Article written using Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 with Windows Vista
Digital Brushes are some of the most versatile supplies in your digital scrapbooking arsenal. They can be used in so many different ways. The most frequent way I use them is to simply “stamp” them onto my layout (always on their own layer) then use a Blending Mode until I get a look I like. When I was given the assignment for this article on brushes, however, I decided to try them in some different ways. I re-read through my Scrap Girls eBook, Mastering Brushes for Photoshop Elements by Shalae Tippetts, to get some ideas. You’ll find great tips and techniques in the eBook, as well as a free brush set to practice with.
One technique that I decided I just had to try was using my brush with the Brush Selection Tool. The Brush Selection Tool can be found in the tool bar below the Magic Wand Tool with the Quick Selection Tool. Instead of stamping the brush onto a layer, this tool makes a direct selection (you will see “marching ants”) of the shape of the brush from the layer you place it on, similar to a die-cut or a shape. The brush shape can then be moved around and placed wherever you want it.
On the following layout, I used the Brush Selection Tool with Brush Set: Pocket Life Words by Syndee Nuckles. I used the brush on several paper layers, stacked the word art on my layout, then proceeded to erase and nudge the layers until the word art looked good to me. Then, I replaced one of the letters with an embellishment, and as a final step, I put a stroke around the top layer of word art to further define the letters.
For the glitter cherries in the pocket, I used Armi Custodio’s Dynamic Brush Set: Fruity Biggie. I used the Brush Selection Tool with the cherry brush on my paper, duplicated the cherries, and then applied Amanda Fraijo-Tobin’sScrapSimple Tools – Styles: Everyday Glitters His 6401 Biggie in red and pale green on different layers and spread them out to fill up the pocket.
Learning this new technique for brushes opens up a world of possibilities for my digital scrapbook supplies! By selecting the brush from a paper layer, I can use the brush as a die-cut, adding shadows and styles to increase its versatility. Now it’s your turn – give it a try, then come share your layouts using your favorite brush techniques in the Scrap Girls Gallery.
Digital scrapbooking products used:
Article written by Melanie Cockshott
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