fbpx

How To Install And Use Photoshop Brushes

Last Updated:

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. 

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

Screen Shot 2018-01-30 at 7.40.27 PM

Step 3: Move The .ABR Into The Brushes Folder

Drag and drop the .ABR brush pack download into the Brush folder.

Screen Shot 2018-01-30 at 7.41.32 PM

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.


Screen Shot 2018-01-30 at 7.43.25 PM

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: Applications > Adobe Photoshop CC > Presets > Brush > *Desired Brush Pack*

PC: Window > Local Disk > Program Files > Adobe > Adobe Photoshop CC > Presets > Brush > *Desired Brush Pack*

Screen Shot 2018-01-30 at 7.44.44 PM

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:

Screen Shot 2018-01-30 at 7.45.23 PM

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.

HowToUsePhotoshopBrushes5

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.

how to use photoshop brusheshow to use photoshop brushes

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.

how to use photoshop brushes

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!

how to use photoshop brushes

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



Photo of author
I'm a Canadian photographer and photo retoucher turned founder of bwillcreative.com. Around here I help you to decode the mystery of photo editing with no-fluff videos and written guides to help you achieve your creative goals. Outside of shooting photos and my passion for educating, you'll find me mountain biking or on the trails with my dog, Sunny!

Continue Reading:

How To Use The Marquee Tool In Photoshop

Learn how to use the Marquee Tool in Photoshop to crop layers, create basic selections, add selective adjustments, and more with ease.

How To Crop A Layer In Photoshop (3 Simple Methods)

If you're struggling to figure out how to crop a layer in Photoshop, you're not alone. Fortunately, there are a few easy (not so obvious) methods to help you crop a single layer in Photoshop.

How To Fill A Selection In Photoshop (5 Best Ways)

Learn how to fill anything in Photoshop from selections, shapes, and text with solid color, gradients, and even images!

What Are Embedded Previews In Lightroom + How To Use Them

Use this guide to help you understand the use of embedded previews in Lightroom along with tips to help you use them in your workflow.

Adobe Lightroom System Requirements For Mac & PC

Here's a breakdown of the system requirements for Adobe Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC to make sure it will run smoothly on your computer.

How To Add A Watermark In Lightroom Classic & CC

Learn how to add a text or graphic watermark to a photo in Lightroom Classic and Lightroom CC to protect your photos from theft.

How To Outline An Image In Canva

Learn how to outline anything in Canva from outlining images, shapes, text, designs, and more with a few easy steps.

How To Add A Border In Canva (To Images, Shapes & Text!)

Learn how to easily add a border to your designs, images, shapes, and text in Canva using these step by step techniques.

How To Make A Background Transparent In Canva

Learn how to create and export images with transparent backgrounds in Canva to open up more design options and creative styles.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

[…] you are unsure how to import this brush pack into Photoshop, I have written a simple step by step guide to importing brush packs into […]

[…] How To Import Brush Packs Into Photoshop CC […]

[…] you have any troubles with importing the brush pack, click here to read a more in depth explanation of importing brush packs into […]