Learn how to smudge and blend using Mixer brushes

[Sheena Kaul]

Similar to Photoshop Mixer brushes, there’s now a new set of brushes available under Pixel brushes to choose from. In addition to these, you can import your Photoshop Mixer brushes in CC libraries into Fresco. Learn more about managing brushes here. 

Here’s a quick tutorial by our designer Parichay to get started:  

1. On a fresh canvas, tap pixel brush>sketching>pencil and set the size and colour for the brush. Start sketching the outline of the drawing.  

2. Add new pixel layer and tap on Pixel brush>Mixer brush>Softy Mixer. Begin colouring the parts of the drawing after setting the brush size and colour. 

3. Selecting different colours from the colour wheel and blend them onto the canvas in different parts of the drawing.

Quick tip: At any given point while painting if you wish to erase, use the touch shortcut in the primary state to erase the brush strokes.  

Note: Find out how can you set the state of the touch shortcut here. 

Result:

Note: To bring out the best texture of the colour mix, use mixer brushes on the same layer. 

For more information on Mixer brushes, check out the help document here.

[Nathan5FDC]

* I've done lots of editing to this post as I've worked on this issue *

Does anyone know how to completely turn off the transfer setting with the mixer brushes in Fresco? I'm trying to use them as smudging/mixer brushes, but I'm constantly having to fight against it applying color from previous strokes.

I've tried setting the load to 1% and turned off "reload color", as well as setting the minimum for transferring to 100%, but no matter what I do it still applies color after blending. 

Is there a way for this to behave like the photoshop color mixer and/or smudge tools? Or like the Autodesk sketchbook smudge tool? It's pretty frustrating to worry about "wiping off" the brush, and I'm really not interested in adjusting the color settings to transparant every time I want to use the mixer brush on some sketched lines. 

In a related note, using fill to create a white background makes the smudging way more nuanced.  Unfortunately this only really works with sketching on white backgrounds with dry media. Any use of live brushes is affected. It also still applies color from previoius strokes. 

[Sue Garibaldi]

Hi Nathan. 

I completely understand what you're wanting to do. Unfortunately, there's no way to completely turn off the transfer of paint when using the Mixer brushes (it sounds like you're already reducing opacity... which is the best way to mimic smudging with these brushes).

I do have some good news for you... True smudge brushes are coming. 

Sue.