A row of evenly spaced circles can come from the GIMP brush's Spacing setting. A brushstroke is built from repeated brush marks; widely separated marks remain visible as dots. Inspect a fresh stroke on a blank test layer before changing the photograph, export format, or AI prompt. This is a tool-imprint problem when the same pattern appears before export.
Separate the brush mark from the image texture
A damaged JPEG, repeated clone sample, and dotted brush can all create repetition, but they occur in different places. If a plain solid-color brush makes the same dot chain over several unrelated image areas, the original photo's texture is unlikely to explain the regular spacing. If the dots appear only after export, inspect that later stage separately.
GIMP expresses spacing as a percentage of brush width. Changing size while judging spacing changes the distance between marks too, so keep size fixed for the first comparison. Brush hardness controls the softness of each mark; it does not by itself specify how close the marks sit along the path. A soft dot can still be isolated from its neighbors.
Build a tiny comparison sheet
This is a proposed test, not a result measured for this guide. Create a disposable transparent layer above a copy of the image. Choose a simple round brush, one color, a fixed diameter, and stable opacity. Disable deliberately random effects for the comparison, recording any settings you change so you can restore the creative brush afterward.
Draw three similar horizontal strokes with widely spaced, intermediate, and closely spaced marks. Label each row with the displayed spacing value. Keep the same zoom while drawing, then inspect the rows at the image's intended viewing size. The useful result is a setting that produces the desired coverage without visible unintended gaps, rather than a universal number suitable for every brush.
Preserve intentional stamp effects
A dotted brush is not always a defect. A decorative stamp border may need separate impressions, whereas a local color correction usually needs continuous coverage. If a handmade illustration preset includes deliberate dots, duplicate that brush setup before adjusting it so a retouching fix does not silently change an artistic tool used elsewhere.
For facial or product retouching, also check that continuous coverage has not become an overly heavy stroke. Lower spacing can make marks overlap more; judge opacity and the actual edge after the spacing diagnosis. Do not simultaneously reduce spacing, double opacity, and change the brush tip, because you will lose the comparison that identified the issue.
Remove the diagnostic layer before preparing an Imagild reference. Reopen a small exported copy and inspect the exact area that needed retouching for dotted coverage, visible stroke ends, and lost fine texture. A continuous line is only the tool's behavior; a convincing photo edit must still preserve the intended skin, surface, and subject shape.