Brushes in Photoshop are stamps of a shape that you can drag over an image. However, beyond just making lines and repeating a figure, brushes will also serve you to illuminate, texturize, digitally paint and much more. This feature allows you to add wonderful depth and fluidity to your illustrations, but they will be of no use if you can't install them.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Download New Brushes
Step 1. Find new free brush patterns online and choose the ones that best suit your style
If you're not sure what you want, just search for "Photoshop Brush Packs" in your favorite search engine. There are hundreds of options, from paint sets to special textured brushes for shading and drawing grass. For now, find a basic brush set and pick the one you like best. Some reputable websites that offer good material are:
- DeviantArt;
- Creative Market;
- Design Cuts.
Step 2. Download the zip file to your computer
Most brushes come in zip files, which means they are compressed into folders. Once you find something you like, download it. You should have a program to open zip files, although most modern computers come with some special software to open files with a ".zip" extension.
If you're worried you won't find your brushes after you've downloaded them, click and drag them to the desktop. This will make it easier for you to find them later
Step 3. Open the zip file
You will need a zip file extraction tool or program, if you don't have one. Double click on the file to open it. If you can't find it, look for it in the "Downloads" folder.
If you are not sure if you can open the zip file, right click on it and select the option to "Extract" or "Open with". Some very common programs are ZIP Archive or WinRAR
Step 4. Make sure there is a file with the extension ".abr" in the folder
There will be multiple files in the folder once you open it. However, the only one that interests you is the one with the extension ".abr". If you can't find it, delete the entire folder and find a new set of brushes.
Method 2 of 3: Add New Brushes to Photoshop
Step 1. Open Photoshop
You don't even have to open an image. Just open the program to be able to install the brushes.
It will be useful to have a Finder or Windows Explorer window open to show you the brushes. You will have to find them again
Step 2. Press B, or click the brush tool to display the brush bar at the top of the screen
There is a bar at the top of the screen that changes depending on what tool you have open. Just press the B key to switch to the brush tool.
Step 3. Click on the little arrow pointing down in the brush bar
It's usually next to a dot, in the upper left corner of the screen. This will open the preset menu of brushes.
Step 4. Click on the symbol with the gear and find the option "Load brushes"
Thus, a window will appear that will help you search for your brushes. Go back to the zip file and look for the file with the extension ".apr", as these are your new brushes.
Step 5. Double click the apr file to install the brushes
Your new brushes will automatically be added to the menu of preset sets. You'll always find them when you open the brush preset menu. Just click on the symbol with the gear to find the new set at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
Step 6. Another way is by clicking on the brushes and dragging them into the Photoshop window to add them
It doesn't get any easier. Click on the apr file from your desktop or some other window, then drag it into the Photoshop program. The program will automatically arrange the brushes. If none of these procedures work for you, try this other method:
- Click "Edit" from the top bar.
- Click on "Preset Sets," then "Preset Manager."
- Make sure the "Preset Set Type:" option is set to "Brushes."
- Click "Upload" and find the brushes. Then double click on them to install them.
Method 3 of 3: Add Multiple Brush Packs
Step 1. Add multiple brush packs to Photoshop system file to save time
If you want to add a large number of new brushes, it will make your life easier if you just drag and drop them into the indicated folder. This is possible on both Windows and Mac computers.
Make sure Photoshop is closed before you begin
Step 2. Navigate to Photoshop files using the following addresses
The two paths are indicated below. However, on a Mac, all you have to do is press the Photoshop icon with the "Cmd" button to open the folder.
-
Windows:
C: \ Program Files \ Adobe \ Photoshop \
-
Mac:
/ Users / {Username} / Library / Application Support / Adobe / Adobe Photoshop ___ /
Step 3. Click "Preset Sets", then "Brushes" to open all the brushes you have
This is where Adobe organizes all the brushes for you, and where Photoshop will search to find the new ones.
Step 4. Drag the new brushes into this folder
Once you've opened the zip file, click on the apr file and drag it into the brushes folder. The next time you open Photoshop, the new brushes should be at your disposal and ready to use.