How to Create Art Brushes in Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Illustrator is used to create vector artwork. It helps to create amazing artwork. To create an awesome artwork however requires the use of different brushes.
Brushes allows us to create different strokes of different style and texture. Just like we use different brushes to paint on a canvas to get the desired effect. We can do so in Illustrator as well. Adobe Illustrator provides a library full of brushes you can use in your project. However there is always need for custom brushes. Adobe Illustrator allows you to create your own custom brushes. It is easy to create the brush you want in a matter of few steps.
Brushes are under listed under brush panel. You can open the brushes panel by going to Windows > Brushes. It lists all the default brushes. There are more if click on the upper right icon it opens a drop down menu, select open brush library under which there are all brushes listed categorized under different types.
You can create 5 types of brushes calligraphic, scatter, art, pattern, and bristle. So let's see how to create your own brush. In this article I am going to cover Art Brush.
Brushes allows us to create different strokes of different style and texture. Just like we use different brushes to paint on a canvas to get the desired effect. We can do so in Illustrator as well. Adobe Illustrator provides a library full of brushes you can use in your project. However there is always need for custom brushes. Adobe Illustrator allows you to create your own custom brushes. It is easy to create the brush you want in a matter of few steps.
Brushes are under listed under brush panel. You can open the brushes panel by going to Windows > Brushes. It lists all the default brushes. There are more if click on the upper right icon it opens a drop down menu, select open brush library under which there are all brushes listed categorized under different types.
You can create 5 types of brushes calligraphic, scatter, art, pattern, and bristle. So let's see how to create your own brush. In this article I am going to cover Art Brush.
Let's see what these settings are.
1) Width : This is used to change the width of the brush relative to the original art. You have many options if you are using graphics tablet. Here I am using mouse so only fixed is available. If you are using tablet you can adjust Pressure, Stylus Wheel, Tilt, Bearing, and Rotation. The default art brush width is 100%.
2) Brush Scale Options : There are 3 options to choose from
a) Scale Proportionately : Scale art work along the length of path. It scale the art work to match the length of the path.See how the artwork is scaled each time.
b) Stretch to fit stroke length : This Stretches the artwork to fit to the stroke length. The art work is Stretched each time according to the length of stroke.
c) Stretch Between Guides :This allows you to stretch only a part of the art work along the length of the stroke. Place the part you want to be stretched between the black dotted line in the image. You can enter the value in start and end fields or drag the lines directly in the image.
See how only the lower part is being stretched along the length of the path.
3) Direction: Determines the direction of the artwork in relation to the line.
4) Colorization : Allows you change the color of the artwork. The options are Tints, Tints and Shades, and Hue Shift. This dialog is self explanatory.
5) Flip Along or Flip Across: Flips the artwork in the direction of the stroke you make.
6) Overlap: You can avoid joins and folds of an object’s edges to overlap. Select the first icon to not adjust the corners and folds.
1) Width : This is used to change the width of the brush relative to the original art. You have many options if you are using graphics tablet. Here I am using mouse so only fixed is available. If you are using tablet you can adjust Pressure, Stylus Wheel, Tilt, Bearing, and Rotation. The default art brush width is 100%.
2) Brush Scale Options : There are 3 options to choose from
a) Scale Proportionately : Scale art work along the length of path. It scale the art work to match the length of the path.See how the artwork is scaled each time.
b) Stretch to fit stroke length : This Stretches the artwork to fit to the stroke length. The art work is Stretched each time according to the length of stroke.
See how only the lower part is being stretched along the length of the path.
3) Direction: Determines the direction of the artwork in relation to the line.
4) Colorization : Allows you change the color of the artwork. The options are Tints, Tints and Shades, and Hue Shift. This dialog is self explanatory.
So that's all the setting you have on the art brush dialog box.
Let's see how to create a art brush with this leaf steam.
I want only the lower part to be stretched along the path so I use the following setting. Select Stretch between guides and then in the image adjust the black dotted lines to be in between the steam. Rest is lest to default.
And this is how it looks.
That's all it is to create an Art brush in Adobe illustrator. As simple as it can be.
Let's see how to create a art brush with this leaf steam.
And this is how it looks.
That's all it is to create an Art brush in Adobe illustrator. As simple as it can be.
Practice and play around with the brush and and 1 day you will be able to create awesome art with it in a professional manner and become a Really Creative Graphic Designer.
