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universaltruth
Participant
January 13, 2013
Answered

Variable Width profile for the brush tool keeps resetting

  • January 13, 2013
  • 7 replies
  • 46244 views

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

    Correct answer Darsupial

    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.


    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!

    7 replies

    N
    npantilanan
    Participant
    November 2, 2018

    Window>Appearance>uncheck New Art has Basic Appearance

      R
      roseanns13
      Participant
      October 28, 2020

      Here's a tutorial I found.

       

      https://youtu.be/Om0eI8Z-RVQ

      Monika Gause
      Community Expert
      Monika GauseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 28, 2020

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

      peterdemas25
      peterdemas25
      Participant
      June 1, 2017

      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
      Community Expert
      Monika GauseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      June 1, 2017

      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

        forums_are_useless1
        forums_are_useless1
        Participant
        February 22, 2016

        [Removed by moderator - personal insults are NOT tolerated]

          D
          Darsupial
          Participating Frequently
          February 26, 2013

          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__
            _scott__
            Legend
            February 26, 2013

            "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.

              _scott__
              _scott__
              Legend
              February 28, 2013

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


              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.

              U
              universaltruthAuthor
              Participant
              January 13, 2013

              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?

              tromboniator
              Community Expert
              tromboniatorCommunity Expert
              Community Expert
              January 13, 2013

              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."

              _scott__
              _scott__
              Legend
              January 13, 2013

              Not all brushes allow a profile.

              The blob brush certainly does not.

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