Brushes

Brushes
Q1:

Is there a quick way to change brush size ? Better yet, can I quickly change the brush I'm using?

ISTOCKPHOTO/JANE NORTON

A1:

Use the Bracket keys to adjust brush size: To make any brush bigger, press the Right Bracket (]) or to make it smaller, press the Left Bracket ([). To move to the next or previous brush in the Brush Picker, use the Period (.) and Comma (,) keys. You can also Control-click (PC: Right-click) on the image itself and the Brush Picker will pop up wherever your cursor is onscreen. Click on the new brush, and then click the mouse on your image to start using the new brush.

Q2:

Is it possible to create a custom set of brushes? I'd like to have different sets of brushes to use for different purposes. Is it possible to create sets of brushes from within the preset brushes?

A2:

Sure! From the Edit menu, open the Preset Manager. Select Brushes in the Preset Type pop-up menu. Then click on the first brush you want and Command-click (PC: Control-click) on the other brushes you'd like to include (or if the brushes are contiguous, Shift-click to select entire rows). Once they're selected, click Save Set and name the brush set in the resulting dialog. You can then load the brush set(s) as you need them by either returning to Edit>Preset Manager and clicking on the Load button, or opening the Brush Picker in the Options Bar and choosing Load Brushes from the flyout menu.

Q3:

Is it possible to make my own brush shape? I'd like to make a brush shape that's different than the ones that come with Photoshop. Can I make my own, and if so, how?

A3:

Yes, you can make your own brushes. To make a brush that is oval-shaped, click on an existing circular brush in the Brush Picker (found in the Options Bar with the Brush tool active [B]), change the Master Diameter, and then from the Picker's flyout menu choose New Brush Preset. To edit other aspects of the new brush, such as Shape Dynamics and Scatter, open the Brushes palette (it's docked in the Palette Well by default) and change your settings there.

To make a brush of an unusual shape, make a small document (File>New) and paint (with black as your Foreground color ) the shape you want (or use a logo or type a word with the Type tool [T]). Select the shape (or word, logo, etc.) using any selection tool, and then from the Edit menu choose Define Brush Preset. Name the brush (if you like) in the resulting dialog and the brush will appear at the bottom of the Brush Picker in the Options Bar.

Q4:

Why does my custom brush lose all my logo's colors?

A4:

When you create a brush (see previous question), it is defined in shades of gray, not color. So if your logo is black and red, the custom brush will be black and a shade of gray (where the red had been). Then when you choose a Foreground color and use the Brush tool (B) with your custom brush selected in the Brush Picker, the color will be applied at 100% where the logo was black, and a lower percent of color where the logo was gray.

Q5:

Is it possible to make a brush out of text? I have a bunch of images that I need to add a copyright notice to. Is there a quick way to add this without dragging-and-dropping to a whole bunch of images?

A5:

You might want to try making a custom brush, particularly if you only need it in one color. Create a Grayscale document (File>New) and create your copyright using the Type tool (T) so it appears on a Type layer. Go to Select>All, and from the Edit menu choose Define Brush Preset. Give your brush a name (if you like) in the resulting dialog and click OK. Your brush will now appear at the bottom of the Brush Picker (when you have the Brush tool [B] active) in the Options Bar. Now just pick a Foreground color and click once on each image to add the copyright notice. Note: You may wish to add a new layer first before painting on your image with the custom brush.

Q6:

How can I see how big my brush is before I use it?

A6:

In your Preferences (Command-K [PC: Control-K]), go to Display & Cursors. Make sure your Painting Cursors option is set to Normal Brush Tip rather than Standard.

Q7:

Is it possible to turn the Brushes menu into a floating palette?

A7:

There are a couple of different options here. To open a "floating" palette of just the brushes and their sizes, Control-click (PC: Right-click) within your document and the "simple," "floating" Brush Picker will appear. To edit more functions easily onscreen, click-and-drag the Brushes palette's tab from the Palette Well onto your desktopit's now a "floating" palette. If you want it back in the Palette Well, just click-and-drag its tab into the Well.

Q8:

What is Jitter? In the Brushes palette, there are a bunch of options such as Opacity Jitter and Flow Jitter. What's Jitter?

A8:

In the Brushes palette's options, Jitter is another word for "randomness." Play around with these settings to affect the way a brush operates.

Q9:

Can I resize a custom brush that I created?

A9:

Yes and no. Although you can make the brush larger (either in the Brushes palette, Brush Picker, or using keyboard shortcuts), the quality of the brush will decrease as you make it larger. For some brushes (or brushes that you'll use at low opacities), this may not be noticeable enough to create a problem.



Photoshop CS2 Help Desk Book
The Photoshop CS2 Help Desk Book
ISBN: 0321337042
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 225
Authors: Dave Cross

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