Enlighten me... brushes vs png

[France]

that's it, that's all...
I use both, I want to know when you would use one over the other when both are available in a kit.....

I'm assuming brushes are more easily customisable?

please, enlighten me
http://i1021.photobucket.com/albums/af332/free4usmileys/profs/profs38.gif
why do you prefer one over the other.


oh. and do you work with your brushes on a new layer, or on masks?
and whatever else you want to tell me about brushes (and yep, I've seen Heather's tutorial on how to recolour brushes!!!)
:thanks:

[DoggiNo]

Good question France !

I mostly use the png version because I don't want to install all the brushes and because I forget to look in my brushes pallet if something is in there.

[Romy]

well...I would say there are two situation when I use a brush instead of its png version:

- when I need multiple application of the element (like using a brush as a distressing tool or for erasing)
- when the png is small and I want a bigger size - brushes won't lose their quality...

there is also another situation - when using with a tablet - the options you have with pressure sensitivity are close to endless - like changing opacity, direction, scattering...oh, the scattering!!!!....all that in one stroke, like when you are painting

[Romy]

and I wouldn't say the brushes are more customizable (unless you have the tablet)...you can both recolor, give the texture, use then in various blending modes...

I don't use them with masks as much, only when I want erase non-destructively...

here is an example of how you can go crazy (you can use brushes or pngs here but I think I only used brushes)...lots of layers...
for example, I used the same brush on several layers but gave each different style, mostly I varied embossing settings for more depth and texture
this was a lot of fun, actually...I followed a tutorial by Pattie Knox about digital art journaling (a year ago), this is where I learned a lot about brushes and how to alter them...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SBy1vVCjcMk/S-1krI6uE5I/AAAAAAAABZM/G4-aTBV3bYU/s800/Senses.jpg

[heathert]

Actually Romy, the brushes do lose definition if they're small and you make them bigger--if you have any brushes that are 250 or so, and you enlarge them to 2500, you'll notice fuzziness on them. But one of the problems with brushes is that they can't get any larger than 2500, and of course the .png's can be as large as you like (from a design perspective). So often I make an .abr file, but also include the .png's because they're larger than the brushes.

.abr files are useful when you want to use the brush in a repeating fashion, as in, to make a pattern (change the spacing, and change the 1st checkbox settings -- brush dynamics -- to "Angle Jitter" = direction). Then hold down the ctrl key as you drag your brush across the page (control will keep the brush in a straight line). :flower2:

[Romy]

thanks for setting it right!! :winking0071:
(how come I don't care about fuzziness? :giggle:)

[heathert]

*giggles* If you're distressing, I'm sure it's not a big deal at all!!

[France]

fuzzy and grungy go well together!

That's great info ! :worship:

(which doesn't mean that if anyone has anything to add you have to refrain!)...
I'm gonna google a bit too I think.

anyone else?

Katja... I found out by error the other day... and at least it worked for CS2... you can drag and drop an .abr file into your workspace and it installs it, much easier than the conventional way. I'll test it again next time I open CS (unless someone can confirm?)... (or it might have been a style, give it a whirl, and when you have too many brushes installed, just uninstall them ... the conventional way, so it doesn't slow down your CS too much!)

[LSlycord]

Great info... I've been digi-scrapping for about 6 years and I am only now thinking to pay attention to some of these questions.:25r30wi:

[DoggiNo]

Katja... I found out by error the other day... and at least it worked for CS2... you can drag and drop an .abr file into your workspace and it installs it, much easier than the conventional way. I'll test it again next time I open CS (unless someone can confirm?)... (or it might have been a style, give it a whirl, and when you have too many brushes installed, just uninstall them ... the conventional way, so it doesn't slow down your CS too much!)

Sweetie, what do you consider the "conventional" way ? :rofl2:

I install the abr by double clicking on it from Windows explorer, uninstall by right clicking on it and going delete (or something like that, I think)

[heathert]

Whaaaaaaaa??? To install a brush (for CS, anyway), just right-click on the little arrow in the upper right-hand corner of your brushes palette, and choose "load brushes." You can load them from wherever you saved them that way. To unload them ctrl-click on the ones you don't want, and hit delete. That doesn't delete them from your disk, just from the brushes palette. You can, if you wish, also load/unload brushes through the preset manager--and save your own brush sets as well.

[lifenreflection]

Brushes can be a lot to keep with up. I have hundreds and I forget where they are in palette. Then I waste time trying to find the one particular brush I have in mind. But, they sure are fun!

[heathert]

Kristy, I have a very cheap piece of software by TumaSoft, LLC, that displays all the brushes, shapes, patterns, etc. Really useful!
www.tumasoft.com(I'm not affiliated with them)

[France]

Katja, the "conventional" way is the way Heather describes above! :giggle:
wow, there's gorgeous stuff at that site Heather! I want someone to make papers with their English Poet ... that's just gorgeous!

[heathert]

Oh, oops, didn't realize they had anything else but the software there!

[Dalis]

hmmmmm... I am a fan of brushes, I just really love them, why? no clue, I just love them... I do like repeating the same pattern w/ different size, color and blending and it's much easier with a brush.

To answer the question, I do put all my brushes in individual layers so I can put different blends is I wanted to.

[jetjez]

I work in the same as Dalis, each on a separate layer and different colors, you know just shades lighter. Íf you want more than one brush on a layout it's so much easier to make more than one than endlessly recoloring.

But I do wish the palette was easier to use. Must try out the software Heather described.

[mum2gnt]

Good question France hun.
For me it depends on the "brush". If it's something I would use a lot then I wouyld load the .ABR to PS. As .png there's not much you can do with it. As a brush though you can do heaps. You can change the brush tip so change the whole look. change the brush to watercolour and you'll have a washy look. Change it to that fabulous 180 degree brush "dry brush" and you have something completely different agaibn. (forgive me - I have jumped from CS3 to CS6 so this may be a new CS6 thing! )!
You can use it to erase, to paint or healing brush or clone, etc. For example cloning something like leaves (small) and the ocean is far easier with a shape other than a circle!!
But you do not want a whole heap of .ABR (is that Adobe BRush??) on your PS - nor actions nor fonts, etc or you will slow it waaaaaaaaaaaaay down and lose memory! (must be what's wrong with me!! :25r30wi:)

[mum2gnt]

PS. It's a pain to flip/mirror/rotate/etc a brush!!

[Dalis]

ok, how exactly do you add texture to a brush, I thought I saw a tutorial here, but I can't find it.

[France]

texture or painting? I can find the painting tutorial for you, hang on.

[France]

is THIS (http://www.mscraps.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5646) the one Dalis?

[Dalis]

nope France, I wanna know how to add texture so my paint splashes look like they were done w/ a big honking brush from the hardware store. LOL!!!

[Romy]

it depends on a brush I think (how the "bristles" are spread) and how you play with bevel/emboss settings, Dalis

[France]

there's so much to find under the brushes tab... "Brush Preset"! Gosh, so much fun to be had (and all to difficult! :25r30wi: )

[Dalis]

it depends on a brush I think (how the "bristles" are spread) and how you play with bevel/emboss settings, Dalis

oh, maybe that is what I need to check. I saw this page (btw. I think it was by Ona, where on Earth is that girl?) and her brush looked like it had been painted with real paint.

there's so much to find under the brushes tab... "Brush Preset"! Gosh, so much fun to be had (and all to difficult! :25r30wi: )

I know it is super overwhelming!!!!!!

[Dutch_Diva]

You mean something like this Dalis?

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee326/CrazyTulip_photos/Enabling/brushes.jpg

If yes let me know I took screen shots if you need them.