New adjustment brush with same settings?

[camner]

Lightroom Version Number

8.4

Operating System

1. macOS 10.14 Mojave

Sometimes after I apply an adjustment brush, I want to apply the same settings (or at least START with the same settings) to a different area. But, when I click "New," the settings typically snap back to something else (I haven't quite determined to what the settings revert to). Is there a way to start a new adjustment brush with the same settings as I ended a previous adjustment brush? (I'm not talking about duplicating an adjustment brush, which duplicates the brushed region, as well).

 

[Califdan]

After you select a targeted adjustment tool (Brush, Gradient, Radial), if you set slider positions prior to clicking in the image to set the pin, gradient line or radial oval, those settings (slider positions) become the new default settings for that tool. If you click in the image first to set a pin, gradient line or radial oval, then subsequent slider movements are not saved in the default. The default is used for subsequent "new" filters (i.e. new gradient, new radial oval, or new set of brush strokes.

If you want to reuse some non default set of slider positions in the same photo (for example a 2nd radial filter) right click on the pin representing the one you want to replicate and then in the popup context menu select "duplicate". A new pin will appear right on top of the original one with the same settings. Just drag that 2nd pin to another spot on the image after which you can change slider positions if desired, re-adjust the mask area for a gradient or radial filters by just dragging the lines or oval. For a brushed mask, select the "Erase Brush" (with auto mask off works best) and brush away as much of the previous mask shape you wish (turn on overlay to see it better) then select A or B brush and paint the desired shape.

I should also note that with the brush tools, the brushed areas do not need to be contiguous. For example I can set a brush pin on person A and brush over that person. Then with the same pin selected and go over to the other side of the image and brush over person B. In this case both persons are considered as part of the same adjustment and get the effect from the same set of slider positions.

 

[camner]

@Califdan: Thanks for your extensive explanation. I can see the utility of duplicating an adjustment selection in the case of the radial filter or the gradient filter, because making the changes to the filter (not the settings but the shape/form) is relatively easy. However, it seems less useful in the case of the brush, because the form/shape of the selection is less likely to be similar in the new context as the old.

I think my difficulties are this: When working with the brush, I typically begin by moving a “main” slider (e.g., exposure) to approximately where I think it should be. I then will adjust that setting to taste, and I may well then change shadows and highlights as well, perhaps also texture and/or clarity, until the region I’ve selected has the look I want. Now I see another area of the image that would benefit from similar, though not identical, treatment. I’d love to use the settings I applied to the initial selection as a starting point. Duplicating the selection and then using Erase to delete the selection and then creating the selection I want seems tedious, and in some cases (such as if the initial selection is contiguous to another selection/adjustment I made and I don’t want to disturb that), would need to be done very carefully so as not to damage work I’ve already done.

Perhaps there is no good answer to this.

Your explanation helped me to understand a phenomenon that puzzled me. With the workflow I described above, I noticed that when I clicked “New” SOME of settings I had stayed, and others went away; I now understand that it is the initial settings I made BEFORE setting the pin that were retained, while the sliders I moved AFTER setting the pin went away. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[prbimages]

I would suggest going to the "Effect:" dropdown (in the brush tool) and choosing "Save Current Settings as New Preset..." and give it some name. Now, if you click on "New" the new brush will be set up with the values you've just saved. When you have finished, you can simply go to the dropdown menu again and delete the preset (or keep it if you think it might still be useful later).

 

[LouieSherwin]

Try the Esc key. I think that will make a new set but use the same settings. I do this a lot when layering on a small amounts of negative exposure for a custom vignette.

-louie

 

[johnbeardy]

I just select the adjustment point , then use Alt+Ctrl (Mac Opt+Cmd) and drag to the other area.

 

[prbimages]

I just select the adjustment point , then use Alt+Ctrl (Mac Opt+Cmd) and drag to the other area.

No, that duplicates the brush strokes as well, which is not what the original poster wants. He only wants to duplicate the brush settings.

Louie's solution is the best and works perfectly - yet another little Lightroom feature that I never knew about!

 

[camner]

Try the Esc key. I think that will make a new set but use the same settings. I do this a lot when layering on a small amounts of negative exposure for a custom vignette.

-louie

Thanks for the suggestion, but that didn't work for me. When I hit ESC, it was the equivalent to clicking on New (that is, it retained the sliders I had changed BEFORE setting the pin, but the slider I changed AFTER setting the pin returned to 0).

I did this with the Adjustment Brush as an experiment:

1. Chose the Adjustment Brush
2. Moved Exposure all the way to the right
3. Painted a stroke on the image to set the pin
4. Moved Saturation all the way to the left
5. Hit ESC
6. "New" was highlighted instead of "Edit" and the Saturation slider went back to 0 (while the Exposure slider stayed all the way to the right)

 

[prbimages]

Ah yes, good point. So my original suggestion in post #4 looks like the best workaround.

 

[johnbeardy]

No, that duplicates the brush strokes as well, which is not what the original poster wants. He only wants to duplicate the brush settings.

Good point, I should have added that I then modify the new point's strokes as needed.