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Illustrator CC - New user's question about Brushes

Forum|Forum|9 years ago
February 4, 2017
3 replies
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Years back, I used Adobe Photoshop while I was exploring creating art using Adobe for thing like Web design (just for fun, nothing professional.) Yesterday, I decided to purchase Illustrator because I had some ideas for things I want to create and enjoy Adobe and learning about how to use Adobe art programs.

I remember using Adobe Photoshop brushes as part of the art I created. Through researching online, I'm finding out brushes are not used in the same way on Illustrator, and I can't just download photoshop brushes for use on Illustrator. I don't own Photoshop and don't want to pay extra just so I can go through a converting process. I'd also prefer not to download a trial of photoshop to go through this process if I can help it.

Here's my question: If I want brushes that are as good as the ones I've found for Photoshop, but I want to use them for Illustrator CC, what's my best option (without photoshop)? For example, I've found some Adobe Photoshop brushes that are Mandalas. I don't see anything near as cool for Illustrator.... Did I get the wrong Adobe program, or is there a feature for Illustrator I just haven't discovered yet? I could make my own mandala using illustrator, but I'm curious about my photoshop-brush-like options for Illustrator. I would love suggestions in this area!

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Correct answer S_Gans

There sort of IS a way to do as you wish, but the "brushes" would have to be made of vector shapes. One way to do that with the brushes you have may be to convert the brush using the Image trace (I converted an image painted in Photoshop with a black brush with a white background, using the Black and White Logo setting, and told it to Ignore White - leaving me with just the black and transparency.) Next, I Expanded the brush, so Illustrator knew it's component paths.

Then, I dragged it to the Symbols panel (or, you could click the New icon at the bottom of the symbols panel. That enabled me to reuse the exact same Mandala as many times as I want (symbols are cool for file size, too - each use is considered only an "instance" of the original - so it really only "thinks" you used it once).

In the 2nd video, made a smaller symbol and I used the Symbol Sprayer to "Spray Paint" the symbols randomly on the image. There are a lot of "tweaks" for the symbol sprayer, so I can't cover them all here, but I used the "Sizer" and the "Scruncher" to resize them and move them around (remember that Option/Alt makes the tool do the opposite of it's intended purpose - so Sizer made it bigger, but with Option, it made them smaller).

You can also create a pattern brush with the symbol and paint along paths with it. Hope this helps.

L

lucia+l93746349

Participant

hi,can you explain me how to do mandalas with the ilustrator,i mean those mandalas that are for dot work,for tattoing like this,if you know please explain me it will help me a lot@S_Gans

S_Gans

Community Expert

Hi.

Mandalas, while not extremely difficult, are really time-consuming to make by hand, and require lots of information on creation of guides, grids, and other items that'll allow for distinct measurements and symmetry. It's not easy to clarify here, but I did find one tutorial I liked quite well at: Behance

Also - CreativeMarket.com has a script available - it's not free, but not very expensive. It might be worth a look at: https://creativemarket.com/everdrifter/702373-Mandala-Creator-Pro-for-Ai-CS5

I don't make these, myself - I do work with them in my work, but I'm afraid I don't, personally, have a clean, easy tutorial on the subject myself - but I do like these 2 resources...

Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor

S_Gans

Community Expert

Oh - I did find a few vector download sites - haven't tried them, but they may be worth a look. If you use them, you would still need to turn them into symbols to be used in a pattern brush (or scatter brush), or as single symbols, or with the symbol sprayer:

Mandala Vectors, Photos and PSD files | Free Download

These cost @ - Mandala Vector Images (over 49,300) - VectorStock

Maybe here -all in one .ai file: https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/131281-mandala-style-vector-shapes-collection

Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor

jenrenearAuthor

Participant

You have been incredibly helpful! Thank you for all of the information! I know what to look at when seeing how I can replicate and what my choices are. Just depends on the amount of time I want to invest. I'm learning Illustrator is really for those who start from scratch, and that might be the main difference, or at least just the one I notice! I mean, of course I don't have to when using it. Anyway I got on this thread today to tell you Thank you so much!! This is helping me make my decision and I'm learning a lot. Thank you for taking the time with your video. I'm going to look it over and see what I can learn from it. Just thank you! I didn't anticipate so much helpfulness when I posted! I'm really grateful.

S_Gans

Community Expert

I'm so glad it helped! You're very welcome!

Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor

Monika Gause

Community Expert

Please show examples of artworks you want to create.

When thinking about brushes in Illustrator, think about these analogies:

- Calligraphy brushes: calligraphy pens

- Scatter brushes: randomly spread shapes around a path

- art brushes: stretch a shape along a path

- pattern brushes: arrange and repeat a 5-part-pattern along a path

- bristle brushes: water color painting (but without 90% of the options you have in Photoshop)

jenrenearAuthor

Participant

Monika, this information is very helpful. I'm starting to get a sense of Illustrator with your words. Below this text is a great example of brushes I would like to download, that I understand is not an option to download into Illustrator. Since the brushes you mention all are described "along a path," I'm starting to consider that if I want to do what I want to do, I might *have* to purchase photoshop. I'm not complaining, but I'm curious about your insight on this subject.
Example of a download package preview I pulled from the internet. This also shows what the brushes would look like when used on a backdrop.

Other examples: Free Mandala Photoshop Brushes - Free Photoshop Brushes at Brusheezy!

Let me know if I can clarify anything. I feel quite new with knowing how to word any of my questions due to my lack of experience with these programs. I'm deciding whether to just switch completely over to Photoshop based on your reply.

S_Gans

Correct answer

Community Expert

There sort of IS a way to do as you wish, but the "brushes" would have to be made of vector shapes. One way to do that with the brushes you have may be to convert the brush using the Image trace (I converted an image painted in Photoshop with a black brush with a white background, using the Black and White Logo setting, and told it to Ignore White - leaving me with just the black and transparency.) Next, I Expanded the brush, so Illustrator knew it's component paths.

Then, I dragged it to the Symbols panel (or, you could click the New icon at the bottom of the symbols panel. That enabled me to reuse the exact same Mandala as many times as I want (symbols are cool for file size, too - each use is considered only an "instance" of the original - so it really only "thinks" you used it once).

In the 2nd video, made a smaller symbol and I used the Symbol Sprayer to "Spray Paint" the symbols randomly on the image. There are a lot of "tweaks" for the symbol sprayer, so I can't cover them all here, but I used the "Sizer" and the "Scruncher" to resize them and move them around (remember that Option/Alt makes the tool do the opposite of it's intended purpose - so Sizer made it bigger, but with Option, it made them smaller).

You can also create a pattern brush with the symbol and paint along paths with it. Hope this helps.

Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor

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