Brush Effects

[Kurenaistrife]

Hello everyone recently I've been making doodles and scanning them into photoshop as brushes but I can't really seem to make them blend or work into the picture...I mess around with the blending options but that doesn't seem to do much good....anyone have any tips or suggestions? Maybe adding texture or dimension...I'm not sure what all you can do so any advice would be awesome....thanks!!!!

[tamlin]

Maybe if you were a bit more specific, we would be able to help.
I'm afraid that a phrase like "I can't really seem to make them blend or work into the picture...I mess around with the blending options but that doesn't seem to do much good" is virtually meaningless unless you can give more detail about:
(a) what effect you're trying to get
and
(b) what specific Blending Modes you have tried, and in what combination

Even better would be if you could post some examples of either the effect you're trying to achieve, or what you're actually getting, or both.

Help us to help you.

[unleash]

@Tamlin,
I think that what he means is that he is making his/ her own brushes and that they have no transparency.

What the problem is is quite simple. If you scan in an image, it automaticly gets an white background. If you make a brush of something with a white background, than that whit becomes part of the brush. And therefor you have a sollid square brush with no transperancy.

To solve this problem, you have to select the doodle, cut it and than paste in onto a new layer. I think the best way to do so is using the "magic wand" tool. Its in your toolbar. With it you can select the doodle by clicking on it. If it doesn't select the whole doodle, use "shift + click" to add things to the selection.

After you selected it, "Edit > cut" than "Layer > New Layer", and finally "Edit > paste", dont forget to select the new layer before pasting .

After you have pasted the doodle onto the new layer, simply delete the background layer( if it is locked double click it first). Than if you use that to make a brush, it will have transparancy, and will therefore blend into your images.

Hope this helps! And I know its a lot of text, but read it all....then you will understand the problem better!

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by unleash

To solve this problem, you have to select the doodle, cut it and than paste in onto a new layer. I think the best way to do so is using the "magic wand" tool. Its in your toolbar. With it you can select the doodle by clicking on it. If it doesn't select the whole doodle, use "shift + click" to add things to the selection.

Another way to do it would be to make sure white is your foreground colour, and then use Select > Color Range... and play with the Fuzziness slider

Originally Posted by unleash

After you selected it, "Edit > cut" than "Layer > New Layer", and finally "Edit > paste", dont forget to select the new layer before pasting .

Or you could just press Shift+Ctrl+J (Shift+Cmd+J on a Mac) and it will perform all three steps in one go.

[Kurenaistrife]

Ah so sorry computer problems past couple weeks!

Well awhile back I asked about filligree victorian art....I drew up some designs and scanned them into photoshop as a brush.....My problem seems to be adding "depth" to the brush (for example: giving it rounded 3d effect, a shadow, giving the image a texture of some sort) basically making it look like a part of the overall piece, not just a stamp on top of the picture.....the only blending I know how to do is change the "blending option" (ie: multiply, overlay, soft light etc) which doesn't really seem to help....I can't figure out how to get a picture online so I hope this makes some sort of sense.....thanks again and I apologize for the long delay

[tamlin]

To add effects like Bevelling, Embossing, Drop Shadow, Texture Overlay etc. you need to apply a Layer Style.

The attached files show a brushstroke with no Layer Style applied (plain.jpg) and the same brushstroke with one of Photoshop's preset styles (Sunset Sky) applied (style.jpg). This Style consists of a Drop Shadow, Bevel & Emboss and Gradient Overlay.

In Photoshop, hit F1 and search the Help for "Layer Styles" to find out more.