Creating a brush

[roundwayhill]

I'm using PSE 5 and trying to create a brush from some text that I've typed.

OK, I've typed it, selected it with the magic wand tool and gone into Edit, but the Define Brush command isn't darkened so I can't select that. The Define pattern one is though.

What aren't I doing to get the Define Brush bit darkened so I can click on it?

[kimi_boo]

to make a brush you need to make sure your document is not larger than 2500 pixels.

you need the marching ants around the entire document. you can hit Ctrl A and it will do that.

make sure your background is white and your text is black.

it should work... let us know?

[roundwayhill]

Nope :(

The define brush is still unclickable.

Is there a tutorial anyway that I can try right from the start?

[lbjiowa]

Odd...I just tried to recreate your trouble...


I created a new 12" x 12" document.
I activated my text tool and set it to a very large font (Adobe Caslon Pro, 270px!)
I typed a six letter name.
I selected the contents of the layer (CTRL+CLICK on the layer thumbnail!...NOT CTRL+A!!!)
Opened EDIT>DEFINE BRUSH FROM SELECTION

It all went without any bumps in the road...

Maybe the trouble comes when you selected the entire document? (ctrl+a)?

And...just so you know...your text doesn't have to be black...BUT...if you use a color the brush will be somewhat transparent as a brush is really just a set of 'filled' pixels. The 'color' comes when you apply the brush and the program uses the paint in your foreground color swatch. You could make a brush from a picture of a flower (for example) without having to convert the photo to Black & White...it just doesn't matter except that the colors will control the intensity of the paint later.

HTH

[roundwayhill]

:(:confused:

I've tried that and can't get it to work. It still won't let me click on the 'define brush'.

I thought it might be the desktop playing up but I've just tried it on the laptop without any luck.

It must be something so simple that I'm not doing ................

[roundwayhill]

I think, just think, I might have got it :)

I've been playing around all afternoon and I managed to get it done once but just couldn't repeat it.

But, I've just managed it again. I think it's all to do with what I click after writing the text. I've been writing down absolutely every step and now I'm going to take a break and come back later. If I can create another brush following my last lot of notes I'm going to declare myself 'create brush' competent! ;)

[ken1]

Here is a detailed tutorial for your reference:

http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/brush/cbrush7.htm

:):)

[lbjiowa]

I think, just think, I might have got it :)

I've been playing around all afternoon and I managed to get it done once but just couldn't repeat it.

But, I've just managed it again. I think it's all to do with what I click after writing the text. I've been writing down absolutely every step and now I'm going to take a break and come back later. If I can create another brush following my last lot of notes I'm going to declare myself 'create brush' competent! ;)

Happy to hear that you had some success! BTW...the tutorial Ken mentioned is exactly the steps listed in my post...except that it is for Photoshop 7 (though the steps will be the same).

THE KEY SUCCESS FACTOR is to be absolutely CERTAIN that the ONLY thing you have selected is the TEXT ... DO NOT SELECT ALL!!!

IF you want multiple layers of text and/or symbols to be included in the selection then you simply need to do one of two things to include them in the selection, right?


Merge the text layers together and then select the text content (CTRL+CLICK on the new merged layer's thumbnail),
or
CTRL+CLICK on the first text layer, then press and hold the SHIFT key while you CTRL+CLICK on the second text layer's thumbnail (in the Layer's palette...do you know what I mean when I refer to a layer's thumbnail?) ... continue holding the shift key while adding any additional layers.


Here is a detailed tutorial for your reference:

http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/brush/cbrush7.htm

:):)

[kimi_boo]

to make a brush you need to make sure your document is not larger than 2500 pixels.

you need the marching ants around the entire document. you can hit Ctrl A and it will do that.

make sure your background is white and your text is black.

it should work... let us know?

I have PSE5. I just ran thru all of my instructions and it works without a hitch. :D
The number one problem when the option is grayed out is that the document is too large. I would check that first. Then you made mention of the magic wand which doesn't come into play with this at all.

Check your document size, make sure it is under 2500 pixels.
Type your word
You can use Ctrl A to select the entire document or you can use the rectangle marquee and draw a selection around the word. But you must choose one of them to get your marching ants. This tell the software what the brush will be defined as. Not the magic wand.

Keep trying... you can do this. :)

p.s. Ctrl clicking will do the same thing. It will bring up the marching ants. There are lots of ways to achieve the exact same thing.

[lbjiowa]

yep...sounds like we are all thinking the trouble was one of two things ... either


you didn't select the TEXT only, or
your text was just too large (bigger than the 2500px limitation)

both issues are quite easy to identify and remedy.

[roundwayhill]

I'm still working on it guys ! I'm not declaring myself competent yet :)

After 6 attempts this morning I finally got one to work following the details that I wrote down yesterday when it was working. I didn't change the pixel size at all :confused:

I'm going to keep trying, and keep an eye on the sizes and selections. I'm beginning to feel like I did years (and years and years.......) ago when i was trying to learn to ride a bike without training wheels :eek:

Thanks for all your help so far :)

[kimi_boo]

If you join the site..
There is a video that shows how to make a signature brush. :)

I find it much easier to get it; while watching exactly what someone is doing on the video.

[roundwayhill]

:confused: Ok, at the risk of sounding stupid............

what site kimi_boo? :o

[ladybug]

Kimi Boo is probably refering to
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com
you do not have to be a subscriber to visit this forum but in order to view the enormous amount of videos and written tutorials you need to subscribe to the photoshopelementsuser newsletter magazine.
(worth every penny for me).

That being said if you are still having troubles creating a brush , maybe we can figure out where you are going wrong.

[Wendy]

Hi roundwayhill ...

The link Judy gave you is to the Subscriber Area of the Village ... there are lots of tutorials there and it really is well worth the subscription.

... you also get 6 newsletter a year (they really are more like magazines than newsletters)

Wendy :)

[kimi_boo]

:confused: Ok, at the risk of sounding stupid............

what site kimi_boo? :o

My fault... I keep forgetting the forum is now separate from the learning site.
You will be amazed at how many videos and the things you can learn. I am pretty sure there or over 100.

[Wendy]

Last time I counted there were over 269 Video Tutorials and about 150 Written ones ... and more are added every month :)

Hopefully once the site is redesigned then the subscriber area will be more obvious and they will have the same names ... thats going to be a big help :)

Wendy

[roundwayhill]

I had a look at the site and downloaded the sample magazine and I'm impressed! I think I'll be subscribing the in very near future.

I'm still working on the brushes, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I have a new laptop arriving this week (caught DH on a weak moment ;)) and hopefully when i get everything loaded on there I'll be able to sort out exactly where I'm going wrong when it doesn't work!

[BillandCat]

Make sure your not on the background layer. Make it layer one or something and merge background and text.I have had that problem before and found I had the background layer selected. BillandCat