Using Brushes

We use brushes all of the time.  They are easy to use and really add a nice touch to whatever you are creating.

Make sure you organize your brushes. I have so many that I would never know what I had if I didn’t have a very organized system. I have a folder called Photoshop Brushes in my scrapbooking folder. Under that, I have 7 folders where I put my brushes depending on the type I think they are. The categories I chose were: decorative, doodles, frames, edges and borders, grunge, shapes/clip art and brushes that I create. Also, each time I get a new brush set, I stamp them on an 8”x11” canvas and save it as a jpeg to view in Picasa as well as print it out and keep it in a binder. That way, when I want to use a brush, I just open my binder or look in Picasa and find the one I want, and then I can locate it easily in my folders. It takes a little bit of extra effort to organize your brushes but in the long run it will save you time and frustration.

Here are a few basic instructions for getting started with brushes. Next week I will do a more advanced post.

· Create a new layer
· Choose the brush tool
· Choose a color for your brush
· Click on the drop down brush tool preset menu at the top. Click on the little arrow on the right and choose “load brushes.” Find your folder of brushes and select one. Then choose the brush you want to use. You can use the bracket keys to make the brush bigger or smaller.
· Stamp on your page.
· You must choose a new layer for each stamp if you want to be able to manipulate them individually.

Changing the direction of your brush
· Click on the brush tool in the tool pallet and choose a brush.
· Click on the “more options” tool above-right (pencil or brush next to it).
· Put in the number in the “angle” box to change directions of your brush or simply move the arrows.

Using the eraser as a brush
· Put two pieces of paper on your canvas
· Choose the eraser tool
· Choose a brush shape
· Stamp on the top layer of the paper and the one below will show through

Creating your own brush
· Open an embellishment, which will be a png file. Ctrl-A to select your embellishment before you put it on your page. Make sure you are on the “move” tool when doing this step.
· Got to Edit-Define Brush and click OK. Find your new brush in the brush drop- down preset menu above.
· Choose a color you want the stamp to be.
· Stamp on your page or a new layer.
· To make a text stamp, write with black on a white page then select it with the marquee too.
· Go to edit-define brush and click OK. They will ask you to simplify it first. Find your text brush under your brush drop-down preset menu at the bottom.
· If you want to save the brush you made, select it in the drop down brush selection menu and then click on the arrow on the right that brings up another drop down menu. At the very bottom, choose “save brushes”. Then find the folder where you want it to be saved, rename it and save it there.
· I especially like to have my purchased word art made into brushes (stamps) because it’s easier to see what I have, and I can use them any way that I use a brush.