Textured brush options in Photoshop
Works by adding a Photoshop Pattern to a brush.
Advantages:
- Allows you to constrain a Pattern with a brush. This is the only way the ‘Texture‘ option works. It relies on a Pattern either shipped with Photoshop or a Pattern created by a user.
- Allows scaling of the Pattern within the brush, although upscaling will lead to quality loss.
Disadvantages:
- Difficult to set-up.
- The results can be harsh visually, compared to a dedicated texture brush.
- The Patterns that ship with Photoshop are limited. Creating your own pattern is often better
- Only effective with simple brushes like hard, or soft round brushes.
Many ignore the Texture setting in the Brush Settings panel, as it is difficult to get a decent result. It can work well with a little experimentation.
The settings listed below will nearly always deliver results.
Click on the Texture preview box above the word ‘Scale’.
Click on the cog symbol and select Nature, then Ivy Leaves. I’m only suggesting Ivy Leaves in this situation just to get results quickly. Many other Patterns will work.
Then follow these settings:
Depending on the Blend Mode used the Depth will need changing. Height and Multiply Blend Modes work best. But, it’s very important to keep Texture Each Tip un-ticked, initially, and to play with the Depth Setting each time you change the Blend Mode.
Brightness and Contrast should be used as a final adjustment.
When using Height, and Linear Height the Depth needs to be low, around 8 Percent, and lower.
From my own experimentation “Texture Each Tip” only works when using the Height, and Linear Height Blend modes. With “Texture Each Tip” on will allow Depth Jitter to be used.
Turning on any Control will allow Minimum Depth to be used.
Some interesting results can be achieved with Pen Pressure as a control if you have a Wacom Tablet.
Below are the settings explained in more detail
Invert
Inverts the high and low points in the texture based on the tones in the pattern. When Invert is selected, the lightest areas in the pattern are the low points in the texture and therefore receive the least paint; the darkest areas in the pattern are the high points in the texture and therefore receive the most paint. When Invert is deselected, the lightest areas in the pattern receive the most paint; the darkest areas in the pattern receive the least paint.
Scale
Specifies the scale of the pattern. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value that is a percentage of the pattern size.
Texture Each Tip
Applies the selected texture individually to each brush mark in a brush stroke, rather than to the brush stroke as a whole (a brush stroke is made up of many brush marks, applied continuously as you drag the brush). You must select this option to make the Depth variance options available.
Mode
Specifies the blending mode used to combine the brush and the pattern.
Depth
Specifies how deeply the paint penetrates into the texture. Type a number, or use the slider to enter a value. At 100%, the low points in the texture do not receive any paint. At 0%, all points in the texture receive the same amount of paint, therefore hiding the pattern.
Minimum Depth
Specifies the minimum depth to which paint can penetrate when Depth Control is set to Fade, Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, or Stylus Wheel, and Texture Each Tip is selected.
Depth Jitter and Control
Specifies how the depth varies when Texture Each Tip is selected. To specify the maximum percentage of jitter, enter a value. To specify how you want to control the depth variance of brush marks, choose an option from the Control pop‑up menu:
Off
Specifies no control over the depth variance of brush marks.
Fade
Fades from the Depth Jitter percentage to the Minimum Depth percentage in the specified number of steps.
Pen Pressure, Pen Tilt, Stylus Wheel, Rotation
Varies the depth based on the pen pressure, pen tilt, the pen thumbwheel on a Wacom Airbrush Pen, or rotation of the pen.
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