Tool Brush(Brush), perhaps one of the most commonly used tools in Photoshop. And for good reason, since it is universal in its application. You can change the shape of the brush, set your own, change the color, size, and also use it when creating a mask and contours. This lesson will show you the most common actions that can be performed with a brush, as well as the subtleties of its settings and something else interesting, and, of course, useful in use. Before we start describing the properties of this tool, let's first look at where it is located.
ToolBrush(Brush) and ways to activate it
Tool Brush (Brush)
located in the toolbar and has an icon that you can see below:
To activate the tool, simply right-click on the icon. But sometimes, during work, you need to quickly switch between tools; for this, Photoshop provides shortcut keys for calling tools (sometimes this is a keyboard shortcut). For tool Brush(Brush), key highlighted B(Latin). That is, while working in Photoshop, just press this key to activate the tool.
Settings panel (OptionBar) Brush tool (Brush)
Once you activate the tool Brush (Brush),
it will appear at the top of the program window Settings panel (OptionBar).
It looks like this:
So, let's look at each element of this panel separately. On the left you already recognize the icon of our tool, it just indicates that the tool is selected Brush(Brush), and not any other instrument. If you click on the arrow to the right of the icon, a drop-down menu will appear:
ToolPresetPicker)
This menu is called « Preset Settings instrument" (ToolPresetPicker).
Almost every tool has such a menu; let’s remember at least the lesson about the Crop tool. It offers you to choose from standard list frequently used special brush settings for convenient use. In Photoshop CS3, the standard set of this menu includes three types of brushes; they already have settings for shape, color, density, etc. Below, as an example, is a screenshot showing clearly how these settings are reflected in application:
You may say that you don't need these brushes and they won't do any good, but you're in for a pleasant surprise! In this menu you can place brushes with your own settings, which will most often be needed in your work, that is, in fact, you can customize this tool for yourself. Let's figure out how this is done. To get started, click on the small arrow on the right in the drop-down menu, another menu will appear:
The screenshot shows what this menu looks like in the English version; the purpose of its functions and their translation will be presented below.
So, as you have already noticed, all functions are separated by a horizontal line, thus, the functions are divided into purpose groups, this is done for ease of use (if you pay attention to the toolbar, they are all also divided into groups).
To the first group includes one single function NewToolPreset(New tool setting), this means that you can set your own brush parameters and save them by clicking on this command. The icon with an envelope in the menu window is also intended for this action. "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker), it looks the same as the create a new layer icon in the layers panel. So, after you have set the brush settings, click on the create icon new setting tool or select the appropriate command mentioned above, after which a window will appear where you can set the name of the created brush. Function includecolor(turn on color) allows you to save the color you choose in the brush settings. After you set a name and press the OK key, the brush with the parameters you specified will appear in the list of the window "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker).
Second group consists of two functions that perform actions with existing brush settings. Select with left mouse button click necessary settings brush and press RenameToolPreset(Rename brush setting) to rename it, or DeleteToolPreset(Remove brush setting) in order to remove it.
Third group is intended for a way to display brush settings in the window "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker):
-
Showalltoolpresets(Show settings for all instruments) – as mentioned above, for each Photoshop tool it is possible to create its individual settings and then save them. This function allows you to see settings created for all instruments, regardless of which one this moment is used, and, accordingly, you can not only see them, but also apply them by clicking on the desired setting with the left mouse button. If you have a lot of similar settings, then this function may not be very convenient, since you will have to search for the desired setting among the entire list, which will take a certain amount of time.
- Function Sortbytool(Sort by instruments) allows you to sort the list of settings by instruments; it is active if you selected in the display methods Showalltoolpresets(Show settings for all instruments) and can make your work easier in finding the right setting.
When you enable the function Showcurrenttoolpresets(Show current instrument settings) in the window "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker)
Only the settings of the instrument you selected will be displayed. In our case, only the instrument settings will be displayed Brush(Brush).
The next group of functions determines the appearance of the settings list. When the function is activated TextOnly(Text only) The list of settings will look like this:
SmallList(Small list)
LargeList(Large list)
The next group of functions allows you to reset the instrument settings to standard. When they are applied, all settings in the window "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker) will not be deleted and will retain their position, and the tool itself will work with standard settings. Function Resettool(Reset tool) returns the tool settings (in our case, brush settings) to standard, that is, if during your work you suddenly forgot where you applied certain brush parameters, and therefore cannot cancel them, this function will return everything to its place! Function Resetalltools(Reset all tools) resets the settings for all Photoshop tools and returns them to standard.
Magic group containing only one function PresetManager(Manage Settings) opens in a separate window and allows us to perform various operations with the settings, such as Load(Download),SaveSet(Save settings),Rename(Rename),Delete(Delete) settings. To apply these actions, simply select the desired setting with the left mouse button and click on the corresponding command on the right. In the drop down menu Presettype(Settings type) you can choose to sort the settings by any instrument. There is another noteworthy feature in PresetManager(Manage Settings): you can select several settings at once and apply the appropriate commands to them. To select settings located one above/below another, select the top/bottom setting with the left mouse button, then hold down the Shift key and left-click on the bottom/top setting, release the mouse button, and then the Shift key.
To selectively select settings, instead of the Shift key, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the settings with which you need to perform operations:
The seventh group of functions is also intended for operations with settings, but it applies to the entire group of settings as a whole, and not to each setting individually. ResettoolPresets(Reset tool settings) returns the entire list of settings to its standard state, that is, in the list of settings for the brush you will only have three left standard settings, which we mentioned at the very beginning. LoadtoolPresets(Load tool settings) loads special settings that you may have downloaded on the Internet or copied from someone. Savetoolpresets(Save instrument settings) allows you to save your entire list with settings, and the function Replacetoolpresets(Move Tool Settings) makes it possible to move the list with your settings to any specified folder on your computer.
The last group contains a list of tools whose settings you can replace the list with brush settings.
So we only considered "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker)
, and you understand that this is only a small part of the tool’s capabilities Brush(Brush). Moving to the right along the brush settings panel, we go to a menu called TheBrushPresetPicker(Specified Brush settings).
TheBrushPresetPicker(Preset Brush Settings)
If we click on the arrow on the right, a drop-down menu will appear that looks like this:
Parameter MasterDiameter allows you to change the size of the brush, and the parameter Hardness) noticeably affects the edges of the brush (depending on the hardness settings, the edges can be hard or soft), the screenshot below shows an example of changing such settings:
Remember at the beginning of the article we said that each instrument is assigned a specific key on the keyboard for quick access? So, using a combination of certain keys, you can even change the instrument settings on the fly. So, for example, you yourself understand that when working with a brush, it is not very convenient to open the menu every time TheBrushPresetPicker(Preset Brush Settings) and change the brush settings in it, I’ll tell you a little secret. To change the brush size on the fly, just click on the square brackets. The [ bracket reduces the brush size by 5 pixels, and the ] bracket increases it. Combining these keys with the Shift key decreases and increases the hardness of the brush by 25%, respectively.
Under the parameter Hardness) there is a library of brushes, in it you can choose brushes of various shapes and for every taste. A standard set of brushes usually contains universal brushes that will be useful for your work. You can select these brushes by left-clicking on them. But that is not all! After all, we said that the brush tool is very versatile and flexible in its use. You probably noticed that on the menu TheBrushPresetPicker(Preset Brush Settings) at the top right there is the same arrow as in the menu ToolPresetPicker(Tool Preset Settings), let's see what's hidden behind it.
Here, we already see functions that are familiar to us; they operate on the same principle as those that we considered earlier, so it makes no sense to consider them separately again. You can see how to load a brush or a set of brushes in Zinaida Lukyanova’s lesson “How to properly install a brush in Photoshop”, see the lesson “How to make your own brush in Photoshop”. Once you learn how to do this, you will immediately have many questions, for example:
“What should I do if I’ve uploaded a lot of brushes, and I don’t need half of them, should I delete one at a time?”
Agree, this is very inconvenient, especially if you really have loaded a LOT of brushes. The already known function will help us solve this problem PresetManager(Manage settings). It will open up your entire library of brushes, which you can delete, rename, save, etc. Everything here works exactly the same as when working with the tool settings in the window "Tool Defined Settings" (ToolPresetPicker)
. This is where we can select a number of brushes we don’t need and remove them in one fell swoop!
“I want the library to have only standard brushes, how can I return them?”
Reset your library settings. It's easy to do, just use the function ResetBrushes(Reset brushes), then all previously loaded brushes will be deleted, but the standard ones will remain. If you hate to delete previously downloaded brushes, save them on your computer using the function SaveBrushes(Save brushes). The function will help you transfer brushes from one folder to another ReplaceBrushes(Move brushes).
“The lesson says that standard brushes are used, but I don’t have one in my standard brushes, what should I do?”
Not all standard brushes are initially displayed in our library, since only frequently used ones are located in it, the rest are divided into groups that you can turn on at any time and select the necessary brush. For example, below is a screenshot of a set of brushes from the Special Effect Brushes group:
Well, are the capabilities of the tool amazing?! As you might guess, that's not all, let's return to Settings panels (OptionBar), take our course to the right, and we see a new menu called Mode(Mode).
Mode(Mode/Blend Mode)
This menu allows us to further diversify our work with the tool. Each mode gives its own unique effect. Are you ready to see this? Then let's get started!
First, it should be noted that the blending mode is needed to mix the colors of objects. Color mixing in Photoshop occurs through the use of a series of written mathematical formulas that work on the RGB values of each pixel.
There are 27 modes in total, of course, we will not consider all of them, we will only touch on some of them.
Let's consider the first group of modes:
- Mode Normal(Ordinary) applies the brush without any change in pixels, this is the most commonly used mode
- Mode Dissolve(Dissolution) adds a little noise to the edges of the brush
- Mode Behind(Behind) draws behind the object, even if the drawing occurs on the object's layer
- Mode WITHlear(Clear) you can use it as an eraser as it erases what you have drawn
Here's what it looks like in practice:
The photo below shows the effect of other blending modes. You can experiment with them yourself, applying them to any object and observing the resulting effects.
Opacity(Transparency)
Next in Settings panels (OptionBar)
we see the parameter Opacity(Transparency)
with its help we can change the transparency of the brush, that is, reduce the intensity of the brush color. To visualize what we are talking about, take a close look at the screenshot below:
There are two small secrets for quickly changing the transparency level: the first method is the number keys, 0 - 100% transparency, 1 - 10%, pressing each subsequent number increases transparency by 25%.
Another way (for more fine tuning) – hover over the word itself Opacity(Transparency), then it will take the form of a double-sided arrow and, holding down the left mouse button, move it to the left to decrease the transparency and to the right to increase it.
Flow(Pressure)
Parameter Flow(Pressure), as you already understood, it changes the pressure of the brush, just as you would draw on paper with a pencil or felt-tip pen: the harder you press, the more intensely it draws.
Quick pressure control is carried out similarly to transparency control, only if the second method is absolutely identical, then the first one differs only in that you will need to press the Shift key simultaneously with the number key.
Airbrush(Airbrush)
Function Airbrush(Airbrush) presented in the form of this pictogram:
If this function is enabled, the brush begins to paint continuously. Even if you stop at one position, it will still be applied until you release the mouse button. This brush is somewhat reminiscent of a spray, to clearly see its effect, you need to reduce the level to a minimum flow(press):
When retouching portraits, if you are faced with the need to touch up something on the skin with a brush, it is advisable to have this function turned on; if used skillfully, it will allow you to preserve the texture as much as possible.
The last and perhaps most interesting thing we have to learn about working with a brush is the so-called BrushPalette(Brush Palette).
BrushPalette(Brush Palette)
The brush palette is in Settings panels (OptionBar)
on the left at the very end of the panel.
To quickly call it, just press the F5 key on the keyboard.
This palette can work wonders and opens the door to the big world of flexible tool settings Brush(Brush)!! Now you will see this!
Let's start in order: on the left we have the names of the functions, on the right their settings, so let's go!
BrushPresets(Brush Settings) This function is already familiar to us; here we have a library of brushes at our disposal, as well as the ability to change the diameter of the brush. As an example, let's select the Grass brush from the library and remove all the settings specified for it on the left.
BrushTipShape(Adjusting the brush shape).
Diameter
(diameter)
-
this function gives us the ability to change the diameter of the brush, but unlike the function MasterDiameter (Main diameter), it measures the number of pixels of the brush shape and does not allow you to increase the diameter beyond their value. Button Usesamplesize (Use sample size) Restores the default size of the brush.
Flip X X ) reflects the shape of the brush horizontally, and Flip Y (Flip by Y ) reflects it vertically; it is possible to use two parameters at once.
Parameter Angle (Corner) allows you to change the angle of the brush, and Roundness (Circle ) allows you to change the shape of the brush within a circle. If you look to the right, there will be an axis with a circle in front of you. When this circle has the correct shape (100%), then the brush also has its own correct shape, but if you turn this circle, for example, into an oval, then the brush will take the shape within the oval (see image below). Both parameters can be entered not only in numerical form, but also applied on the graphic axes and the circle on the right using the mouse.
Hardness
(Rigidity)
adjusts the stiffness of the brush, but this parameter Doesn't work with all brushes, especially if they are made from an image. But it works great with standard round brushes.
And the last parameter in this group is Spacing
(Interval)
determines the distance between brush marks when drawing. The higher the percentage you set, the greater the distance between prints, and vice versa.
ShapeDynamics(Shape dynamics). This group of settings allows you to set adjustments for size, angle, circle and reflection fluctuations. The higher the value you set, the more randomly the parameters will be applied. So, let's look at the operation of each of these parameters separately.
Size Jitter (Size fluctuation) sets the size fluctuation, it is also affected by the parameter Minimum diameter (Minimum diameter) , it sets the minimum allowable diameter for size fluctuations; if this parameter is set to 0%, then the size fluctuation will be from the maximum possible (determined by the size of the brush) to the minimum possible, respectively, the larger the minimum diameter value is set, the smaller the size fluctuation will be.
Angle Jitter (Angle fluctuation) as you already understood, it determines the fluctuation in the angle of inclination. The smaller the angle percentage is set, the correspondingly smaller the oscillation, and vice versa.
Roundness Jitter (circle oscillation) allows you to oscillate the brush shape within a given circle. The minimum circle diameter limit can be set in the parameter Minimum Roundness (Minimum circumference) , it works the same as Minimum diameter (Minimum diameter) .
Flip X Jitter And Flip Y Jitter set arbitrary reflection fluctuations vertically and horizontally. You've probably already noticed the function Control (Control ), located under each parameter. Let's take a look at it separately; the principles of its operation are the same for all parameters. If the drop-down menu contains the value Off , then the control function is disabled. When you select the option Fade (Transition) you can set the smoothness of the vibration transition in the window that appears on the right. The higher you set the value, the smoother the transition will be. Parameter Pen Pressure (Pen pressure) Only available when using a tablet, this option allows you to set the vibration sensitivity to pen pressure on the tablet. If your tablet does not support this feature, an icon with an exclamation mark appears next to it on the left, indicating that this option is not available. Parameter Pen Tilt (Pen tilt) Also available only for tablet, when activated, the size fluctuation depends on the tilt of the pen. Stylus Wheel (Wheel) The function is also designed for using a tablet; the vibration will depend on the position of your wheel.
Scattering (Diffusion) determines the number and placement of brush marks in the document. Parameter Scatter (Scatter) determines the scatter of the brush mark in the document along the Y axis, that is, when applied, the scatter will be up and down. If you enable the option Both Axes (Both axes), then the spread of the print will be made along two axes, that is, not only up and down, but also to the right and left. The higher the value
Scatter (Scatter), the greater the spread of the print will be.
Parameter Count (Quantity) determines the number of prints in the scatter. The higher its value, the more brush marks will be scattered. Compare the previous image, where this indicator was set to 1, and the image below:
Parameter Count Jitter (Quantity Fluctuation), as you may have guessed, it determines the fluctuation in the number of prints. The minimum quantity is limited by the parameter
Count (Quantity), and the maximum is the size of the brush.
Texture (Texture). This function allows you to apply a texture to a brush. If checkbox
Texture Each Tip (Texture every print) is not checked, then the texture will be applied to the entire area where the brush is applied; if checked, then the texture is applied to each brush mark separately (in this case, the additional features settings). The Scale parameter determines the scale at which the texture is applied to the brush.
Parameter Mode (Mode) allows you to select a mode for blending the texture with the color of the brush mark; it works similar to the blending modes already known to us. Parameter
Depth (Depth) Increases or decreases the contrast of the texture applied to the brush mark. Parameter Minimum Depth (Minimum depth) defines the minimum contrast value for the parameter Depth Jitter (Depth fluctuation).
DualBrush(Double brush). This is a very interesting option, since it allows us to create a print from two brushes at the same time. At the very top there is a parameter already known to us Mode(Mode), it allows us to select the blending mode of the brushes. To the right of it is the parameter Flip(Reflection), activating it allows you to reflect the applied brush along the Y axis. Next, we are presented with a library of brushes, where we can select the brush that we want to apply to the one we had previously selected. All other parameters are already well known to you, only they apply to the brush you selected for blending (in the image I have reduced the spacing between prints for greater clarity).
Color Dynamics (Color dynamics) - it's just a magical function. To make sure of this, first set the foreground and background colors to your taste. The fact is that this function allows us to play with different shades of our chosen colors when drawing. Parameter Foreground / Background Jitter (Foreground/background fluctuation) determines the fluctuation of colors (or rather shades) between the selected foreground and background colors. The higher this indicator, the more shades. Next are the oscillation parameters Hue (Color tone) Saturation (Saturation) and Brightness (Brightness), try playing with these settings and you can get some interesting results! Parameter Purity (Color Purity) increases and decreases color saturation. I deliberately do not show the differences between the settings of these parameters, since changing them leads to very different results, again I encourage you to experiment with this yourself.
Function Other
Dynamics
(Different dynamics)
allows you to set oscillations opacity(transparency) And flow(density) brushes We are already familiar with these parameters, so we will not dwell on them.
We still have a whole group of functions separated from others by a line. These functions do not have personal settings:
FunctionAirbrush(Spray) this is the same function that we looked at in the middle of this tutorial.
FunctionNoise(Noise) adds noise to the brush mark.
Wetedges(Wet edges) Gives the print a watercolor effect.
Smoothing(Smoothing) allows us to get rid of sharp corners when drawing and makes transitions smooth.
Protecttexture(Texture protection). It happens that some brushes have their own texture in their personal settings, so as not to change the texture you set every time when choosing different brushes, activate this function, and it will apply the one you set to all brushes with texture settings.
So, we have looked at all the possibilities that the Brush tool provides us. This is truly a magical tool, as you have already seen, as well as the fact that Photoshop is a world with limitless possibilities! A little skill and patience, and you are a true Photoshop master! I hope this lesson revealed to you the secrets of such a fascinating instrument and was useful to you! You can always ask any questions you have in the comments.
I tried out a new brush in practice. I was very pleased with the results! In terms of convenience and ease of work during the drawing process, it gives a very acceptable result, saving a lot of time. Maybe I just painted wrong before, but I really liked the brush and painting technique. Thank you B_z ( mr. tot) - his hint.
Brush settings
I’ll tell you how to install this brush, and at the same time how to make your own brush from scratch.
Blank To create a brush:
1. Save the workpiece located above.
2. Open this image in Photoshop.
3. Edit – Define Brush Preset…(Editing – Define Brush).
4. An unconfigured brush will appear at the end of the brush list.
How to set up a brush?
Opacity(Not transparency) eliminated in 100% never changing it during the drawing process.
In the case when you still need to use opacity, you can enable the mode for changing transparency. This button is located next to Opacity (CS5 only, I think).
In other versions, you can enable this setting in the panel F5 by turning on the branch checkbox "Broadcast", in which the dependence of transparency on the degree of pressure is configured.
In the branch Brush imprint shape of the F5 panel you need to make it more frequent AND interval at least until 10% or lower, so that the stroke looks like a single figure.
When drawing at first, it is better not to change the brush size by pressing, but to paint with a brush with a static size - this saves time and does not take the drawing process ahead of the curve (there is an opportunity to work more on the general appearance of the image without specifics).
Drawing details
When drawing details, when the main one is outlined, you can turn on the dependence of the size on the degree of pressure, and turn off the dependence of transparency.
What happened to me
Brush Tip Shape
The good news is that the brush settings have remained virtually unchanged since the sixth version of the program. Two parameters in this window duplicate those discussed earlier, namely the ability to select the brush shape and its size. If you have previously changed the brush size, you can set the default size by clicking the Use Sample Size button. Let's consider the remaining parameters: Angle. Determines the angle of the brush. Naturally, this option can be used with all brushes except round ones. Roundness (Shape, Roundness). The brush can not only be rotated around its axis, but also compressed (this parameter is entered as a percentage and characterizes the ratio of the initial and final radii). An undoubted advantage is that the angle of inclination and the amount of compression can be set by eye, changing the appearance of the brush in a small window located on the right. You can change both the numbers in the input fields and by dragging
markers with the mouse, as shown in the figure
Hardness. This parameter adjusts the rigidity of the edges of the drawn line. Here you can get both extremely hard and clear edges, and soft ones that smoothly blend into the background. Spacing. The line you see when drawing with any tool that uses a brush is formed by repeated repetitions of prints (a single print is obtained by pressing the left mouse button once without moving it). The distance between prints is determined as a percentage relative to the brush size. To be able to change the amount of space between brush marks, you need to check the box next to the name of this parameter. Then a number field will become available in which you can enter a percentage value, and a ruler with a slider for setting the interval by eye. If you set the Spacing value to 100%, each print will follow the previous one without a space. Compare the first and second images in the figure below: in the first the interval is 1, in the second it is 100%. If you turn off the Spacing parameter, the line will turn out to be non-uniform - such as in the third option in the figure below. This effect is obtained because the prints are repeated at certain intervals. If you move the brush slowly, the line will be solid, as in the first image; if you move it quickly, it will be dashed. And since the speed of hand movement is not constant, especially on curves, the line turns out to be uneven. By adjusting the amount of space, you can create different effects. Maximum value of this parameter - 1000%.
Shape Dynamics (Brush Dynamics)
This dialog box shown in appears after clicking on the line of the same name in the Brush Presets palette.
By varying the parameters in this window, you can turn a regular brush into a dynamic one, that is, one that changes its properties over time. This allows you to get very unusual results.
Size Jitter (Size Variation). Here you set the maximum deviation of the brush size from the original in the range from 0 to 100%. The picture below shows an example of dynamic resizing.
Now let's look at the parameters in the Control window, located under the Size fluctuation slider. By default, it is "Off"
- Off - the brush does not undergo any changes;
- Fade (Fade, Transition) - the brush gradually changes its properties;
- Pen Pressure - this parameter, like all subsequent ones in this list, becomes available when working with graphic tablet. If it is set, the brush reacts to the pressure of the pen;
- Pen Tilt - dependence on the tilt of the manipulator;
- Thumbwheel - scrolling dependency;
Minimum Diameter. Here you can set the minimum diameter of the brush mark, thereby limiting the lower threshold of size variations.
Angle fluctuation (Tilt Scale) degree of possible change in bevel relative to the vertical axis Shape fluctuation (Roundness Jitter, Roundness variations)- when this parameter is activated, the changes will also affect the compression force of the brush.
Minimum shape (Minimum Roundness, Minimum roundness) This parameter limits the minimum roundness value.
Scattering
Here you set the parameters for spraying brushes from the “spray gun”.
Both Axes. If this checkbox is checked, the prints are shifted along both axes, otherwise only along the vertical axis. Scattering (Scatter). Here the scattering amplitude is set, Counter(Count, Quantity). This value determines the number of scattered elements. The higher this value, the more elements are “sprayed” per mouse click. Counter fluctuations (Count Jitter, Quantity Variations). This is another one dynamic setting, which allows you to implement a time-varying number of scattered elements. As a result, their concentration will be uneven.
Texture
You can choose ready-made textures or upload your own. In addition, you can change the following settings. Scale (Scale, Scale). Here you set the scale of the applied texture, that is, the relationship between the sizes of brush marks and texture elements is established. Texture Each Tip. Checking this box allows you to configure Extra options, which gives greater freedom of action. Blending mode (Mode). Texture blend mode. Depth. This value determines how clearly the texture will be visible. To achieve a more visual result, you should increase this parameter, but if you want to get only slightly textured brush marks, then decrease it. Minimum Depth. A parameter that determines the worst visibility of the texture. This is necessary when activating the dynamic operating mode. Depth Jitter (Depth Variations). Here you can set the limits for changing the visibility of the structure in dynamic mode.
Dual Brush
This is a very interesting and sometimes irreplaceable parameter. I recommend paying special attention to it. The options offered here allow you to mix two different brushes. The brush set in the main window of the Brush Presets palette is taken as a basis, and the second (overlay) is configured in this window. You can set the following brush blending options: Diameter. Diameter of applied brush, Spacing. If you want to make your brush marks sparser, use this option. Both Axes. This setting controls the direction in which prints are applied. Scattering (Scatter). For uneven prints, increase the scatter force. Counter(Quantity, Count). Number (concentration) of superimposed elements.
Color Dynamics
Foreground/Background Jitter. Limits for changing foreground and background colors. Color variations(Hue Jitter). Range of color changes. Saturation Jitter Variations. Sets print saturation limits. Brightness Jitter Variations. Range of changes in brightness values. Purity. The degree of possible color deviation from neutral.
Noise
When this checkbox is checked, monochrome noise is added to the brush mark, which is somewhat reminiscent of the effect of the filter of the same name, only it does not apply to the entire image, but only to the brush mark. In the picture below, the same brush was used, only the image on the left was obtained without introducing noise, and on the right - with the Noise checkbox turned on. 
Wet Edges
The next Brush Palette option we'll look at is Wet Edges. It received this name because the result of its application is somewhat reminiscent of a watercolor drawing, although the similarity is distant. Let's draw two lines with the same brush with the Wet Edges option turned off and on. In the first case, the line will be the same throughout its entire thickness, while in the second, in the middle, it will be more transparent and darkened at the edges. The differences are clearly visible when you zoom in:
Other Brush Palette Options
Other Dynamics. At this point you can set the dynamics for concepts such as Opacity (Transparency) and Flow (Flow). Airbrush. Previously, the airbrush was a separate tool, but now the developers decided to include it in the palette under consideration as a modification of the brush. It is a sprayer that sprays not individual brush marks, but paint according to the shape of the latter. The longer you hold down the mouse button, the stronger its effect will be and the larger the print (however, it will not exceed the set maximum brush size). Smoothness. This checkbox allows you to make the brush action softer and smoother. Protect Texture. If this checkbox is checked, the texture pattern used in the brush settings will not be changed.
Greetings, dear readers of the site. In today's lesson we will talk about the instrument brush in photoshop. The brush is one of the main tools, which means that every self-respecting photoshopper should be able to customize a brush in Photoshop to suit his needs. It's about and will be discussed in this lesson.
But first, a short introduction for those who are just starting to get acquainted with Adobe Photoshop.
The brush tool in Photoshop is located in the toolbar on the left:
If the brush is active, a menu will appear at the top quick setup brushes, it looks like this:
Let's see what settings this menu offers us.
- The first thing is brush type. Click on the arrow next to the brush icon and you will see a list of brush types:
Let's select the Fuzzy Cluster Loose brush and drag it over the canvas a few times:
As you can see, this is a barbed wire brush. By default, Photoshop has a little more than a dozen of these types of brushes. They are used quite rarely, but, nevertheless, some of them are quite interesting:
If you click on the arrow in this menu, you will see a list of options. Here you can select sets of brushes, each of which stores specific types, like those discussed above. By clicking on Preset Manager, you will be taken to the preset editor, where you can change the current set of brushes in Photoshop:
But, as I said, all of this is used quite rarely, so just keep in mind that these types of brushes exist. And we move on.
The Size parameter determines the size of the brush. You can change it by moving the slider, or by entering the value in the field manually
The Hardness parameter adjusts the hardness of the brush. When I say in Photoshop tutorials that you need to take a soft brush, this means the Hardness parameter is 0%, and if you use a hard brush, it means 100%.
You can also choose ready-made brush options from the window. Now let's look at the available options; they open by clicking on the arrow:
At the bottom of the list are the standard and downloaded sets of brushes (read more about this in the lesson on how to install a brush in Photoshop). By clicking on Preset Manager you will be taken to the brush manager:
— Now let’s look at the opacity and brush pressure settings in Photoshop:
The Opacity parameter sets the opacity of the brush. A value of 0% is a completely transparent brush, 100% is a completely opaque brush.
The Flow parameter sets the force of pressure on the brush: 0% - barely apply pressure, 100% - apply full force.
If you noticed, there are 3 more buttons in this panel that I didn’t say anything about, and which are used to work with the tablet: Tablet Pressure Controls Opacity, Enable airbeush mode and Tablet Pressure Controls Size (Pen pressure controls size)
So, we have reviewed the quick brush settings, and now the fun begins - you will find out how to set up a brush in photoshop.
How to set up a brush in Photoshop
Pressing F5 opens the brush settings menu (with the brush tool active, of course):
You can also go to this panel by clicking on the icon in the brush quick settings menu
Attention! Keep in mind that these settings apply not only to the brush, but also to tools such as the Pencil Tool, Mixed Brush Tool, Clone/Pattern Stamp Tool, History/Art History Brush Tool (Brush), Eraser Tool (Eraser), Blur/Sharpen/Smudge Tool (Blur, Sharpness, Dirt), Dodge/Burn/Spronge Tool (Darkener, Sponge).
Essentially this is universal settings for all hand type instruments.
Adjusting the brush tip
So, the first tab is Brush Tip Shape. You are already familiar with the Size parameter, but then something new begins:
The Flip X/Y checkboxes allow you to invert the brush along the X or Y axis.
Amgle adjusts the brush angle. Let's select a brush from the list that differs from the standard one and trace the change in angle on it (by the way, both the brushes themselves and the types of brushes are available in this list):
I took the Soft Elliptical 100 brush (aka Aurora) and rotated it to -46 degrees.
I hope everything is clear here and you can now easily adjust the brush rotation angle in Photoshop.
Aurora began to look like an ordinary brush.
The Hardness parameter is already familiar to you, but Spacing is a very interesting setting that adjusts the distance between two brush strokes:
Dynamics of brush shape in Photoshop
Now go to the Shape Dynamics tab. Let's look at the settings using an example of a regular hard brush of 48px size.
The first thing we are interested in is Size Jitter. As the name suggests, this option controls how the size fluctuates throughout the brush stroke:
The Control list is usually the same for all parameters and indicates the condition by which one or another brush parameter will be controlled in Photoshop.
Off means without special conditions.
If Fade is selected, the brush will fade out:
The number of steps over which the attenuation will occur is specified in the rectangle to the right of the parameter.
If Pen Pressure, Pen Tili or Stylus Wheel are selected, then control will occur with varying degrees of pressure and tilt of the stylus, and the position of the wheel (if any). Rotation depends on the rotation of the stylus pen.
Minimum Diameter allows you to limit the diameter, less than which the brush cannot be.
Angle Jitter sets the “angle jitter”. The action is similar to Size Jitter, with the difference that the angle fluctuation is specified.
Roundness Jitter sets, as you probably already guessed, the “jitter” of the stroke circumference (the same Roundness parameter that we discussed a few minutes ago). The effect of Minimum Roundness here is similar to Minimum Diameter for the Shape Dynamics parameter.
Setting brush diffusion in Photoshop
Go to the Scattering tab. The name speaks for itself - here are the brush diffuse settings.
The Scatter parameter sets the amount of scattering. Try setting it to 500% and now paint with this brush:
By checking the Both Axes checkbox you will get scattering on both axes (X and Y).
The Count value specifies the number of brush strokes. Accordingly, the higher this value, the more points the brush will create. And finally, Count Jitter sets fluctuations in the number of strokes.
Texture brush in Photoshop
The next tab is called Texture and allows you to apply a texture to the brush. Everything here is quite simple - select the texture and set it.
Brush color dynamics in Photoshop
Go to the next tab and see Color Dynamics. This setting is similar to all the ones we have discussed, and it differs only in that it allows you to set color fluctuations for the brush in Photoshop. Let's see how it works.
Foreground/Background Jitter specifies fluctuations between the foreground color and the background color. Thus, all shades that are between these colors will be included in the range of fluctuation.
Hue Jitter - fluctuations in color tone.
Saturation Jitter - saturation fluctuations.
Brightness Jitter - brightness fluctuations.
Purity - purity of shades. With this parameter set to 100% you will get pure, bright colors, so the lower this parameter is, the more the colors blend together.
Let's see what happens if we drag a brush over the canvas with settings like in the image above:
This is an interesting effect. Think about how many opportunities these provide brush settings in photoshop! But that's not all, let's move on.
Setting up brush transitions in Photoshop
Transfer - transitions. In this tab of this tab you can adjust the Opacity Jitter and Flow Jitter.
There are also options such as Noise (if checked, creates noise on the brush stroke), Wet Edges (Weathered edges), Airbrush (Airbrush) and Smoothing (Smoothing).
This concludes the lesson on brushes in Photoshop, I hope it was useful for you. If you didn’t understand something during the lesson, ask in the comments. And I say goodbye to you until we meet again, and wish you creative success 😉
The brush tool is one of the most commonly used in Photoshop. Not to mention that other drawing tools have almost identical settings with the brush. In the process of writing articles for the blog, I was faced with the fact that I had to constantly describe the same actions on at a construction site, it is not effective.
Therefore, I decided to write a separate post in which, using the Brush tool as an example, I will show most of the settings typical for drawing and retouching (for example) tools Photoshop programs. By the way, no one has canceled the F1 key yet and you can get more comprehensive help on brush parameters there.
Customizing the brush cursor and painting tools
Even at the very beginning of working in the program, now is also not too late, in the Photoshop settings available along the path Editing – Preferences – Cursors (Edit – Preferences – Cursors), it is advisable to set the following settings:
Painting Cursors – Normal Brush Tip, setting this option will allow you to see the actual size of the tool and imagine the area of its influence. While working, you can switch to the Precise view if necessary by pressing Caps key Lock.
Other Cursors (Other cursors) switch to Standard, the setting allows you to see which tool you have in your hands, from those that do not draw, for example “ ” (L), it is very convenient when switching between them using “hot” keys.
Brash Preview – not used in “normal” work, its presence does not appear in any way. However, by changing the size and rigidity of all drawing tools, it makes it possible to see the size and shading of the affected area. That is why there is only one Color option as a parameter, which makes it possible to set the color with which the impact area will be highlighted during resizing. As a rule, the setting does not need to be changed; the default color is quite suitable for this purpose.
When the settings in the Cursors tab are made, click OK and proceed to the “water procedures”, working with the brush.
For training, let's open a picture. In the tool palette, select the “Brash” Brush ( hotkey V).
Changing the size, hardness and opacity of the brush as you work
The most common customization operation is changing the size, edge hardness, and opacity of the tool. Moreover, during work, these parameters need to be changed frequently, quickly, and preferably without distraction. You can do this as follows:
Just click right button mouse – a parameter selection dialog will open in which you can change almost everything. You will see almost the same dialog for selecting parameters as when using the corresponding item on the toolbar.
You can change the shape of the brush, select the desired brush from the installed ones using the fingerprint viewing window. Load a new set of brushes, reduce or increase the size of the thumbnails, these and other settings are available after clicking on the gear icon.
The most frequently changed during operation: Size – larger parameter value more brush and vice versa. Hardness – similar to the first parameter, the higher the value, the harder the brush, the more “rough” its edges. In my opinion, it is more convenient to change these two parameters as follows:
Press Alt, the brush will switch to color selection mode, the cursor will take the shape of an eyedropper. We hold down the right mouse button (usually the top button of the tablet pen), and when moving horizontally left and right, the size increases or decreases. When moving up and down, the stiffness is less or more. Now the meaning of the Brash Preview setting becomes clear.
Near the tool options panel there is a drop-down list of blending modes, Mode, similar to that from the layers palette. The difference between them is that the first relates directly to the selected tool and allows them to work with different blending modes on the same layer. In this case, of course, the layer must be pixelated. Let's try this feature in real conditions. I have a picture of a mountain landscape, I’ll make the sky brighter.
I take a brush with soft edges of a suitable size and color, in the Mode list, blend mode Soft Light (Soft Light) and brush the sky.
Now I'll add some light sunspots to the grass, change the brush color to Overlay and off we go.
This method of processing images is quite good, it’s a pity that after using it you can’t weaken anything, as is the case with using separate layers. But you can adjust the strength of the brush before using it. Two options following the list of blending modes serve this purpose:
Opacity – Adjusts the intensity of the paint color. IN real life can be compared to working with a helmet fresh from a 100% can and gradually diluted to almost complete dissolution of 1%. Flow – adjusts the intensity of paint flowing off the brush in one pass. The effect of these parameters is almost the same, but there is still a difference that can be seen with the naked eye. To identify it, do the following experiment yourself:
Using a brush with an opacity of 40% of any color, draw a line from one edge of the picture to the other so that the initial and end point was clearly visible. To get a straight line while working, hold down the Shift key. Return the opacity value to 100%, change the pressure to 40%, draw the same line, as they say, find the differences between them.
I will continue processing my image and put text on the hillock that matches the occasion.
Of course, we can’t say that he’s standing on a hillock, rather he’s hovering above him. I’ll correct this situation with a brush that imitates tufts of grass, and at the same time we’ll look at a whole palette of tool settings.
Brash Brush Options Palette
You can call this palette by following the path Window – Brush (Window – Brush) or by pressing the magic key F5. A palette will open, consisting of two Brush tabs, we will return to it a little later and Brush Presets, there is nothing particularly interesting in it except for the fact that brush previews are represented not by one print, but by a line. Let's select the brush to imitate grass 112 "magically" after this the Size parameter will change to 112 pixels. (this is just fantastic).
Let's go back to the Brush tab and select Brush Tip Shape ( Brush imprint shape) here almost everything is familiar to you except the Spacing parameter, which sets the distance between brush marks in a line as a percentage of the tool size. Since the grass does not grow in a continuous fence, I will set this parameter to 24%. You can monitor the changes caused by a particular setting in the preview window below the parameters.
Let's move on to the Shape Dynamics item, which allows you to change the shape of the brush marks while working. I am interested in the following parameters: Size jitter (Size fluctuation), since in one bunch of grass that I am going to imitate there is not the same size, I will set the values for this parameter to 100%, which will allow the sizes to change from 0 to the actually set one. The parameter has an item for setting the control mode (Control), select Pen Pressure (brush pressure), the harder we press on the tablet pen, the faster the size changes.
I set the Minimum Diameter value from which size fluctuations will begin to 4%. Since the blades of grass stick out from the ground at different angles, I will change the Angle jitter parameter to 8%, the percentage is calculated from a full circle of 360 degrees. I will not control the parameter (Control - Off).
Also, due to the heterogeneity of the shape of the blades of grass, I will change the Roundness jitter parameter ( Shape fluctuation). Changes occur as a percentage of the actual diameter. Just as in previous cases, it is possible to establish control and set the initial value of changes.
Let's move on to the Scattering parameter, which allows you to set the scattering of brush marks relative to the “center line”. I will change the following settings Scatter (Scattering) 20%. Values are specified as a percentage of the print size. The Both Axes checkbox speaks for itself: scattering occurs in two axes (X Y).
Count (Counter) sets the number of scattered prints, for blades of grass I think 6 will be enough. Count jitter - a percentage that allows you to dynamically change the number of prints generated, 93% is quite suitable for me. The control option for both parameters is turned off.
When setting up a brush, it is convenient to create an empty temporary layer and go over it after changing each parameter. This makes it possible to test the tool in “combat conditions”. Once the setup is complete, the temporary layer is simply deleted.
The next setting is Color Dynamic, which will allow me to change the color as I work from the foreground color to the background color set in the program toolbar. Let's get acquainted with the settings of this setting: I set the Foreground/Background Jitter parameter to 100%, which is why I wrote above. I'll control the parameter with the Pen Pressure brush.
Hue fluctuation is calculated from the foreground color at 9%. Saturation is considered between the foreground color and white – 19%. Brightness, carefully calculated between black and foreground color, is 15%. I won’t tell you why such settings, I set them by eye, maybe it will work well. The Purity parameter, which affects color saturation, was left unchanged. To ensure a smooth line when moving the tool quickly, check the Smoothing checkbox.
Now that the brush settings for simulating grass are finished, I’ll move on to the picture, taking color samples for the foreground and background from the light and dark areas of the grass, I’ll brush the base of the inscription, not forgetting to set the tool to an adequate size. As you work, you can (even need to) change the size of the print and colors, the result is this:
Since the work is progressing so quickly, I’ll add a few more elements to the composition, first I’ll create a new brush, read below about how to do this.
Creating your own brush in Photoshop
In the program you can use not only pre-installed brushes, sets specially downloaded from the Internet, but also brushes of your own making. This is done as follows: Select a suitable picture, adequate in size and for the purpose of use. I have one.
And then the “black magic” begins - we say the spell “Fuck - Tibidoh - Tibidoh”, go along the path Edit – Define Brush Presets (Editing – Define a set of brushes) a dialogue box will open for specifying the name of a new brush in the current set. Give it a name and click OK.
A new brush, "Praise the Poker", is available in the current set.
I used the same parameter settings as for grass, although I changed some parameters a little? Think about it, they are all shown in the article. Foreground color set to #e411ab background white. The result is the following picture:
This is where I end the opus, I hope it was useful to you.
Practical use
You can get acquainted with the practical use of the tool in the material