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# Brushes Palette

Use the Brushes palette to select and manage your brushes.

- View ‣ Show Brushes
- Cmd ⌘ + 5

To create a new brush preset:

1. Click the plus icon. The brush editor sheet appears.
2. Modify the brush preset settings (see below for more information about the brush settings) in the brush editor.
3. Click OK or press Return ↩

To create a new brush preset from an image:

1. Drag and drop the picture you want to use as a brush from your desktop onto the Brushes palette or Brush editor sheet.
2. Double-click the brush that appears in the Brushes palette to modify it.

Or:

1. Select New Brush from Image... from the Brushes Action menu.
2. Select the image you would like to use as a brush in the Open dialog box and click Open

To create a new brush preset from layer:

1. Drag and drop the layer that you want to use as a brush from your layers palette onto the Brushes palette or Brush editor sheet.
2. Double-click the brush that appears in the Brushes palette to modify it.

To edit a brush preset:

1. Double-click a brush in the Brushes palette for a brush editor to appear.
2. Adjust the brush settings. For more information about the brush settings, see below.

To duplicate a brush preset:

1. Control-click or right mouse button click on a brush preset in the Brushes palette for Brushes contextual menu to appear.
2. Choose Duplicate from the Brushes contextual menu.

Option ⌥-click on the brush to remove it.
To remove a brush preset:

1. Control-click or right mouse button click on a brush preset in the Brushes palette for Brushes contextual menu to appear.
2. Choose Remove Brush from the Brushes contextual menu.

Switching Brush Collections

In Pixelmator you can have as many brushes collections as you wish. To switch brush collections select the desired brush collection name from the Brushes Action menu.

Manage Brush Collections

Pixelmator brush collections may be added, removed, renamed and duplicated in Finder in Home > Library > Application Support > Pixelmator > Brushes folder.

A list of brush preset settings:

Shape Tip Settings
Diameter | Size of the brush tip
Hardness | Amount of the brush anti-aliasing (simple brush only)
Spacing | Distance between the brush points
Scatter | Diﬀerence in brush points placement in a stroke
Flow | Rate at which color is applied in a stroke
Follow Direction | If selected, the brush point angle follows the direction of the brush stroke (image brush only)
Shape Jitter Settings
Size (jitter) | Diﬀerence of brush points size in a stroke
Stroke (jitter) | Amount of stroke diﬀerence
Angle (jitter) | Diﬀerence of brush points angle in a stroke (image brush only)
Opacity (jitter) | Diﬀerence of brush points opacity in a stroke
Color Jitter Settings
Hue (jitter) | Diﬀerence of brush points hue in a stroke
Saturation (jitter) | Diﬀerence of brush points saturation in a stroke
Lightness (jitter) | Diﬀerence in brush points lightness in a stroke

To control the minimum brush size by graphics tablet sensitivity or tracking speed:

1. Double-click the brush for which you would like to adjust the graphics tablet or tracking speed control to for a brush editor sheet appear.
2. In the brush editor sheet, click on a diameter, scatter, or flow value number for the graphics tablet and tracking speed menu to appear.
3. Adjust one or both sliders:
   - Pressure: How much the graphics tablet pressure varies the brush diameter, scatter, or flow.
   - Speed: How much the tracking speed varies the brush diameter, scatter, or flow.

Sharing Brushes

You can share your brushes with other Pixelmator users. It is as simple as dragging and dropping brushes from the Pixelmator Brushes palette onto your desktop, and vice versa.

Share Brush Collection

To share your brushes collection, go to Home > Library > Application Support > Pixelmator > Brushes folder and share any of the brush collection documents therein with your friends.

- Pencil
- Brush
- Eraser
- Clone Stamp
- Blur
- Sharp

Related topics

- Tools palette