Topic outline

  • FAQ

    The course online material works independently, so when facing problems you should consult the online material. 

    If you have a problem, please write it to the Forum

    If you have an acute problem, please contact the teacher by phone or email.

    If you have a problem with hardware or drivers, please turn to IT. They can be visited in Candidate centre, 1st floor and Väre 1st floor (R).

    Graphics tablet pressure sensitivity/driver problems

    These have all kinds of ways to happen and they are always tied to the version of the software and the operating system. 

    • Check the "Tablet settings" video
    • Google precisely "Wacom pressure problem photoshop cc 2018 windows 10"
    • One possible solution


    Checklist - Photoshop

    For general problems, check that:

    • You are on the right layer (and not on layer mask)
    • You have no selection (press Ctrl+D for deselect)
    • You are not using the lasso (double click to release)
    • You are not in Free Transform mode (press enter to release)

    Keyboard gives the wrong characters

    • You have changed the input language by pressing shift+alt, press again

    The tool cursor is a crosshair not brush shape

    • You have pressed Caps lock, press again

    Colours don't work, check that:

    • You are are on the right layer (not in layer mask)
    • The file is in coloured mode: image>mode>RGB (not grayscale)
    • You are not in Quick mask mode (press Q to release)
    • Your eyedropper changes the foreground color, not the background (in the top corner of the Color panel is a thin grey border on the colour that is actively changed, click the foreground colour to set)

    The Brush works funny, check that:

    • You are actually using the Brush tool (not Mixer Brush, Smudge etc.) Some of the default brushes in PS CC2018 will change your tool from Brush to these specialty brushes.
    • You have downloaded the course brush package and are using these
    • Your brush blending mode is Normal in the second row menu "mode" (this changes by pressing Shift + / Shift -)
    • You have selected a suitable Opacity in the second row menu
    • You have Flow 100% in the second row menu
    • You have Smoothness 0% in the second row menu  (this changes by pressing Alt 0-)

    Still funky?

    • Open the Brush settings menu (F5) and untick all but Dynamics and Smoothing
    • Change the Brush tip

    Workspace is a mess

    • Click Tab for collapse view
    • Put the files in order: Window>Consolidate all to tabs
    • Reset the workspace Window>Workspace>Reset essential


    Check list - Illustrator

    Illustrator forgets the colour you just used, check that you 

    • have unchecked New Art Has Basic Appearance (from the burger menu on the corner of the Appearance panel)

    Workspace looks strange

    • Select Windows>Workspace>Essentials Classic

    Still missing the second row preferences

    Check Windows>Control

    The anchor point doesn't go where I put it, but jumps a bit

    • You have selected "Align to pixel grid" by clicking or starting with a web file (uncheck from button with magnet symbol on the top right corner)

    You loose objects, check that

    • You are on the right layer 
    • The object is not behind another object
    • The object is not white (or whichever background colour you have)
    • The object has a fill or stroke colour

    Some of the problems happen because you haven't locked the layers you are not editing. Because of this you jump to the other layer when clicking the object on it. You also get the colour of the object you clicked, and for photos this is none/none. 

    You can find lost objects and lone anchor points easiest in the Outline mode: View>Outline (remember to leave this view mode)

    Pen works oddly, check that:

    • You know how to use the 4 basic tools
    • You know how to use the modifiers (alt, shift, ctrl) while using the Pen

    The Pen cursor is a crosshair not brush shape

    • You have pressed Caps lock, press again

    The anchor points work strangely, check that:

    • You know how to use the 4 basic tools

    You want to remove all the Mesh points

    • You can't, should've had a copy of the object. (You can get copy of the form by offsetting the object 0mm from Object>Path>Offset path