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PHOTOSHOP FEATURES

Make your mark with Photoshop brushes.

Whether you want a spray paint or ink wash effect, find the exact brush you need to let your creativity flow with digital drawing, painting, and lettering in Adobe Photoshop.

Create your digital masterpiece.

Elevate your digital art with custom drawing brushes or jump-start your work with preset Photoshop brushes.

The word "bang" drawn by hand

Make your words stand out.

Perfect your hand lettering and calligraphy brushstrokes with high-quality Photoshop brush sets. 

Digital illustration of a person running towards the sun as they dissipate into the air

Illustrate creative ideas.

Create the exact linework and shading you want. Bring your digital drawings to life with pencil, ink, and charcoal brushes.

Digital ink blot with vibrant blues, oranges, and yellows

Vary your style and brush.

Experiment with everything from watercolor brushes to splatter effects and explore thousands of preset tools.

Digital drawing of a person holding a snake

Try out custom brushes.

Create a unique toolkit with custom Photoshop brushes that can help you achieve any effect you want.

How to import and install brushes into Photoshop.

One of the amazing things about working with brushes in Photoshop is that you can create and share your own. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re an experienced digital artist, it can be fun to download and import brushes from straight from Adobe or your favorite creators. Here’s how:


1. Open the Brushes panel in Photoshop by going to Window > Brushes.


2. Click the hamburger menu and select Get More Brushes...


3. Locate your desired brush pack.


4. Keep Photoshop open and double-click your brush pack file.


5. Your new brushes will now be installed in the Brushes panel for you to use.


You can also import brushes by clicking the hamburger menu in the Brushes panel and selecting Import Brushes, then selecting the correct ABR brush pack file and clicking Open.

How to make a brush in Photoshop.

If you can’t find the exact right brush in Photoshop or in a brush pack, good news — you can make your own. Think ahead about what look you’re going for and what kind of brush will help you achieve that effect. Then go ahead and experiment with settings in the Brushes panel and save your new custom brush. Here’s how:


1. Select the Brush tool.


2. Open the Brush Settings panel by going to Window > Brush Settings.


3. In Brush Settings, you’ll see the settings for your current brush.


4. Modify your Brush Tip Shape to fit the look you’re going for.


5. Go through the other options in the panel to choose your new brush’s attributes.


6. Once you’re set with your new brush, you can start using it right away — but make sure to save it if you’d like to use it again.


7. To save your new brush, select New Brush Preset from the hamburger menu.


8. Give your brush a new name and click OK.


Adobe Photoshop

Do more with Adobe Photoshop.

Brush up on your Photoshop skills.

Learn to make every brushstroke count with these Photoshop tutorials.

Brush customization settings in Adobe Photoshop

Customize your brushes.

Discover how to import a new set of brushes or modify an existing preset brush to achieve just the right effect.

Mandala Frame Animation

Paint in perfect symmetry.

Get out your favorite brush and paint a realistic mirror image — or an abstract mandala — with total precision.

Using Adobe Capture to create unique brushes

Add your own touch.

Take photos of drawings or textures and use Adobe Capture to transform them into distinct and stunning paintbrushes.

Importing custom brushes from other artists

Write something beautiful.

See how to craft hand lettering designs with different brushes for calligraphy.

Work smart with the right tools.

Streamline your digital art workflow across devices with Adobe Creative Cloud apps.

Artist takes a photo of hand lettering on a notepad using a smartphone

Create anytime, anywhere.

Sync your customized brushes and saved brush presets with Creative Cloud libraries to paint and draw on the go, whether on your mobile or your desktop apps.

Search bar on Adobe Stock

Find the perfect canvas.

Jump-start any creative project with high-resolution Adobe Stock assets that you can add to and adapt for the look  you want.

Frequently asked questions.

There are a few ways to export your Photoshop brushes. The easiest option is to follow these steps:

 

1. Open the brushes panel in Photoshop (Window > Brushes).

2. Select the brush or brushes you want to export.

3. Go to the Brushes panel menu and choose "Export Brushes".

4. In the Export Brushes dialog box, choose a location to save the brushes, give the file a name, and select ".abr" as the file format.

5. Click the "Save" button to export the brushes.

 

The exported brushes can now be imported into another Photoshop document. You can also share them with others by passing along the .abr file. To import brushes in Photoshop, go to the Brushes panel menu, choose "Import Brushes", choose the appropriate .abr file, and click the "Load" button.

Deleting brushes in Photoshop is pretty simple. Open the Brushes panel in Photoshop (Window > Brushes) and choose the brush or brushes you want to delete. In the Brushes panel menu, choose Delete Brush. Confirm your choice when the prompt appears.

 

You can also delete brushes by dragging them out of the Brushes panel and into the trash. If you’re deleting brushes from the default set, you’ll need to restore them the next time you restart Photoshop. If you want to permanently delete brushes, you’ll have to create custom sets and delete them from there.

You have three options for installing brushes on Photoshop on the iPad. The first and simplest option is to download new brushes in your browser and extract them. If you’re using a Mac, you can find the .abr file, right click it, and share it to the iPad via AirDrop. Once prompted on the iPad, choose Photoshop in the “Open with…” list to install the brush.

 

Another option is to download the brushes directly to your iPad in Safari. Download the file and navigate to the Downloads in the Files app. Once there, open the extracted folder. Install the .abr file. If a prompt appears, choose Photoshop to open the file.

As a beginner in Photoshop, it's best to start with basic brushes that will help you understand Photoshop basics and how brushes work. Here are some recommended brushes to try out:

 

  • Soft Round Brush: The most basic brush in Photoshop, it’s perfect for painting and blending.
  • Hard Round Brush: Great for sharp lines and edges, this brush is used to create details.
  • Chalk Brush: If you want a rough, textured look, this brush is ideal. It’s also perfect for shading and blending.
  • Paintbrush: Not only can you create a natural, hand-drawn look with this brush, but you can also use it to sketch and paint.
  • Eraser Brush: The eraser brush is your "go-to" for removing or erasing parts of your image.
  • Clone Stamp Tool: This tool allows you to copy a part of your image and paste it elsewhere, which is great for removing blemishes or duplicating elements.

 

Remember, brushes are just one aspect of Photoshop. To get all the benefits of Photoshop, it's important to learn about its other tools and program features.

You can purchase and download additional brushes in Adobe Stock. There are also plenty of options available for free as part of your Creative Cloud subscription.

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