Burn Tool

What does the burn tool do? What is the best way to make it work?

Thanks!

hi,
Not sure how well I can explain it well enough... sort of a novice myself.... but i will try... hopefull the pros will come along and help out...

first keep in mind that the burn tool purpose is to darken a range of tones without painting a color.... this goes back to photographers who would setup there picture take to where not to allow to much light....

Now when using the burn tool there two settings , range and exposure

1. the range setting (for your tones) ... you have 3 choices... shadow, med, hilights ... picking one of these, your setting your burn tool where to put the most enphase on darkening!!! for example picking the hilights... the enphases is going to be darkening the light bright colors tone and not touch too much the the darker tones....
2. the exposure setting.... you might say how much darkening ..... or rather how much light... a zero setting there almost no darkening take place where as 100% you 'll see a lot and can override to some degree your range setting.... i generally will use a low number...

at this point i would suggest experimenting... with the different settings to help understand more, the effects..... and get radical on your experimental settings.. smile it will really show...

now where it used? there just a multitude of different situations where you may want to to the burn tool... darken colors like skin, using it to contrast other colors, used in retouching, it used in certain masking teckniques, like channel masking... where you need to setup high contrast on fine details.... there just way too many to mention...

now you may want to do a internet search on burn tool tutorials .... in there examples they show some of the situations where it used.... for example...
1. this one on improving the light exposure on a photograph
http://www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php?TUTORIAL_ID=30

2 . this here is creating ..
http://www.webdesign.org/web/photoshop/photoshop-basics/the-burn-and-dodge-tool-tutorial.1060.html
http://photoshop-indepth.com/lessons/metal_solids/

3. another way....
http://www.thegoldenmean.com/technique/dodge.html

these are just a few....

Well i hope that helps a little bit in explaining what the burn tool is and how to use... in many cases you maybe using both the burn tool and it companion the dodge tool, the dodge tool sort of the same but it works opposite.....

BJD22 said:

What does the burn tool do? What is the best way to make it work?

Thanks!

Here is a flash movie on the Burn Tool:
http://simplephotoshop.com/photoshop_tools/burn_toolf.htm