advice for using grunge brushes???

[mom to 4]

I am trying to use a grunge brush to put around a basketball picture. I have seen many of you use grunge brushes and they look great. Mine however, looks stupid.

Any advice??? Long swipes down the side or short ones going in toward the center of the photo??? Opacity????? Size of brush.... I am using an 8x10 photo.

Any info would be great.

[grammom]

My best advise is just keep playing. I think Diana may have a tutorial for this. I usually use several brushes at different sizes. Always apply brushes on a new layer. Make sure the spacing of the brush isn't too close. Change the direction of the brush. Also don't forget there are a lot of good brushes built right into Photoshop and PSE. Here are a couple of my favorites. If you feel like your frame needs a little extra grunge-go over it using the eraser with a grunge brush. Vary the opacity. Good luck.
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r88/gramof4/10-2.jpg

[Wendy]

Hi ...

With most grunge brushes I click once then move it to a new place click again etc .. rather than doing actual strokes :)

Wendy

[mom to 4]

I have begun doing the grunge brush on a new layer so that if I don't like the way it turns out..........TRASH and start again.

Thanks for the tips. I see such wonderful stuff done with these brushes, but I think I just don't like them personally, but the kids tend to love them, so I need to get used to doing it. Actually, maybe I should start using a color other than black, although, I think the kids like the black the best...... ARGH!!!!!;)

[vawitt]

I've had some luck varying the opacity, as well, so it looks more "grungy".

I've found this set of brushes:
http://www.easyelements.com/grunge-line-brushes.html work great for grungy borders. One stamp and you have a border...no brushing needed! :)

Have fun!

~Val in sunny IL

[mom to 4]

Thanks Val! That is kind of what I was looking for!!! I can use it on the edges and it does look better than what I was trying to do, but I do have another question.......

That brush works great on the top and bottom of the photo, but can I somehow rotate the brush itself to apply it to both sides of the photo.

Sorry if I am sounding stupid, but I have not used these before!!!

Thanks guys! ...esp for your patience with me!

[grammom]

Right here, Colleen. You can change a lot about the brush here (look at the top, right hand side for a little menu looking box when brush is selected. Click on it and it will open)--
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r88/gramof4/10-3.jpg

[mom to 4]

Ah duh!!! I didn't have that window/menu, figured out how to get it and wow!!! More to learn!!!! Amazing!!!! If I live to be 100, I will never figure all of it out!!!!!

Thanks Grammon!!!

[deedeeO]

Hi ...

With most grunge brushes I click once then move it to a new place click again etc .. rather than doing actual strokes :)

Wendy

I do the same thing in addition to creating multiple layers giving you added flexibility to change and make adjustments to your look....

[msbrad]

Here 2 things I do with grunge.
1: if I ever like what I did...I save just that layer as a png file
2: download a grunge overlay or frame.
m

[vawitt]

Michelle - saving the layer as its own .png file is such a good idea! I have a couple that I saved as .psd files, then swap in the new element.

So many good ways to do things!

~Val in sunny IL

[Diana]

Here's another link to grunge line brushes:

http://www.photoshopbrushes.com/brushes/3.htm

Diana