How to Install And Use Photoshop Brushes
The brush tool is one of the most integral parts of Photoshop, but if you don’t know how to install photoshop brushes, you’re missing out on a ton of creative opportunities! In this article, I’ll be sharing what a photoshop brush is, why brushes are useful, how to use them and of course, how to install new brushes into Photoshop.
Importing brushes into Photoshop is a very simple task, but one that is not exactly obvious. Follow the steps below to make importing brush packs into Photoshop easy, and prevent you from pulling out excessive amounts of hair.
What Is A Photoshop Brush?
A Photoshop brush controls the shape, size, and density of the line you paint while using the Brush tool. Brushes come in a wide variety of unique shapes to perfectly suit the need of your specific project.
Photoshop comes with a preset amount of brushes that will suit your most basic needs. If you are looking for more unique brushes, there are tons of great options online or at the bwillcreative store.
What Are Photoshop Brushes Used For?
Photoshop brushes can be used for so much more than just painting a line onto your photo. Brushes can be used to create textures and patterns on your image, or even be used to better refine your layer masks. There are so many creative opportunities available with Photoshop brushes beyond just painting a simple line across your photo.
How To Install A New Photoshop Brush
Now that you know what a Photoshop brush is actually used for, let’s learn how to install a new brush. This installation method will work on any version of Photoshop you are using.
Step 1: Download A New Photoshop Brush
First, you’ll need to get your hands on a photoshop brush to import. You can find some great photoshop brushes here to help get started!
Unzip the brush download and inside you will find your new photoshop brush as a .ABR file.Â
Step 2: Find The Photoshop Brush Folder On Your Computer
MAC: To Access this folder go to your Finder then click Applications > Adobe Photoshop CC > Presets > Brush
PC:Go to Window > Local Disk > Program Files > Adobe > Adobe Photoshop CC > Presets > Brush
Step 3: Move The .ABR Into The Brushes Folder
Drag and drop the .ABR brush pack download into the Brush folder.
Step 4: Load Your New Brushes In Photoshop
Now go over into Photoshop and grab your Brush tool by pressing B. Open the brush panel at the top of your window, click on the GEAR logo, then click LOAD BRUSHES.
Step 5: Install Your New Photoshop Brushes
Follow the same path as previous to the BRUSHES folder. Select the brush file you want to import into Photoshop. If you are unsure about the exact path, see below:
MAC:Â Applications > Adobe Photoshop CC > Presets > Brush > *Desired Brush Pack*
PC:Â Window > Local Disk > Program Files > Adobe > Adobe Photoshop CC > Presets > Brush >Â *Desired Brush Pack*
Step 6: Access Your New Brushes
You will notice that the new brushes do not appear at the top of your brush panel. Not to worry, scroll to the bottom of your brushes and you will see your newly imported brushes! See below:
How To Use A Photoshop Brush
Step 1: Select A Brush
Once you have downloaded your brush it’s time to put it to use. You can access your new brushes by selecting your Brush Tool by pressing B. Click on the brush settings tab at the top of your window to reveal a drop-down menu. This is home to all of your Photoshop brushes. Any of your new brushes will be found at the bottom of this panel.
Step 2: Select A Brush Color And Size
Once you have selected the brush you want to use, you need to select a brush color and size. You can change the brush color by clicking on the foreground color box at the bottom of your toolbar. A color palette will appear where you can pick any color you could possibly imagine! Click OK once you’ve found the right color.
Depending on your project’s needs, you may need to enlarge or reduce the brush size. You can change the brush size at any time by right-clicking on your canvas to reveal the brush setting menu. Adjust the scale slider from here to alter the brush size.
If that feels like too much effort, you can also use the keyboard shortcuts of [ or ] to scale your brush up or down.
Step 3: Paint The Brush Onto Photo
To paint on your photo, just click and drag across the areas you want to effect. The brush tool will act just like a pen might in real life. As you click and drag around your canvas, a brushstroke will follow!
Now you have successfully installed your brush pack into Photoshop! New brushes are a great way to spice up your creative process and allow you to explore more creative avenues.
The uses of the brush tool in Photoshop are limitless as you continue to download more brush packs. This method of how to install a photoshop brush will work across any version of the program.
Are you looking to get started with a few brush packs? Click here to find new photoshop brushes.
Happy Editing!
-Brendan
