Photoshop’s Generative Fill: Intensity Variation
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Generative Fill intensity in Photoshop controls how strongly the AI fills a selection, based on the brightness of the pixels you paint before you generate.
In the realm of Photoshop’s Generative Fill, there’s a little-known trick to generate objects with varying intensity. Surprisingly, the Generative Fill Intensity Variation is often overlooked in discussions.
Let’s uncover this hidden feature and explore the magic it can bring to your digital creations!
Note: The video was recorded in the Photoshop Beta. Generative Fill reached general release in Photoshop 25.0 (Photoshop 2024), shipped in September 2023, and every step below still works the same way in the current version. For the full picture, see the complete Generative Fill guide.
Key Takeaways
- Generative Fill only reads how strongly a pixel is selected. A selection painted at 100% brightness in Quick Mask mode generates at full intensity, and one painted at 40% generates at a lower intensity.
- Intensity is not the same as opacity. Generative Fill always creates pixels at 100% opacity, so a lower-intensity result blends more with the layer underneath instead of turning see-through.
- Photoshop hides the marching ants on a selection under about 50%, but the selection is still active even when you cannot see it.
- Mixing brightness levels in one selection, such as 100% on top and 50% below, lets a single generation fade from clearly visible to mostly hidden.
- This trick relies on how partial selections behave in Photoshop, not on anything specific to one version of the underlying AI model.
Table of contents
- What You Will Learn
- Requirements
- Generative Fill Intensity in Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
- Step 1: Enter Quick Mask Mode
- Step 2: Fill with Black
- Step 3: Select White at 100% Brightness
- Step 4: Paint with the Brush Tool
- Step 5: Exit Quick Mask Mode
- Step 6: Utilize Generative Fill
- Step 7: Adjust Intensity to 40%
- Step 8: Paint and Generate
- Step 9: Discover the Depth Illusion
- Step 10: Additional Tips for Depth and Realism
- Step 11: Generate and Observe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Related Links
What You Will Learn
- How to enter and exit Quick Mask mode.
- How to paint a selection at a specific brightness to set its intensity.
- How to generate an object with Generative Fill at full or partial intensity.
- How to combine two brightness levels in one selection for a partially hidden result.
Requirements
Before you start
- Photoshop 25.0 (Photoshop 2024) or the current version. Generative Fill left the Photoshop Beta app and became part of the standard release in this version.
Generative Fill Intensity in Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle Quick Mask Mode | Q | Q |
| Fill selection with Background Color | Ctrl Backspace | Command Delete |
Step 1: Enter Quick Mask Mode
To begin, enter the Quick Mask mode by either clicking on the designated icon or pressing Q (Windows) or Q (macOS).
This mode allows you to paint selections and sets the foundation for our exploration.
Step 2: Fill with Black
Once in Quick Mask mode, fill the selection with black.
The red overlay indicates that nothing is selected at this point.
Step 3: Select White at 100% Brightness
In the Foreground Color Picker, choose white, which has a brightness of 100%.
This selection will generate pixels at 100% intensity, setting the stage for our experiment.
Step 4: Paint with the Brush Tool
Using the Brush Tool, drag and paint on the canvas.
This action will create strokes based on the white color and 100% brightness.
Step 5: Exit Quick Mask Mode
Press Q (Windows) or Q (macOS) again to exit the Quick Mask mode. You will now be able to see the selection you have made.
Step 6: Utilize Generative Fill
Under the Generative Fill menu, type the word “Fish” and click on “Generate.”
Watch as Photoshop works its magic, generating a fish based on your selection.
Tip: If a Generative Fill result looks soft or pixelated, see Photoshop Generative Fill: Low Resolution Fix.
Step 7: Adjust Intensity to 40%
Now, press Q (Windows) or Q (macOS) once more and fill the selection with black.
However, this time, set the brightness to 40% by using a dark gray shade to paint over the selection.
This step adjusts the intensity of the Generative Fill to 40%.
Step 8: Paint and Generate
Paint from left to right, following the same process as before.
When you press Q (Windows) or Q (macOS) again, you may not see the selection due to Photoshop’s display mechanism. But don’t worry, it’s still there!
Step 9: Discover the Depth Illusion
Return to the Generative Fill menu and type “Fish” once again.
Click on “Generate” and witness the magic.
The fish you generate will appear deeper in the ocean due to the lowered intensity, creating an illusion of reduced opacity.
The same Firefly technology powers Generative Expand, which fills new canvas space instead of a selection.
Step 10: Additional Tips for Depth and Realism
For an added touch of realism, press Q (Windows) or Q (macOS) again and fill the selection with black.
Paint with white on top at 100% brightness, and then change the brightness to 50%.
Continue painting downwards. Press Q (Windows) or Q (macOS) to exit the Quick Mask mode.
Now, only the top part will show with the marching ants, while the rest remains hidden beneath the surface, creating the illusion of depth.
Step 11: Generate and Observe
Click on Generative Fill, type “Fish,” and generate the image once more.
Now, the fish appears to be jumping on the water’s surface, while the bottom part is obstructed, adding further depth to the composition.
Frequently Asked Questions
The intensity setting controls how strongly Generative Fill applies its result inside a selection. You control it by painting the selection at a specific brightness in Quick Mask mode before you generate.
Press Q to enter Quick Mask mode, fill the selection with black, then paint over it with gray instead of pure white. A darker gray, such as 40% brightness, generates at a lower intensity.
No. Generative Fill always creates pixels at 100% opacity. Lowering the intensity makes the generated content blend more with the layer underneath, which only looks like reduced opacity.
Photoshop only displays marching ants when a selection is active above roughly 50%. A selection painted at 40% brightness is still active. It just is not visible until you generate.
Yes. Paint part of the selection at 100% brightness and another part at 50% or less in Quick Mask mode. The generated object will be clearer where the brightness was higher and more hidden where it was lower.
You need Photoshop 25.0 (Photoshop 2024) or the current version. That is the release where Generative Fill left the Photoshop Beta app and became a standard tool.
Not for a finished project. It is better to build the effect with separate layers, layer masks, and reduced opacity, since those stay editable. This trick is a fast way to see how selection brightness affects Generative Fill.
Conclusion
Generative Fill intensity in Photoshop comes down to one setting: the brightness of the selection you paint before you generate.
Once you can see the difference between a 100% brightness selection and a 40% one, you can place a generated object at any depth you want. You do this without touching layers or opacity.
Watch the video above for the full demonstration, and comment on the video if you have a question.
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Keep going
Next, read the Complete Guide to Generative Fill in Photoshop.
