Brush tool painting wrong colour in Photoshop

Question

The brush tool was working normally when it suddenly switched colour to a lighter colour even though the colour that i selected is still the correct one. It also paints the wrong colour when i use a different colour (still lighter) or on a different layer. When I open another file it works fine.

The brush blending mode and layer mode is normal. Opacity and flow is 100% and layer opacity and fill is both 100%. How do I fix it such that it paints the correct colour?

This is the colours before the brush changed:

The colour at the bottom is selected as the same colour as the colour on the right, but it appears as a lighter colour. it is on the same layer as the lighter colour:

I (kind of) worked around the problem by saving it as a jpeg file and continuing with it on a new Photoshop file.

Answer 1

You have a levels adjustment layer which is lightening the color you're sampling. When you sample that color (i.e. with the Eyedropper), you're sampling the adjusted output, not the original un-adjusted color you painted with. So painting the adjusted color on a layer below the adjustment layer is applying the adjustment to it again...

You can either disable the Adjustment layer when you sample the color, or you can change the Eyedropper tool to ignore adjustments (either by selecting "Current Layer" or "Current & Below" and making sure you're on the correct layer, or by selecting one of the "no Adjustments" options):

Another workaround for this is to have a layer above any adjustment layers that holds a sample of the colors you're working with... You can then paint with the correct colors by sampling only from that layer, and change your adjustment layers as you wish without having to worry about resampling the colors you're painting with.

Answer 2

With the Brush Tool active, look at the top of the screen, at the Control Bar.

Painting tools also have Blending Modes.

Ensure the Blending Mode for the Brush itself is set to Normal as well.

This is different than the Layer's Blending Mode.

Beyond this, I'm afraid it's impossible for anyone to directly assist you. It would merely be a guessing game.

Answer 3

The blending mode and layer mode is normal. Opacity and flow is 100%. How do I fix it such that it paints the correct colour?

It's missing the layer Fill and layer Opacity, it is 100%?

Also check the Brush Panel, Wet Edges make lighter colors, must be unchecked.

If the layers are inside a folder, check the Folder opacity.

Answer 4

I had this problem as well, but I found a solution that might help you too. What you should do, is go to the "Edit" bar at the top of the screen. Click on it and go down to "Fade Brush Tool". Selecting it will take you to a tab that has a brush opacity slider. Changing the slider will darken or lighten your brush strokes.

I hope this helps.

Answer 5

I think you have to change the flow(right next to opacity icon). Bring it somewhere around 80%. It is seen 11% as default.