Using and making brushes in Photoshop

[Serval]

The many shapes of different brushes in Photoshop make it possible to obtain interesting effects.

Choosing a brush

To change brush it is enough to click on the small arrow located on the right of the "shape" of brush and to select another one from the window that opens.

Loading new brushes

Photoshop has several preset sets of brushes. To load them and make them usable, click on the "arrow" located in top on the right of the window with brushes, then to choose "Load brushes". The files containing the brushes have the extension .abr and are generally located in the directory "brushes" of Photoshop.

Other options are available in the same menu, making it possible to create, change, save etc. the sets of brushes.

Modifying a brush

To modify an existing brush, right click on on the icon that shows the shape of the brush . A window appears showing several options. Note: these options can vary depending on the brushes' and tools' used.

You can in give a name to the brush, choose the diameter, hardness, roundness and the (angle).

The spacing

The spacing of the dots drwn by the brus depends on the speed with which you move the bursh around. (top slow, under fast ).

When yo enable the checkbox next to spacing, you can give the brush a fixed spacing.

Tip:
To draw a straight line you can click the startpoint while holding the SHIFT-key and then click at the end point. As long as you hold the SHIFT-key a straight line will be drawn from the last point to the next point where you click.

Creating a new brush from an existing one

Right click on the brush that you want to use as a start for creating a new brush and select "new brush", or click on the arrow (like with loading a set of brushes) and choose "new brush".

Unlike "Modifying a brush" which creates temporary brush, "new brush" adds a new brush to the list of brushes. Note: This function is not available for all shapes of brushes.

Creating a new Brushshape

• Create a new document,
• Draw the shape of the new brush,
• Make a selection including the new form,
• Choose "Define Brush" in the "Edit" menu,
• Give a name to the new brush.

A new brush is then created coming to be added with those existing.

Other adjustments

These options can vary according to the tool used.
Painting mode:
These options are rather similar to the "blending mode" of the layers.

Opacity:
Allows to regulate the opacity of the brush. This adjustment is replaced by an adjustment of the pressure (presses) for the tool aerographer.

Wet Edges:

This option makes it possible to obtain the effect of "aquarelle".

Brush Dynamics:
These adjustments allow a "dynamic effect" on the line.

• Off: no dynamics (adjustment by defect).
• Fade: affects the line according to its length.
• Stylus: only for the users of a graphics tablet, The line is affected by the pressure of the pen.

Size:
Dynamic effect on the size of the brush while drawing the line.

Opacity:
Dynamic effect on the opacity of the brush while drawing the line.

Color:
Dynamic effect on the color of the brush while drawing the line.

Translated from the French tutorials by Daniel Roger