Everyday we digitally scrap or photo edit in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements we use tools all the time.
So many of us are familiar with the basics of using the tools, but sometimes we need to do special techniques in our projects that require us to know a little more about tools and their settings.
Knowing these tool settings and tips can help us with that special project as we use the tools in digital scrapbooking or photo editing.
Note: Most these Tool tips work in both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements!
Here is a list of helpful tool tips:
Tool Tip 1: Show or Hide Tool Tips, and Set Shortcut for Cycling through Hidden Tools:
In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > General. 
(In Mac, choose Photoshop Elements > Preferences > General)
Set one or more of the following options, and click OK.
•Select Show Tool Tips to show or hide tool tips.
•Select Use Shift Key For Tool Switch to cycle through a set of hidden tools by holding down the Shift key. When this option is deselected, you can cycle through a set of hidden tools by pressing the shortcut key (without holding down Shift).
Tool Tip 2: Set the appearance of a tool pointer
In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > Display & Cursors. 
(In Mac, choose Photoshop Elements > Preferences > Display & Cursors)
Select a setting for the Painting Cursors:
Standard: Displays pointers as tool icons.
Precise: Displays pointers as cross-hairs.
Normal Brush Tip: Displays pointers as circles at 50% of the size you specify for the brush.
Full Size Brush Tip: Displays pointers as circles at the full size you specify for the brush.
Show Crosshair In Brush Tip: Displays cross-hairs in the circles when you choose either Normal Brush Tip or Full Size Brush Tip.
Select a setting for Other Cursors:
Standard: Displays pointers as tool icons.
Precise: Displays pointers as cross-hairs.
Tool Tip 3: Resize or change the hardness of painting cursors Tools
You can resize or change the hardness of a painting tool
To resize a cursor, right-click + press Alt (Windows) or Control + Option (Mac OS) and drag to the left or right.
To change the hardness of a cursor, press Shift + right-click + Alt (Windows) or Control + Option + Command (Mac OS) and drag to the left or 
right.
Tool Tip 4: Change the color of the Brush Tool
Select the Alt Key (PC) or Cmd Key (Mac) while in the paint tool and then sample color with the eye dropper tool that appears for short time, and then take finger off shortcut key and begin painting in new color
Tool Tip 5: Set tool options
The options bar appears below the shortcuts bar at the top of the workspace. The options bar changes as you select different 
tools. Some settings in the options bar are common to several tools, and some are specific to one tool.
Reset Tools to Default Settings in Elements:
Note: To return a tool or all tools to their default settings, click the tool icon, and then click the triangle in the options bar, then choose Reset Tool or Reset All Tools from the menu in Photoshop Elements.
Now Photoshop works a bit different than Elements on this tool tip, so see below how to do this tip in Photoshop.
Reset Tools to Default Settings in Photoshop:
See the image to the right in Photoshop and follow the arrows to Reset Tool or all Tools
To return a tool or all tools to their default settings in Photoshop, click the tool icon, and then click the triangle in the options bar ( #1), the click on the next triangle ( #2), then choose Reset Tool or Reset All Tools ( #3)from the menu in Photoshop
Tool Tip 6: Set a Beep when you have completed certain tasks with your tools.
Set a completed operations alert when certain tasks are completed with your tools do the following:
In Windows, choose Edit > Preferences > General.
(In Mac, choose Photoshop Elements > Preferences > General)
Then, select Beep When Done, and click OK.
Tool Tip 7: Some Shortcut Keys for Selecting Tools
Use shortcut keys to quickly select tools for the Toolbox in both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements!
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