Making Grunge Brushes
Click to view large image
*Please note: If clickable images do not open properly, please try again
Please read the terms of service before attempting this tutorial
Though this tutorial teaches you how to make a grunge brush, most of the steps involved apply to making any type of brush from a selection. The things to remember about making brushes are that they can be no bigger than 500px x 500px and are black, white and shades of grey. You can turn any photograph into a brush as long as you remember these things.
Resources- PSP 9. You can download a demo HERE.
- A beginning photograph. Any photo with a non-distiguishible pattern will do. You can download one HERE
Let's get started
*Please note: If you install this tutorial as a quick guide you may get a script error when trying to view the images, just click "yes" at the prompt and the images will show properly. Don't know how to install quick guides? then check out the tutorial found HERE.- Open the image in PSP. It is already the right size so no resizing is necessary.
- Go to Effects->Edge Effects->Enhance Edges. You can choose enhance more for a more dramatic effect. Or for less detail skip to the next step. Play with it to see which you like better...remember Ctrl+Z is your friend...lol
- Go to Effects->Edge Effects->Trace contours.
- Go to Selection->Select All (Ctrl+A).
- Now click on the brush tool
to activate it. Click on the Fuzz Soft brush. We will use the the brush variance from this brush to create our grunge brush. If you want to change any of the behaviors hit F11 to bring up the brush variance dialog box and change what you wish. - Now click on "Create brush tip from a selection" button
Click to view large image
- At the next dialog box give your brush a discriptive name and fill in the other areas if you wish.
Click to view large image
I like to keep all my brushes in separate folders...those that I make in a folder called "mine" and those that I gather in folders named after the website I found them on. This way I know who to give credit to when using them in tutorials. If you have another way of doing this just skip the next step.
- click on Edit Path. Then click on "browse for new folder button".
Click to view large image
- Navigate to My Documents\My PSP 9 Files\ brush folder then click Ok
Click to view large image
- Now click on "Create Sub Folder" button. Give the folder a name then click OK.
- Next Click on the down arrow in the "Save to:" area and choose the folder you just created. Click Ok. Then click OK on the "Create Brush Tip dialog box. Then click ok again. Your brush should now be listed.
Click to view large image
You do not have to create a new folder each time you create a new brush. Just remember to check the path before you save. You can make a brush any size or shape you like as long as it does not exceed 500px x 500px. If you don't want a hard edge try feathering the edges of the selection.
Any time you create a brush you create 2 files...the BrushTip.PspScript file which holds the variances and the nameofbrush.PspBrush file which holds the shape. If at any time you want to delete the brush you must delete both of these corresponding files
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and found it easy to follow. If you have any comments or questions please feel free to .
