Monday, March 22, 2010

My Favorite Digital Supply


If I had to pick one digital scrapbooking tool, I would pick my collection of brushes. Think of brushes as stamps on steroids---without the mess.  With brushes you can:


*Change the size of the brush
*Change the rotation of the brush
*Flip the brush
*Use any color or colors
*Use different blending modes for more effects
*Clip papers to the brushes
*Clip gradients to the brushes
*Use as elements on a page
*Use as titles
*Create custom backgrounds
*Use to customize fonts or titles
*Use to customize elements
*Great for many artsy-effects

On the layout above I used brushes to create a water-colored background with script flowers (both were brushes).  I added paint splatters for an artsy effect with 3 different paint splatter brushes. The best part was clean-up was so easy!

I love to use brushes to customize my papers. Here's how:


That little brush icon is what you need to click to access your brushes.



Pick the brush you want to use.


I used a brush by Mindy Terasawa called "Karissa Floral Brushes" You might notices that it is plain old black. You can change the colors by clicking on the foreground color picker.


Actually, I usually like to stamp in black and then clip a color to that layer (CTRL-G in PSE) Also, you will notice that I stamp each image on its own layer. That way I can move and adjust each stamp. (Click pictures for a bigger version)


You can mess around with the opacity, blending modes and more. So many options with just one set of brushes!


Unfortunately brushes cannot be used in all image-editing programs, so the next best thing if you don't have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, are PNG files of the brush shapes. These file types have a transparent background and you can easily customize them.


Need some more examples on how to use brushes? Designer Digitals recently published an inspirational e-book called It's in the Brushwork. It is jammed-packed with wonderful ideas.



Have I totally confused you with brushes and you have no idea what I'm talking about? Laying It All Out No. 07 is a tutorial kit that teaches you how to load, resize and color in brushes. Lots of great information in there for all scrapping levels.


Reel Time Tips: Brush Tools Basics is a video lesson on using brushes. 
You will learn how to:
  • identify the brush tool in the Tools palette
  • identify the options available for a brush
  • select a brush shape
  • adjust the size of a brush
  • adjust the softness of a brush
  • rotate a brush
  • select a color for a brush
  • load a brush


So what is your favorite scrapbooking tool and why? I always love to read how others use different tools---traditional scrapbooking and digital.

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2 Comments:

Blogger Confessions Of A Homeschooler said...

So love brushes too! Don't know what I would do without them? LOL! Actually I went in to Archiver's the other day to get paper for some invitations I'm making and I wasn't even tempted to buy anything! I kept thinking, "oh, I can make that paper" LOL!

March 22, 2010 at 11:35 PM  
Anonymous Art and Story said...

I can't wait to finish work later so I can try out using brushes. I am a scrapbook newbie and am just getting my head round it all. I get really overwhelmed in shops with all the choice and trying to match things up etc but this may be just what i need. We like traditional scrapbooking because it's something I can do with the kids however once the paper etc is used it's uded. I personally prefer digital for the artistic freedom. First have to learn it all myself tho before I introduce it to the kids...

March 23, 2010 at 7:35 AM  

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