Airbrush in Illustrator!

[Heenaaah]

First, I don't understand why is there is no airbrush in illustrator, it can transition the vector to a really 3d graphic!

Second, how can I make an airbrush brush in illustrator or find somewhere online?

[Kurt Gold]

Can you post some examples that may explain what you are looking for?

Also, which version of Illustrator are you using?

[Heenaaah]

these are the brushes in photoshop which I need and couldn't find on illustrator. I am using the 2017 version!

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Just to make sure: Are you familiar with the basic difference between pixel oriented and vector oriented applications? 

[Heenaaah]

I think so, yes?!

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Then you might appreciate that a digital airbrush-simulation might work better as pixel data than as vector data. 

Can you provide some example of what you want to achieve? 

[Heenaaah]

I don't understand the reason behind it though, with all the latest advancements in tech and features over the year why can't a soft brush be provided by the illustrator. I hope something comes up soon! 

I have shared an image of a circle above the blue and purple effect is the airbrush effect I did on photoshop

[Monika Gause]

The circle and the blue softened circle in it? Why don't you just apply a gradient?

[Heenaaah]

Hi, Monika. I use that too sometimes, but with a pen tablet, airbrush or simply using a brush makes it very easy to customize to position and colors for shading. Just a personal choice. Though above was just a basic example to show the brush, not the artwork 🙂

[Monika Gause]

It would be really important that you show the final artwork you want to build.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

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I don't understand the reason behind it though, with all the latest advancements in tech and features over the year why can't a soft brush be provided by the illustrator. I hope something comes up soon! 

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Potentially millions of distinct path elements compared to one Layer with pixels will probably make a performance-related difference for a while yet. 

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I have shared an image of a circle above the blue and purple effect is the airbrush effect I did on photoshop

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That does not seem to be a particularly meaningful example of what you want to achieve ultimately – what kind of illustrative style do you have in mind? 

[Kurt Gold]

In Illustrator you can create custom bristle brushes which heavily consist of transparent objects (as a reference you can check the default bristle brush library that is located in the Window menu).

You can also create all kind of other custom brushes and combine them with transparency and all sorts of raster effects in order to get some airbrush look-and-feel.

But be careful or keep at least in mind that the more you use them the slower Illustrator will perform.

[Heenaaah]

Thanks Kurt! Is there a tutorial or way to achieve it? I know how to make a custom brush. But unaware of the transparency and raster effects thing. I will look into it too.

And thanks for the  heads up 🙂

[Ton Frederiks · Accepted solution]

As was already mentioned, it is possible to simulate an airbrushy brush. The end result will be pixels, because it uses pixel effects like Blur. But it is possible to change the size, positon, opacity, color, resolution  and more afterwards, which makes it flexible (and slow). Here is an example:

[Heenaaah]

Thanks a ton, Ton! 🙂

[Ton Frederiks]

🙂