It’s time for a little brush-up on Photoshop customizing. Photoshop allows you to create your own brush if you feel the set of default brushes lacks a certain style. Possibly the most common type of customizing is to modify brush size. In the Brush palette, you can specify Size, Angle, and Roundness of Jitter under Shape Dynamics. The term ‘jitter’ indicates an effect with no specific pattern to add randomness.
Rather than paint an image, we take another route here and use brush options to reveal portions of a colorful flower photo. The techniques shown here should serve as a start for developing your own creative look with Photoshop’s brushes.
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Launch Photoshop and open the image of your choice. Press F7 to show the Layers palette. Click the Create New Layer button. Click the Visibility icon (eye) next to Layer 1 to hide it. Select Layer 2.
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Press D to set Default colors (black foreground, white background). Select the Brush tool (B). Choose Window > Brushes (F5). Click Brush Tip Shape on the left side of the palette, and click the Soft Round 21 brush.
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Click Shape Dynamics on the left side of the palette and use the options as shown at left.
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Click Scattering on the left side of the palette and use the options as shown at left.
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Click Texture on the left side of the palette, use the options as shown and click the Pattern swatch. In the resulting Pattern Picker dialog box, click the Options arrow, select Artist Surfaces from the drop-down menu and click Append. Click the Coarse Weave texture (below, left). Click the Pattern swatch again to close the Pattern Picker.
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Click the Options arrow at the top of the Brushes palette and select New Brush Preset from the drop-down menu. In the resulting Brush Name dialog box, enter Artistic Canvas brush for Name and click OK. Press F5 to hide the Brushes palette. Paint a freeform shape on the document similar to the one at left.
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In the Layers palette, drag Layer 2 below Layer 1. Click the Visibility square next to Layer 1 to reveal it. Hold Option and place your cursor over the line between Layer 1 and Layer 2. When an interlocking circle appears, click to create a clipping group.
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Our final effect is shown at left.
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