Need help in Photoshop with using the eraser tool. Any experts?

[threeputt]

I want to be able to move the eraser tool in strict horizontal and vertical motions. Using the mouse without some sort of controls is shaky.

Is there a feature to make it easier?

 

[ColoPrinthead]

Use the selection tool to draw a box around the area you want to keep, then select the inverse and erase away.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

Hold shift... In most tools it only allows for straight motions.

 

[threeputt]

Use the selection tool to draw a box around the area you want to keep, then select the inverse and erase away.

Maybe I didn't make myself clear.

I know how to free hand use the eraser tool. What I'm asking is if anyone knows how to control it when using the mouse so it's path is strictly horizontal or vertical.

Much like when you use the gradient tool. By holding down the shift key the gradient tool follows only a horizontal or vertical path.

 

[threeputt]

Hold shift... In most tools it only allows for straight motions.

Doesn't seem to work with CS5.

 

["Deposit Please"]

Hold shift then click mouse where you want to start erasing, then release, then move eraser tool to where you want it to end. Then click mouse again. Hope this helps

 

[TammieH]

I am pretty certain what you are asking can't be done

All I can say, if you don't care for the aforementioned tricks

use the grid for a guide, I use to do that before I got more proficient using Photoshop

Are you erasing a solid background? If so, try the magic eraser, or

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Hold shift... In most tools it only allows for straight motions.

In CS6 this would be the way to do it. It will constrain either a horizontal or vertical direction depending on the direction that you first move it in.

However, if you are doing horizontal and then you do a vertical, after you do one direction, you'll need to select a different tool and then go back to the eraser tool. Otherwise, if you don't there will be an eraser path connecting the two.

Other then that, I don't know of another way. I don't have CS5 on this computer, so I don't know if it works with CS5 or not.

 

[threeputt]

Thanks all, I'll experiment with those suggestions. Appreciate you taking the time.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I have cs5 and I just checked, shift does indeed work.

I clicked where I wanted to start, pressed and held shift and dragged to the end point.

To test I then released shift and the mouse, clicked and held shift and dragged perpendicular to the original erased line and it did the horizontal.

 

[vid]

I have cs5 and I just checked, shift does indeed work.

I clicked where I wanted to start, pressed and held shift and dragged to the end point.

To test I then released shift and the mouse, clicked and held shift and dragged perpendicular to the original erased line and it did the horizontal.

Yes, and it is that specific order --- "Click/Shift/Drag/Release Everything." (I always get that part wrong. )

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Set the cursor where you want to start the line >
Click and Hold the mouse >
Depress and Hold the Shift Key >
Start dragging the mouse to the desired end point. (Once the mouse has moved to define the direction of travel, it doesn't matter how much the mouse deviates from that straight line path. The eraser will follow a constrained path vertically or horizontally) >
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Release the Mouse and Release the Shift Key to establish the end of that eraser path >

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It can get confusing because changing the order of key strokes and clicks to Shift/Click/Drag/Release --- keeps the "final" click active. This is what WildWest is describing.

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...(edit)

However, if you are doing horizontal and then you do a vertical, after you do one direction, you'll need to select a different tool and then go back to the eraser tool. Otherwise, if you don't there will be an eraser path connecting the two.

...(edit)

That's a method to reset the tool so that the path does not continue from click to click. I know exactly what you're talking about because I'm always catching myself with that. (...again with the headbang )
However, being careful to follow the sequence of "Click/Shift/Drag/Release Everything" avoids that @$%#$%# eraser path you didn't want.​

Admittedly, I find getting the coordination of when to hold the shift key, or when to release it --- and then adding the triple overhead combo of when, where and how to click the mouse --- to be the difficult part to master. I'm a frequent Command-Z operator.






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AND FINALLY, and for future reference, one can straight line erase in any direction or angle by:

Click and release the mouse > Hold the Shift Key down > Move the mouse/cursor to the desired end point > Click and release the mouse > This will erase/airbrush a click point to click point straight line as long as you hold the Shift Key down.
To use an analogy, it follows the same principle as the bezier tool would in a vector program --- once you start the line, it keeps following the clicks until you reset the tool.
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Hope this makes a little bit of sense. It's difficult to explain, because it's difficult to get all the click/shift/hold/drag/release/rub belly/pat head/cross your fingers done in the correct order and sequence all the time without a few $%^ &%#*$!@/command-z combos to get you through it.

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