How to create polka dot brushes tutorial

How to create polka dot brushes in Photoshop CC 2018 2017 2015 CS6 CS5 etc tutorial.

1. Create a Photoshop document 1000 x 1000 for the polka dot brush

2. View menu and snap ON

3. View menu and snap to guides ON

4. View menu and new guide layout for the polka dot structure

5. Columns 6 and rows 6 and both ON

6. Go to the ellipse tool and create a circle (as a shape layer) that snaps to the guides in the first cell

7. Alt / option and duplicate that circle and place in the third cell in the first row and then duplicate and add to the 5th cell in the first row

8. Duplicate and go to the next row and add the circle to the 2nd cell (using the snap so it is in the center of the cell)

9. Repeat with the 4th cell and then move to the third row and place in the first cell etc

Video tutorial on the polka dot creation subject by graphicxtras.com (youtube)

 

The most useful way of creating this graphic is to use the guides. If you are using Photoshop then you can go to the view menu and new guide layout and set a grid of 6 x 6 etc. You can also add in gutter etc if you wish. The guides make it a whole lot easier to add the artwork to the cells. Other applications such as Clip Studio Paint and Affinity Photo etc have their own ways of adding guides.

 

Use the ellipse tool. Select the tool and then set to shape layer option and set the color for the design such as green. Go to the options and set fixed size and set to the required size for your spots (something like 1/8th (approximately 50px if you are using a 400 x 400 document) of the size of the document if you are using a 6 x 6 grid). Avoid having the snap ON as that will always attract the vector designs to the edge of the cell. Drag and drop and then re-color via properties or double click the entry in the layers panel

 

If you are using another application, there are similar circle or ellipse tools in their toolbar so Affinity Photo can also quickly create multiple spots but perhaps in a slightly different way.

 

You can then define as a new stroke via the edit menu and define command.

 

You can also define as a pattern. If you are using other applications then you may have to save the artwork to a particular folder or access it via a panel and define it that way.

 

You do not have to use exactly the same size spots and you can also use different colors.

 

You don't have to use spots, you could use stars or squares or perhaps combine multiple spots with different colors.

 

As the strokes are grayscale, one of the most useful adjustments or live adjustment layers is the black and white. The black and white can be very useful though not if you go for an all green or all blue.

 

The adjustment layers work best perhaps in combination so you can always add color balance and then add the black and white. Once you have these, you can tweak the settings and create multiple unique strokes from the same set (of course, you could just go and change the spot's colors as well).

 

You can find the adjustment layers in the layers menu. There are similar features in Affinity Photo etc

 

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