GIMP is regarded as a free PhotoShop alternative. It’s robust enough to edit your photos professionally and allow you to create new graphics from scratch. One of the most used tools in GIMP is the paintbrush, which you use to draw and fill areas of the graphics or image you’re working on.

Users have complained about GIMP’s paintbrush not working or letting them draw with it. When they select a paintbrush and color, it simply doesn’t work. There are several reasons for this issue, but they’re all easy to fix.

If the GIMP Brush tool doesn’t work properly or at all, here are the main things you can do to fix it:

1. Confirm that you selected the correct layer.
2. Ensure that you’re using the right Brush tool.
3. Use the right Brush tool settings.
4. Unlock the layers.
5. Use the RGB mode.

For in-depth guides on how to go about the above fixes, continue reading this article to the end.

1] Confirm that you selected the correct layer

Launch the GIMP application and go to the Layers panel. Confirm that you have selected the right layer you’re working on. The selected layer will be highlighted.

A way to double-check this is to first select no layer by going to the Select menu and choosing None from the dropdown. You could also do this by pressing the SHIFT + CTRL + A key combination. Then, click on the layer on which you want to draw to select it.

2] Ensure that you’re using the right Brush tool

GIMP has so many Brush tools that you may get confused on which to use. The good thing is that all the brushes in GIMP will draw with no issues, except the Clipboard Image brush.

If you selected a brush that’s not working, go to the Brush tool and ensure that you didn’t pick the Clipboard Image brush. You can select the Brush from the panel on your right, but the name of the brush shows up on the left-hand panel under Paintbrush.

3] Use the right Brush tool settings

Another reason why GIMP won’t let you draw is that the Brush tool settings don’t let it do that. Here are some settings that you should double-check in order to fix the issue.

Go to the Brush tool and confirm that you set the Mode to Normal.

Set the Opacity to 100.

Modify the Size and Hardness to moderate values that aren’t too low.

4] Unlock the layers

A simple factor that some users might miss is that the layer on which they’re trying to draw is locked. With the layer locked, you can’t modify it. To fix this, head over to the Layers panel and see if any of the three icons beside Lock: are highlighted.

If an icon is highlighted, it means that the layer is locked. You can unlock it by clicking on the icon. Click on all three icons and ensure that none of them is locked.

5] Use the RGB mode

If the issue isn’t that the paintbrush isn’t working entirely, but it paints with a different color from what you’ve chosen, then GIMP might be in Grayscale or Indexed mode. For this scenario, you can get your paintbrush working correctly by using the RGB mode. Here’s how to do it:

Launch the GIMP software and click on the Image menu at the top area of the window. Click on the Image option from the dropdown menu and select RGB.

If you found this post helpful, you’ll love our article on resizing images in GIMP without losing the image quality.

Keshi Ile is a seasoned technology expert who holds a Bachelors's degree in Electronics Engineering and a Master's in Digital Marketing. He runs several internet companies and contributes to technology blogs.

And if more than one layers are involved, make sure the layer is selected and not obstructed by another layer on top.

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"In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd." ~ Miguel de Cervantes

Erisian

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 5:02 am

Joined: Mar 23, 2012 Posts: 7300 Location: Göteborg at last!

Make sure the layer is not locked and - a common mistake - that there are no selections active.

ofnuts

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 5:39 am

Joined: Oct 25, 2010 Posts: 4726

If the other paint tools (bucket-fill, gradient...) work, then for the paintbrush check the mode (should be "normal"), the opacity (should be 100%), the Dynamics (should be "Dynamics off") and the force (shouldn't be "0"). Also check that you are not using the "Clipboard" brush.

Otherwise post a screenshot of the tool options

_________________

dahofoc341

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:08 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Aug 31, 2020 Posts: 7

Pocholo wrote:

Check if the Opacity of the brush is on 0.

The opacity is at 100. Is that good?

dahofoc341

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:09 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Aug 31, 2020 Posts: 7

mahvin wrote:

And if more than one layers are involved, make sure the layer is selected and not obstructed by another layer on top.

I said in my post that there is only one layer.

dahofoc341

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:09 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Aug 31, 2020 Posts: 7

Erisian wrote:

Make sure the layer is not locked and - a common mistake - that there are no selections active.

The layers not locked and I made sure that there where no selections whatsoever. Still doesn't work.

dahofoc341

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:12 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Aug 31, 2020 Posts: 7

ofnuts wrote:

If the other paint tools (bucket-fill, gradient...) work, then for the paintbrush check the mode (should be "normal"), the opacity (should be 100%), the Dynamics (should be "Dynamics off") and the force (shouldn't be "0"). Also check that you are not using the "Clipboard" brush.

Otherwise post a screenshot of the tool options

The opacity is at 100. I said in my post that the mode is normal. The force is at 50 but no matter what I change it to it doesn't work. I said in my post that no matter what brush I use it doesn't work.

dahofoc341

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:14 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Aug 31, 2020 Posts: 7

Heres a screenshot

Attachments: File comment: screenshot sc.png [ 126.33 KiB | Viewed 4097 times ]

dahofoc341

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:15 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Aug 31, 2020 Posts: 7

For anyone making a reply please make sure to read the post first so I don't have to repeat myself.

rich2005

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:33 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Mar 04, 2011 Posts: 2414

dahofoc341 wrote:

Pocholo wrote:

Check if the Opacity of the brush is on 0.

The opacity is at 100. Is that good?

not according to your screenshot

Attachment:

opacity-zero.jpg [ 37.33 KiB | Viewed 1423 times ]

Not surprising the brush does not show.

_________________

Pocholo

Post subject: Re: Paintbrush doesnt work and none of the solutions on the internet w

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2020 2:45 pm

GimpChat Member Joined: Jul 28, 2018 Posts: 1194

rich2005 wrote:

dahofoc341 wrote:

Pocholo wrote:

Check if the Opacity of the brush is on 0.

The opacity is at 100. Is that good?

not according to your screenshot

Attachment:

opacity-zero.jpg

Not surprising the brush does not show.

Hey rich2005, that is what I told him in the post

2, the brush opacity is in the 0 position. But I guess he didn't read it.

Why is my eraser painting in GIMP?

If the Eraser is used on something that does not support transparency (a selection mask channel, a layer mask, or the Background layer if it lacks an alpha channel), then erasing will show the background color, as displayed in the Color Area of the Toolbox (in case of a mask, the selection will be modified).

Why is paintbrush not working in GIMP?

If the issue “paintbrush not working in GIMP” persists, make sure that you are using the right Brush tool. GIMP provides so many Brush tools, every tool can work normally, except the Clipboard Image brush. The Clipboard Image brush does not paint anything onto layers.

How do I get my brush options back in GIMP?

You can access it:.

from the Toolbox, by clicking on the brush symbol in the Brush/Pattern/Gradient area (if you have checked the “Show active brush, pattern and gradient” option in the toolbox preferences)..

From an image menu: Windows → Dockable Dialogs → Brushes;.

Why is GIMP eraser not erasing?

Only if the alpha channel is added, can the GIMP erase to transparent. Otherwise, the GIMP will erase to the background (white, black, or some else colors). To fix this issue, you just need to right-click on the layer that you want to erase (in the right-panel) and then choose Add Alpha Channel.