Brushes vs. Custom Shapes

[vawitt]

In playing Kimi-boo's "quilt" activity, I experimented with both brushes and custom shapes. I found the shapes easier to work with (to add effects to, and filters, and layer styles) and am wondering what a good general rule of thumb would be when selecting between the two?

Seems like brushes are good for background effects. Is this the general use for them?

~Val in :) sunny IL

[GaryK]

Hi Val

I can't quite say myself. I really don't use the shapes that much (that's just me :D ) One thing I like about the brushes they are so easy to resize (left and right square brackets)
One other thing you can apply styles and such if yu keep the brushes on their own layer.

[Carbone]

One of the main difference between a brush and a custom shape is that a brush is a bitmap design: it has a native size. Although it can be used at any sizes, the best size to get the best result is usually the one intended by its creator. For round and square shapes, it's not a big issue. But when you download brushes of objects (Mickey Mouse, cars, Moon buggy, etc..) then you start to see the design getting a bit blurry at sizes bigger than the default one.

Custom shapes, on the other hand, are vector design. They are made to be resized at will, without ever showing pixelisation (little squares).

Hope this helps!

Ray

[vawitt]

Ray, that is a BIG difference! For me, just one more reason to use shapes vs. brushes.

Thanks for the lesson!

~Val in IL

[Pauline]

VaL it really depends on what you are doing. Say you want a row of fluttering butterflies.......with custom shapes you would have to click each time to make a new butterfly and rotate it, etc. If it were a brush then you can change the brush options which would space them apart, rotate them, and depending on the brush also vary the colour.

One neat trick I learned is that if you have a layer style on a layer and then paint on it, the layer style will end up on the painted stroke that is made too.

[GaryK]

Ray

Moon buggy????:D .. I want that one.:D



Val

The vector part is huge.. I negleted to mention that. :o

It really does depend on what you want to use them for. I don't do very much "creative" stuff, so as I said I use shapes very rarely and for most of my needs a blown up brush works fine. Of course if you need a big sharp shape then you have to use the custom shapes.

[Carbone]

Gary,

I translated that from French.. .What is the name of the vehicle used on the moon.. ? The Moon Rover ? The Moon Truck.. ? I can't find the right word :(

Ray

[vawitt]

Hi, Ray. I think it's a moon rover....doesn't Mars Rover sound right, too?

~Val in :) sunny IL

[Carbone]

Thanks, Val :)



Ray

[GaryK]

Ray

I knew what you meant.. same words I would have used. I've just never seen the moon buggy shape. :D

[Carbone]

However, I saw the real thing at NASA several years ago (well, it is the brother to the one which flew to the moon, because they never got one back, unfortunately). Having always loved space related subjects and objects, I can say this was a very touching moment. It is so d... cool!

Ray

[GaryK]

Ray

It was the real one..they never really went to the moon ;) :D

[Carbone]

I was like... what's he talking about ???? I saw it, on TV (B&W at the time)... then I figured.. You're an X-Files fan, I am sure... :D

Ray

[GaryK]

Ray

I saw it on TV as well.. I was at my grandparents that night and was very sick later that night. ( probably too much junk food.. they spoiled me:D )

Just bugging you... although there are people around who think it was a conspiracy.