Why is the History Brush only painting white on my picture instead of the colors from my text file?

Question

I am working on a project for my online class and am having difficulties with the History Brush.  Note that both files are identical in size etc.
1.  I created a color text file and saved it with a specific name.
2.  I copied an existing photo from iPhoto, as I couldn't import into PhotoShop,  and pasted it in a new file.  I then removed the white background layer and then saved it with its now specific name and closed the file.
3. I re-opened the Color Text File.
4.  I then re-opended my photo.
5.  I performed a "Select All" from the menu bar of my active Photo then selected Edit - Copy and then closed my Photo file.
6.  From my Color Text File I selected Edit and then Paste from the menu bar.
7.  I selected Layer and Flatten Image from the menu bar.
8.  I right clicked the background image from the Layers Panel and created a snapshot (which is my photo)
9.  I selected the History brush and verified that this also displayed in the gray box associated with the Color Text file within the History Panel.
10.  I verified that my photo image was displayed in my work area.
11.  I start to fill the photo with my History Brush and the only color I get is White.
Any assistance would be appreciated.

Answer 1

You seem to think that a History State equals a Layer.  That couldn't be farther from the truth.
aswencak wrote:
 …We are then suppose to click the History brush from the Tools Panel and verify that the little box next to the Tie-Dye image is selected and displays the History Brush.  Now the document area should display the photo, at this point we are suppose to paint the photo with 1 stroke.  The painted colors would be that from the Tie-Dye image…
That's not clearly phrased, but it sounds totally wrong.  Again, a History State will not just show you what you just pasted, but your entire image, with ALL its layers.
Normally, to use the History Brush one goes back one step in the History Panel AFTER you have created your snapshot, so that you'll be selectively applying the changes to your image as it was before the filter.  Here's an example:
You've finished editing an image.  Fine.  Now you apply an Unsharp Mask filter (to the whole image, of course) and immediately create your Snapshot.
Now you step back in the History Panel to the state BEFORE you applied the sharpening.  You make sure your History Brush is targeting the sharpened Snapshot, but you start painting on the History State BEFORE you applied the sharpening.
Now you can start applying selective sharpening with your History Brush in whatever blending mode you wish.  For selective sharpening, the History Brush in Luminosity blending mode gives you fantastic results.
Just remember:  History States are not like layers at all.
In my opinion that's a lousy instructor who would make you use the Clipboard to illustrate the use of the History Brush.  … but that's just me.