Creating your own Photoshop brushes is an excellent way to take your designs to the next level. While it may seem complicated, it’s actually quite simple, and Ray Dombroski is here to walk you through the process.
First things first, you’ll need to have an image that you want to turn into a brush. In this video, Ray uses a page of pattern doodles that were drawn with pen and ink on paper and scanned into the computer. Once you have your image, select the area you want to turn into a brush and go to Edit > Define Brush Preset. Give your brush a name and repeat the process for any other areas of the image you want to use.
Now that you have your brushes, it’s time to customize them. The default settings aren’t very interesting, so Ray recommends adjusting the Shape Dynamics and Scattering options. Shape Dynamics includes an Angle Jitter option that rotates the brush each time it’s used, creating more randomness. Scattering randomizes how far apart the brushes are painted down.
It’s essential to strike a balance with the Scattering option to avoid creating a pattern that looks too wild. You can scale the brushes up or down using the left or right bracket keys on your keyboard. Once you’ve got your brushes looking the way you want them to, you can save them by going to the Preset Manager window.
In conclusion, creating your own Photoshop brushes may seem daunting, but it’s a simple process that can yield fantastic results. By customizing the Shape Dynamics and Scattering options, you can create unique patterns that add depth and complexity to your designs. If you’re looking for more brushes to add to your collection, Ray offers a variety of free downloads in the Graphic Design Launch Kit.