Is it OK if I edit the brush sets installed with Elements?

[Goldfrappfan]

I've been wondering...

[Carbone]

I don't know... if you erase or otherwise change a brush, you might be stuck reinstalling if you need it back. Make a copy of the Presets folder for a backup, if you intend on changing the defaults brushes and other factory made settings. Experimenting is always fun. Having a way back home is even better :)

Ray

[Goldfrappfan]

Thank you.
All I did was change the Basic Brushes file.
The Default Brushes are OK. Aren't the Default Brushes the same as the Basic Brushes?

[Carbone]

I don't know what is this brush set, but Basic isn't in the list, nor is Default a brush set (a file).

Ray

[Goldfrappfan]

I have the Windows Version, that might explain why.

[Carbone]

Maybe, I have PSE4 for Mac.

Ray

[graficalicus]

they *should* be the same on both platforms.

You can edit the set all you want - then you can just save your edited set under a different name. Click the little triangle on the brushes palette to get to the menu - you shoud see something like Reset brushes (which restored the default set), clear brushes (which empties the palette), Load brushes (which adds a new set to the palette in addition to the one(s) already there), Replace (replaces the current set(s) with the new one you want to load) and several other commands. Choose Save and you'll be prompted to enter a name for your edited set -

You can delete individual brushes (if you want to make a completely custom set) by right-clicking the brush footprint in the palette and chosing delete - when the set is as you want it, save it with a new name and it'll be there whenever you want to reload it.

Once you delete individual brushes, they're not really gone until you save the set - then they're all-the-way gone.

[Goldfrappfan]

Um, now I have the same brushes displayed twice at the bottom of the list. When I try to select one of the brushes from the bottom, it says "Operation couldn't be completed because of a program error" or something similar. When I restart the program, it's normal.
P.S.: I mean all of my brushes appear twice.

[graficalicus]

sounds like you just loaded the same set twice -

when you restarted, it eliminated the duplicates - maybe? You can always go back and start from scratch with the Reload brushes command - if you didn't save your new set in the same folder with the same name as the original default set (which, BTW, is Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 3\Presets\Brushes\ ;) .

[Goldfrappfan]

I edited the Basic Brush set that was installed by the program, by mistake.

[Goldfrappfan]

Are the Default Brushes and the Basic Brushes pallete the same?

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

... and welcome to the forum :)

Which version of Elements are you using?

Wendy

[graficalicus]

navigate to your brushes folder (default for Windows is \Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements #\Presets\Brushes) and check out the files in there - those are the brush sets that came with the program (there's probably 8 or 10 or so files in there with the .abr extension).

The file name is the name that will show up in the palette. So you can save your brushes with any name you want -

If you have a file named "Basic.abr" and another named "Default.abr", they're two different sets that may or may not have the same brush footprints in them - load them both, and you can edit them as mentioned earlier - deleting individual brushes.

Then save your new set with a new name: "Goldfrappfan Brushes.abr", for example ;) . If there's brush footprints in there that you'll never, ever use, it's OK to remove them from the set - you won't mess up the program or anything like that. Just think of them as individual paint brushes like an artist has in a studio. Throwing a brush away won't affect how the artist paints - he'll just use a different brush. Brushes can also be created/downloaded quite easily, so there's no need to really clutter up that palette.

I made my own set awhile back by loading up all the sets that came with the program and one by one deleting the footprints from the brushes palette that I didn't want. Then I saved this new set with my name so it became my "default" set that I can load up whenever. I've also made a bunch of other sets with various brushes I've downloaded over the years.

[Wendy]

Goldfrappfan ...

I have several versions of Elements and none of them have a brush set called Basic brushes ... which version of Elements are you using ?

... or did you install a set called Basic Brushes from somewhere else ?

Wendy

[Goldfrappfan]

I have Photoshop Elements 4.0 for Windows.

[Goldfrappfan]

I also cannot edit the Default Brushes because there isn't a file. There just is a Default Brushes at the top.

[kayser]

I have basic brushes too, maybe it's a PSE4 thing? I don't remember adding them...

[Goldfrappfan]

I have basic brushes too, maybe it's a PSE4 thing? I don't remember adding them...
Are the Basic Brushes and the Default Brushes pallete the same?

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

Now I have found them ... they are indeed PSE4. (Thanks Kay)

Goldfrappfan .. The Default brush set isn't a brush set like the others are so there isn't a file for it in the Adobe folder ... its just a collection of handy brushes that Elements puts together.

The Basic brush set is a normal set of brushes ... the titles of the invididual ones are hard mechanical, soft mechanical etc ... and it sounds as though you have indeed lost the basic brush set ...

There are a couple of options ... one of us could sent you the basic brush set by email or you could reinstall Elements.

I am going away today but I am sure that one of the others with PSE4 will send the file to you. :)

Wendy

[Goldfrappfan]

So to reinstall, I would just put in the installation disc back in?

[Wendy]

Hi Goldfrappfan ...

You will need to uninstall Element and then do a clean install ... that should work (you can't do a restore)

Wendy

[Goldfrappfan]

Hi Goldfrappfan ...

You will need to uninstall Element and then do a clean install ... that should work (you can't do a restore)

Wendy
Will I lose all of my Photoshop files(".psd files"?)?

[graficalicus]

nope :)

not sure if you want to do a reinstall, though, just to get brushes - seems like overkill to me. If you reinstall, all of your other settings will disappear.

it'd be MUCh easier to just get the set you want - or recreate it as mentioned above.

Basic brushes from CS attached - see if that works!

[graficalicus]

just a follow up -

the Default Brushes set is located in ...\Photoshop Elements #\Required - as is Default Swatches, Default Filter Colors, Default Styles, ....

Additional sets of "extras" like brushes, styles, shapes, patterns (ones you've created, edited, downloaded, ....) can be saved anywhere - I keep mine on a separate CD and just load them as I want them. It keeps my system running clean and doesn't slow down loading the program.

If you want these extras to appear in the program's drop menus and be available at a moment's notice, though, save them in their appropriate folder in the Presets directory within your Elements (or Photoshop) installation.

[Wendy]

Umm ...

I don't seem to be able to find a Photoshop Elements/ Required folder ... where abouts is it ??

Wendy

[graficalicus]

Hi, Wendy:

on Windoze, it's
<SrcDrive>\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements #.#\Required

should be in a similar place on a Mac, I would guess.

[Wendy]

Ah ..

Now I get it ... its not in the usual Photoshop Elements folder but elsewhere on the system.

Still haven't found it but I'm looking:) :)

Wendy

[graficalicus]

(It's a sneaky little bugger! :twisted: )

try a system search for "*.abr", or even "Default Brushes.abr" - that'll lead you to it (if it exists on Mac :eek: )

[Wendy]

Now that is a weird one :eek:

A search on Default brushes throws up nothing :( and I searched all 437 .abr files but no indication that anyone of then is the default set ..

I will keep on searching !! :)

Wendy

[graficalicus]

ACK! ANOTHER MAC - WINDOWS THING!!

RUN!!!

:D

It is weird that it wouldn't be on mac, though. maybe the XP OS requires that something be there as a default, and a mac doesn't?

But everyone knows that macs are just smarter. :rolleyes: :D :p

[Wendy]

Oh that just made me laugh .. I still haven't found it but I haven't given up :)

Wendy