Introduction to Brushes

Calligraphic Brush

• Illustrator brushes are vector-based, whereas Photoshop brushes are raster-based;
• The Pencil Tool creates simple paths with strokes but lacks character or styling, while the Paintbrush Tool allows for strokes with character or unique shapes using brush profiles or settings;
• You can adjust the stroke width and apply different brush profiles;
• Brush libraries offer various presets like arrows, artistic, and decorative brushes;
• Double-clicking on the Paintbrush Tool allows access to brush settings, including:
  • Fidelity Slider: controls the smoothness or accuracy of the stroke;
  • Keep Selected & Edit Selected Paths: enables continuous editing of the drawn path;
• You can modify the brush by adjusting the angle, roundness, size, or by adding some randomness to all;
• You can also remove brush strokes and convert them into normal paths with no special brush effects;
• New custom brushes can be created by adjusting various brush settings and values.

Scatter Brush

• To create a Scatter Brush, first create a vector shape and drag it into the Brushes panel;
• Choose "Scatter Brush" from the options, and the Scatter Brush Options window will open;
• Size: you can randomize the size within a range, specifying minimum and maximum values (e.g., 50% to 350% of the shape size);
• Spacing: adjust the space between the scattered shapes along the stroke, and add randomization if desired;
• Scatter: this setting controls how much the shapes scatter on both sides of the path. You can increase or decrease scatter based on your design needs;
• Rotation: the shapes can rotate along the path, adding further randomness or maintaining a specific orientation;
• Colorization options include:
  • Tints: alters the highlights of the shape color;
  • Tints And Shades: affects both the highlights and shadows;
  • Hue Shift: changes the entire color of the shape (but not effective for black shapes);
• After defining the brush, it can be applied to a stroke;
• If needed, you can further adjust scatter, size, and other settings by double-clicking the brush in the Brushes panel to open its settings.

Art Brush

• First, create a vector shape, then drag it into the Brushes panel;
• Choose Art Brush from the options in the pop-up window;
• Set the direction of the artwork (e.g., adjust the arrow to go from bottom to top if necessary) and click "OK.";
• When you apply the art brush to a stroke, the artwork stretches to fit the stroke length. Overstretching can distort the artwork, making it look unrealistic:
  • Stretch to Fit Stroke Length: this option stretches the entire artwork to the stroke, which can lead to distortion;
  • Stretch Between Guides: this allows you to specify areas of the artwork to stretch while keeping other parts intact;
• To use this, the artwork can be either horizontal or vertical (depending on the direction of the arrow) before adding guides;
• For example, you can prevent the palm tree's leaves from stretching by setting guides only around the trunk;
• Double-click on the brush to adjust the guides and choose how much of the artwork should stretch;
• After applying the brush stroke, Illustrator may ask whether to apply changes to existing strokes;
• Art Brushes are useful for scenarios like:
  • Drawing multiple items where you want to vary the height and width without distorting the core elements;
  • Creating banners, patterns, or adding custom artistic elements that need to follow a certain path.

Bristle Brush

• The Bristle Brush mimics a real bristle brush, ideal for creating digital paintings with a realistic look;
• You can adjust various brush settings, including:
  • Brush Shape: options like round point, flat point, or flat angle;
  • Size And Bristle Length: longer bristles create softer strokes, while shorter ones produce sharper strokes;
  • Bristle Density: a higher density means more bristles, creating a thicker stroke, while lower density gives a finer stroke;
  • Bristle Thickness: affects how thick the individual bristles appear;
  • Paint Opacity: allows for transparency or full opacity;
  • Stiffness: determines how rigid or flexible the brush behaves, mimicking a real brush's movement;
• When using the Bristle Brush, strokes appear as multiple overlapping lines, giving it a realistic, textured appearance;
• However, because it mimics real brush strokes and can generate many overlapping lines, it can slow down the computer's performance;
• While it can enhance the look of detailed art, it may not be favored by all due to its potential impact on performance.

Pattern Brush

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• The Pattern Brush allows you to apply a repeating pattern along a path, useful for creating borders or continuous designs;
• You can create both raster-based (image-based) or vector-based patterns:
  • Raster-based patterns can lose quality when zoomed in due to pixelation;
  • Vector-based patterns retain their clarity;
• Start by drawing a vector shape, such as a square with a star inside, and add it to the Brushes panel;
• Select Pattern Brush and click OK to access the Pattern Brush options. Options include:
  • Stretch to Fit: stretches the pattern to fit the path;
  • Colorization: adjust the brush's colors (same as other brushes);
• Sharp corners can appear distorted when using geometrical shapes because the pattern is stretched along the path;
• You can adjust the shape for different parts of the pattern (e.g., corners, end caps). The Pattern Brush Options provide boxes corresponding to different parts of the path: upward/downward angles, corners, etc.;
• Create custom shapes for corners or specific parts of the path for a more refined look;
• Modify settings like spacing, path fitting, or scale to customize how the pattern brush is applied along the path. If you're not satisfied, double-click the brush in the Brushes panel to adjust its settings and preview changes.

When creating any artwork, it's completely normal to use different types of brushes in the same project to accommodate the design you're creating. You don't have to stick to only one type.