Variable Width profile for the brush tool keeps resetting

[universaltruth]

This problem is baffling me. I'm fairly new to Illustrator so I would appreciate some help. I’m using Adobe Illustrator CS6 with a mouse rather than a pressure graphics tablet.

When I create a stroke using the Paint brush tool I would like the stroke to contain a variable width profile. For example narrower at the beginning and end of the stroke but thicker in the middle. Now I can do this by selecting the line after I have made the stroke and choosing the Basic Brush Definition from the drop down list.  But if i try to draw a new line the settings are reset again.  I cannot create a variable stroke while creating the stroke. The brush definition keeps resetting to 5 pt Round and stroke width 1 pt. It would be much quicker if the stroke remained as a varying width profile as I created the strokes.

I noticed the same problem with the blob brush tool except it's even worse. With the blob brush tool the stroke weight always resets regardless of whether or not I try to set a Variable width profile.

I tried deselecting "New Art has Basic Appearance" mentioned on another forum but that didn't work.

I know its possible because I’ve seen it done on this youtube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5wW_65iAiU

Notice the variable width profile is maintained as the artists draws. It doesn’t keep resetting.

Thanks

[_scott_]

Not all brushes allow a profile.

The blob brush certainly does not.

[tromboniator]

Just because Adobe has chosen to call a wide variety of tools "brush" does not mean we can expect anything like consistent behavior among them. Much confusion could have been averted, for example, by calling the "Blob Brush Tool" simply "Blob Tool."

[universaltruth]

Thanks for your responses. Just to let you know I was able to get a variable width profile using the pen tool. HOwever I had to create my own brush and move it into the brushes panel.

Would you recommend buying a pressured graphics tablet for creating variable width profiles while painting?

[Darsupial]

I, on the other hand, have been using Illustrator since version 88 and am having the same problem which I can't resolve.  : (

Why won't the regular paint brush stay on basic with a variable width profile?  I can use one of my own brushes, but then I won't be able to change the color unless I change the brush color.  Pain in the &*(#%@!!

[_scott_]

"Basic" is not a brush. It's a straight, no-brush, 1pt stroke. It's terribly misleading, but it's basically a "stroke reset - remove brush" button. A width profile may be maintained if the original brush supported variable widths. Not all brushes do.

[Darsupial]

Oh, okay!  Thank you.

Well, how do I use a variable width with a plain stroke?  For example, if I'd like a 6-point stroke that tapers at both ends.  I have created my own brush for this, but then I can't change the color of the strokes unless I change the color of the brush (so I'd have to make multiple brushes if I wanted multiple colors), right?

[Larry G. Schneider]

Just set the Colorization method of the new Brush to Tints or Tints and Shades from the dropdown in the lower right corner of the New Brush diaglo.

[Darsupial]

Ah-HA!  Hue shift does what I am looking for!  Thank you!  Thank you!

[_scott_]

Just draw a path and apply a profile to the stroke. No brush is needed.

[Darsupial]

Hmmm ...  this is still not working for me.  I select the plain path and then select a variable profile, but nothing happens.

[_scott_]

Odd. It should. It may be difficult to see the variation on a 1pt stroke, but a larger stroke weight should clearly show any profile assigned.

[Darsupial · Accepted solution]

Okay -- I figured it out.  I was trying it on a thicker line, but I guess that line had been created by the paintbrush, or at least the "3 pt. round" brush had been applied to it.  When I clicked in back on Basic, the variable width designation appeared. 

Whew!  Thanks for sticking with me on this dumb little thing!

[harikaram]

Yes but it would be nice if it didn't reset on every stroke back to the default.  I dont see why it should considering other stroke parameters persis (colour, brushes, etc).

Note, this is issue is different than the one where stroke "Profile" is not seen because there is a "Brush" pattern on the stroke.

[forums_are_useless1]

[Removed by moderator - personal insults are NOT tolerated]

[peterdemas25]

I don't understand im new to adobe illustrator so I don't know how it works completely but I'm trying to make the brush  end and start with thinner lines so it can have more with in the middle and I'm using like blob brush but I don't know what to do

i was wondering if anyone could explain it to me in a les expert way

[Monika Gause]

You want to draw lines that start thin, then increase, then be thin again, don't use the brush tool. Use the pencil tool and apply a width profile. Using variable-width strokes

[npantilanan]

Window>Appearance>uncheck New Art has Basic Appearance

[roseanns13]

Here's a tutorial I found.

https://youtu.be/Om0eI8Z-RVQ

[Monika Gause]

Just check out the answers that have been given in 2013.