Contour Shapes / Patterns / fonts for Photoshop, Word, PSP and others

100s of Contour graphics (Photoshop shapes, fonts, patterns etc), commercial use contours

contour shapes brushes photoshop

Date updated: May 17th, 2013

Contour shapes for Photoshop

Loading contour shapes into Photoshop

The shapes are all in CSH format. The easiest way to load them is by placing the CSH in the shapes folder of Photoshop and Photoshop Elements and access the shapes file via the palette right side menu dropdown. You should also be able to load the CSH file and the shapes into the palette via the file open command which will add the contours to the palette for selection and use throughout the application. You can also use the edit preset manager tool in most recent versions of the application.

 

opening contour shapes

 

Contour patterns as a source for Photoshop brushes

The patterns can be used as standard patterns but they can also be used as a great source for brush strokes in Photoshop as well as other applications. The contour pattern PAT files can be used as a source as well as PNG format.

 

Load the contour pattern and apply as a fill layer (layer menu), the reason being it is easier to create and scale the pattern though with the latest release, CS6, you can also use the contour designs with the powerful new deco script features to create even more unique designs.

 

You can create the brush stroke by using part of the pattern or the whole pattern or perhaps combinations of patterns to create ever more complex contour Photoshop brushes. Once you have created the design, you then just have to use the edit menu define brush command along with the brush presets such as scatter and spacing and rotation

 

square contour contour brush contour strokes

Contours in Layer Effects / Photoshop

A different kind of contour but a contour all the same - this time via the layer effects dialog in Photoshop. Select the bevel section (and I have set the bevel size large so the contour can be clearly seen) and then access the contour sub-section

 

default bevel contour

 

The default contour is above - a basic flat line.

 

contour turned

 

Mountain range contour applied to a basic shape.

 

If you set the contour to a flat shape then no contour appears. To edit the contour shape, just click the contour dropdown and you will see the current contour points. They can be edited in numerous ways and you can multiple points to the existing curve. The one issue that does seem to occur is there appears at times to be limits (such as corner corner points) and then again if you apply the design as all curves and then turn them into corner points, you can exceed the number of points to the contour. As the contour depends on the bevel size for the contour to actually be seen, sometimes for very small bevel paths, it really isn't a great idea to add too many points anyway.

 

contour zag

 

Extreme contour points design in Photoshop

 

contour points

 

A wide variety of different contours can be created such as adding in a plateau (a flat contour surrounded by jagged points)

 

plateau contour

 

Or a double plateau bevel by having two flats in the contour mapping

 

double contour

 

Or invert the contour - still got a plateau but it is now the center of the bevel with a tiny ridge where there was once a valley. Sadly there is no feature to invert the shape within the dialog (such as in some of the other effects). Also, it would be wonderful if there was a way to import an open path from vector applications thus allowing for some truly weird and wonderful contour designs.

 

ridge

 

You can still load and save the contours, a SHC format.

 

 

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Andrew Buckle, Abneil Software Ltd, Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom. (+44) 622 688 375