Explain the purpose of the History Brush tool and how it differs from the Eraser tool.

• A. History Brush paints pixels from a previous state in the History panel; Eraser permanently removes pixels on the active layer.
• B. History Brush creates a new layer while Eraser merges layers.
• C. History Brush applies a filter while Eraser adjusts color balance.
• D. History Brush duplicates the layer; Eraser hides pixels.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the History Brush lets you repaint areas of your image using pixel data from a previous moment in your document, while the Eraser permanently removes pixels on the active layer. With the History Brush, you choose a source state from the History panel, then paint over the current image and those painted areas take on the pixels from that saved state. This makes it a non-destructive way to restore detail or undo changes in specific regions, because you’re reapplying earlier data rather than deleting it. The Eraser, on the other hand, directly erases pixels on the active layer, leaving transparent areas (or the background color on a background layer). In short, the History Brush restores earlier pixels by painting with saved history, whereas the Eraser permanently removes pixels from the layer.