences and check if it's an issue with corrupt preferences : http://forums.adobe.com/thread/375776
Try to open PS CC 2014 in Plugin Disabled mode and check the same. For that Press Shift+PS CC 2014 icon and hit Yes.
Restart your machine and retry.
Let me know how it goes.
~Arpit

Eraser tool in Photoshop CS5 (block mode)

Hello, experts:
Several months ago, I noticed that, when using the Photoshop CS5 eraser tool in block mode, it was not working right up to the edges of the tool (the block icon that apperars on screen). In other words, when erasing, I have to guess how near it is safe to move it towards something I need to protect, and this uncertainty can cause errors in my work. Has anyone else had this problem, and is there anything that can be done to cure it?
With thanks in anticipation of a helpful reply,
True To Form

The easiest thing to start with is to reset the Eraser Tool.
Right click on the Eraser icon in the tool options bar and then click on Reset Tool.

Found Bug in PS CS6 While Trying to use the Eraser Tool

I was editing an 8 bit JPEG that I imported from Adobe Lightroom 3. While using the standard eraser tool to erase the background it would stop working and then move the screen around until I released the mouse button. This happend about every 10 - 20 seconds. I'm using a Macbook 2,1 with the OSX 10.6.8.
Recreate Steps:
1) Import 8-bit JPEG from Lightroom 3
2) Select eraser tool on main layer (background)
3) While holding the mouse button down start to erase part of the image
4) About 10 - 20 seconds in the eraser will stop working and then when you move the mouse around image moves
5) To stop the movement you have to release the mouse button and the find the correct part of the image again and start erasing again
6) Most of the time I was viewing the image at >150%
Hope this helps and you can find a fix. It's very annoying to have to stop and find the correct area of your photo to erase.
Anyone else having this issue?

I am trying to reproduce this but as of now, mine is working properly.
Can you copy and paste your system information in this thread for me to take a look at? (Photoshop Help>system info)
Pattie

Eraser tool won't reverse when swapping fore and background colors

When using the eraser tool to blend layers I often want to "unerase" a bit so hit "X" to paint with white and it still erases to layer below just as it had before switching the foreground "W" and background "B" colors. Makes no sense to me as I thought I could paint back in by doing so.

"You can reverse transparency by painting white (or a light shade) on a layer mask that has been painted black (or a dark shade)." Thanks, Noel.
That is what I am attempting, but when I paint with the white on the layer mask it continues to erase rather than reverse transparency. I was able to do this in the past without fail, but not today. My gut feeling is I've done something which has triggered this problem, but have retraced my steps carefully and am still not finding the solution. The History brush idea I will attempt later, but prefer to first figure out why my old tried and true method is failing.

My eraser tool is not working properly :(

Please excuse my bad English but it its not my firts language.
When editing pictures with photoshop, I normally create a curves layer to adjust color and then use the eraser tool over it to erase some parts of it where I don't want the curves effect to be seen (I don't know if that makes any sense). I mean, instead of using selections to edit different parts of the picture separatedly, I use the eraser tool because I have found it works better for me if I erase the effect of the parts of the picture where I don't want it to be.
The thing is, this morning I was editing and it worked fine, and suddenly the eraser stopped working on the curves layer. IF I create a new layer and draw a black line with my brush and try to erase it, it works. But it won't erase parts of the curves layer.
I have looked in the Internet for solutions and none of them have worked. I made sure the layer was not locked, I checked the opacity, I reset the tool and photoshop itself, I then reset the whole computer, and I don't know what else to do. I use photoshop CS4 in a PC.
If someone could help me it would be very, very appreciated (:
Thank you so much!!

Hello, I think you should reset the colors to default using the "D" key.
In fact, you are still editing the mask, but you are applying the colors in reverse than if you were using the brush tool.
Another useful shortcut: X that will switch the foreground and background colors.

CS3 -- I can't find the Eraser Tool

I am new to CS3, but I'm not a total greenie in photo editing after working with Jasc & Corel over the past few years. This one is starting to make me feel stupid. Maybe I'm having a brain cramp. I see the Background Eraser Tool, but after searching high and low, I can't find the Eraser Tool. Where is the little bugger hiding???

Click and hold (or ALT+Click) on ALL the icons in the Toolbox that show a little tiny triangle on their buttons. LOTs of grouped (some call them "hidden". I don't...) tools.
Anywhere you see just about ANY little icon, button, arrow or tiny triangle, try clicking and/or ALT+Clicking on them to see what secrets they hold.
Also, have a look at EVERY Menu item, and give them a try. Just don't "Save" and close your image and you will always be able to go back to your original unedited state by clicking the image at the very top of your History Palette.
Don't forget to give the Help files a thorough scan while you're exploring, too.

Eraser tool problem

I am using Illustrator CS4 on a mac with a .ai file and am trying to use the eraser tool to remove a piece of an object from an area that I want to remain transparent (I don't want to just cover it with white). The object is made of two paths with a blend. Whenever I select the eraser tool, it shows a pencil with a slash. What am I doing wrong? If nothing, how else can I do what I want to?
Nothing in my project is locked or hidden. I've tried this with nothing selected and with various pieces of the blend selected (and the whole object, of course) and have the same result every time. I've also quit and reopened.
Thanks in advance for your help.

That's perfect! Thank you for reminding me that I can release blend. I was able to erase what I didn't want and then shift the anchor points to exactly where I wanted them.
Thanks!

Eraser tool in Photoshop CS4 acts as if it is transparent when on brush or pencil mode. Block acts like its not transparent at all but there are no options for opacity, flow or brush size. Whats wrong and how to I make the brush and pencil eraser erase co

Eraser tool in Photoshop CS4 acts as if it is transparent when on brush or pencil mode. Block acts like its not transparent at all but there are no options for opacity, flow or brush size. Whats wrong and how to I make the brush and pencil eraser erase completely without having to go over it multiple times?
It started randomly about two weeks ago and I thought it was a glitch that would just go away. But now I am getting sick of using only the block eraser on one size. Help?

The easiest thing to start with is to reset the Eraser Tool.
Right click on the Eraser icon in the tool options bar and then click on Reset Tool.

Paint bucket tool not painting color on canvas

Ok - I'm new to photoshop (I just got cs4) and can't seem to get the paint bucket tool to paint the background. I've started out with a new canvas, selected paint bucket and color from color menu on right side. Foreground is selected and the paint bucket tool is showing on my cursor - when I click on it over my canvas I expected it to change to the color I selected and it does nothing. Help??

I am having the same problem and have checked the mode. Normal. Still not working- I have tried eve
rything includig unlocking the layer- checking the opacity and tolerance.
using it with other photos and still nothing.

Eraser tool doesn't erase the eraser circle completely like it used to....going nuts here

Okay....I have been on this problem for a couple of weeks. Either I have gone mad, or they changed something.
Simply, I want to take the Eraser tool, a round circle, and erase! Now, PS wont erase the ENTIRE circle to the edge of the circle (eraser). I must have done something and have pushed ever button I could thing of to correct this. It use to be I could place the eraser on something and KNOW exactly where it would begin erasing. Sigh. Can anyone help this Forum Noob. Thanks

Happy to helps -- and please don't cry. I go to pieces when other people cry.
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Help, My eraser tool is painting

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